Aurora receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Barrington
Aurora
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 22%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Growth
16 · Bottom 5%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 32%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs94 · Top 21%
Access
94 · Top 42%
vs88 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
66 · Top 37%
vs72 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Barrington | Aurora | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,077 | 179,898 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $147,989 | $93,633 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $79,159 | $40,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,400/sq mi | 3,992/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $582,500 | $274,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,500 | $1,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.4% | 66.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.0% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 9.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 844 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -88.9% | 176.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.3" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.0 min | 29.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.9 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Your best match
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Barrington
64
Your Score
59
Area Score
Aurora
68
Your Score
64
Area Score
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Full profiles: Barrington, IL · Aurora, IL · How this is calculated: methodology