61081 and 61021 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
61081
61021
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 25%
vs43 · Bottom 26%
Growth
14 · Bottom 4%
vs27 · Bottom 13%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 42%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
40 · Bottom 35%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Access
74 · Bottom 15%
vs68 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 35%
vs35 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | 61081 | 61021 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,844 | 22,308 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,586 | $69,127 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,370 | $35,761 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 168/sq mi | 149/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $123,400 | $148,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $870 | $879 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.8% | 72.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 21.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 13.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 14 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -33.3% | -53.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.5" | 40.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 22.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 43.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.13 | 15.82 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.9% | 14.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 19.8% | 16.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.5% | 53.3% | 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
61081
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
61021
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 61081 — Sterling, IL · 61021 — Dixon, IL · How this is calculated: methodology