East Peoria receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
East Peoria
Pekin
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 44%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 33%
vs74 · Top 31%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
38 · Bottom 33%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 41%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | East Peoria | Pekin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,324 | 31,781 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,833 | $60,790 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,268 | $34,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,079/sq mi | 2,022/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $163,500 | $120,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $886 | $819 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 68.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.2% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.8% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 14.3% | 80.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.6" | 37.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.6 | 41.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.18 | 14.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.7% | 17.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 21.6% | 21.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 52.8% | 57.2% | 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
East Peoria
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Pekin
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
East Peoria
64
Your Score
62
Area Score
Pekin
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: East Peoria, IL · Pekin, IL · How this is calculated: methodology