Fox Lake receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fox Lake
Elgin
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 37%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 14%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
44 · Bottom 41%
vs25 · Bottom 17%
Access
81 · Bottom 24%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 31%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Fox Lake | Elgin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,131 | 114,934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,819 | $90,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,203 | $37,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,421/sq mi | 3,011/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $228,100 | $273,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,047 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.9% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 96 | 184 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4700.0% | -48.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.3" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.8 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.9 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.63 | 15.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 19.6% | 13.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 21.1% | 13.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.5% | 61.1% | 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.
Full profiles: Fox Lake, IL · Elgin, IL · How this is calculated: methodology