Freeport receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Dixon
Freeport
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 16%
vs49 · Bottom 34%
Growth
30 · Bottom 17%
vs30 · Bottom 17%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs57 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs65 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs99 · Top 10%
Schools
28 · Bottom 20%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs65 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 7%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Dixon | Freeport | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,910 | 23,505 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,406 | $51,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,511 | $31,004 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,568/sq mi | 1,981/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $120,800 | $92,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $912 | $793 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.1% | 59.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 19.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.8% | 19.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 14 | 3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -53.3% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.5" | 38.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 60 mi | 61 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 17.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 42.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.82 | 13.13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.0% | 12.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 16.9% | 11.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.3% | 60.0% | 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
Dixon
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Freeport
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Dixon, IL · Freeport, IL · How this is calculated: methodology