60542 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
60542
60431
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 45%
vs38 · Bottom 18%
Growth
43 · Bottom 39%
vs38 · Bottom 31%
Climate
59 · Bottom 13%
vs59 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
77 · Top 27%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
46 · Bottom 42%
vs53 · Top 48%
Access
87 · Bottom 32%
vs83 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
83 · Top 7%
vs84 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 60542 | 60431 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,932 | 27,138 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $114,831 | $122,870 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,320 | $45,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,999/sq mi | 2,113/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $342,400 | $294,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,504 | $1,410 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.8% | 93.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.7% | 32.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.2% | 5.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 52 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -7.1% | -43.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 33.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.82 | 13.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.6% | 20.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 22.3% | 26.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.1% | 41.5% | 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: 60542 — North Aurora, IL · 60431 — Joliet, IL · How this is calculated: methodology