Gurnee receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Aurora
Gurnee
Opportunity: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 22%
vs62 · Top 37%
Growth: Aurora is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
64 · Top 26%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
79 · Top 26%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools: Aurora is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access: Aurora is the more favorable of the two.
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs79 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Aurora | Gurnee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 179,898 | 30,510 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $93,633 | $119,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,937 | $58,525 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,992/sq mi | 2,258/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $274,800 | $344,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,596 | $1,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.4% | 76.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.4% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 56.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 5.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 844 | 45 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 176.7% | 50.0% | 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 | 25 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 52 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.57 | 13.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 20.3% | 10.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.9% | 17.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.2% | 44.4% | 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.
Full profiles: Aurora, IL · Gurnee, IL · How this is calculated: methodology