Swansea receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fairview Heights
Swansea
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs58 · Top 45%
Growth
11 · Bottom 2%
vs28 · Bottom 15%
Climate
72 · Top 40%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
43 · Bottom 33%
vs43 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
47 · Bottom 43%
vs52 · Top 49%
Access
92 · Bottom 49%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs63 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairview Heights | Swansea | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,745 | 14,710 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,930 | $91,587 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,182 | $45,341 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,461/sq mi | 2,269/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $177,700 | $223,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,174 | $1,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.6% | 73.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 42.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 8.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 16 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -86.4% | -42.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.8" | 43.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 25.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 42.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.11 | 14.05 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 16.0% | 20.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 24.1% | 29.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.3% | 59.6% | 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
Fairview Heights
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Swansea
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fairview Heights
60
Your Score
56
Area Score
Swansea
63
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fairview Heights, IL · Swansea, IL · How this is calculated: methodology