60085 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
60435
60085
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 8%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Growth
38 · Bottom 31%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
59 · Bottom 13%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs93 · Top 24%
Schools
17 · Bottom 7%
vs26 · Bottom 18%
Access
84 · Bottom 28%
vs88 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 47%
vs58 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 60435 | 60085 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,167 | 72,341 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,369 | $66,793 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,014 | $29,337 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,448/sq mi | 4,884/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $235,500 | $177,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,168 | $1,161 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.4% | 48.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 18.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 16.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 312 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -43.2% | 85.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 35.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 34.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.17 | 12.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.4% | 7.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 12.8% | 12.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.0% | 70.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 60435 — Joliet, IL · 60085 — Waukegan, IL · How this is calculated: methodology