60491 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
60491
62711
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 34%
vs46 · Bottom 31%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Climate
63 · Bottom 26%
vs67 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs79 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
88 · Bottom 34%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
75 · Top 20%
vs71 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 60491 | 62711 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,757 | 18,559 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $138,571 | $124,816 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,308 | $74,341 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 889/sq mi | 600/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,700 | $316,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,823 | $1,337 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 94.8% | 78.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 59.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.3% | 3.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 53 | 176 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 60.6% | 79.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 38.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.6 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.3 | 47.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.44 | 13.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.4% | 48.4% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
60491
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
62711
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 60491 — Homer Glen, IL · 62711 — Springfield, IL · How this is calculated: methodology