Gurnee receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Chicago
Gurnee
Opportunity: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
35 · Bottom 11%
vs62 · Top 37%
Growth: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate: Chicago is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
69 · Top 37%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 42%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools: Chicago is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
48 · Bottom 45%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access: Chicago is the more favorable of the two.
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability: Gurnee is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 34%
vs79 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Chicago | Gurnee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,711,226 | 30,510 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,902 | $119,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,086 | $58,525 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 11,904/sq mi | 2,258/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $334,100 | $344,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,440 | $1,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.0% | 76.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 56.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 5.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,531 | 45 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -52.1% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 35.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.9 min | 29.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 657 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.61 | 13.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 20.0% | 10.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 23.1% | 17.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.4% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Chicago
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Gurnee
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Chicago, IL · Gurnee, IL · How this is calculated: methodology