Freeport receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Freeport
Dixon
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 34%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Growth
30 · Bottom 17%
vs30 · Bottom 17%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 10%
vs99 · Top 10%
Schools
27 · Bottom 19%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access
65 · Bottom 9%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 14%
vs31 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | Freeport | Dixon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,505 | 14,910 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $51,723 | $59,406 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,004 | $29,511 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,981/sq mi | 1,568/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $92,100 | $120,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $793 | $912 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.1% | 64.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.6% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.0% | 16.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.6% | 17.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 14 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | -53.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 38.4" | 40.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 61 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.8 | 41.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.13 | 15.82 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.3% | 14.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 11.5% | 16.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.0% | 53.3% | 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
Freeport
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind, tornado.
Dixon
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Freeport, IL · Dixon, IL · How this is calculated: methodology