Machesney Park receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Belvidere
Machesney Park
Opportunity
23 · Bottom 3%
vs30 · Bottom 6%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 32%
vs62 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
25 · Bottom 16%
vs55 · Top 45%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Belvidere | Machesney Park | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,752 | 22,630 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,528 | $75,489 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,460 | $36,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,955/sq mi | 1,784/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $158,900 | $173,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $991 | $1,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.9% | 79.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.8% | 19.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.6% | 13.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 24 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | 100.0% | 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 | 37.2" | 37.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 54 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.47 | 14.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 8.9% | 25.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 15.3% | 26.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 55.8% | 58.4% | 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
Belvidere
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Machesney Park
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Belvidere
55
Your Score
51
Area Score
Machesney Park
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Belvidere, IL · Machesney Park, IL · How this is calculated: methodology