Cary receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cary
Chicago
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
59 · Top 33%
vs26 · Bottom 13%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 32%
vs69 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs76 · Bottom 42%
Schools
57 · Top 43%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Access
88 · Bottom 36%
vs94 · Top 43%
Economic stability
83 · Top 4%
vs52 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Cary | Chicago | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,923 | 2,711,226 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $113,026 | $77,902 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,715 | $50,086 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,746/sq mi | 11,904/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,800 | $334,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,428 | $1,440 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.8% | 46.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.7% | 44.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 58 | 2,531 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 480.0% | -52.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.3" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 35.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 657 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.70 | 13.78 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 24.6% | 20.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.9% | 23.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 26.8% | 73.4% | 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
Cary
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Chicago
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Cary, IL · Chicago, IL · How this is calculated: methodology