Grayslake receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Grayslake
Joliet
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Growth
18 · Bottom 7%
vs41 · Bottom 34%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 23%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
70 · Top 26%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access
88 · Bottom 36%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Grayslake | Joliet | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,929 | 150,445 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $113,972 | $92,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,937 | $36,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,915/sq mi | 2,270/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $309,500 | $265,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,485 | $1,276 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 73.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.5% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.3% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.0% | -43.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.3" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 31.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.39 | 14.85 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.8% | 15.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.6% | 20.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.9% | 65.5% | 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: Grayslake, IL · Joliet, IL · How this is calculated: methodology