Highland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Highland
O'Fallon
Opportunity
59 · Top 43%
vs67 · Top 27%
Growth
68 · Top 19%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Climate
71 · Top 46%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
59 · Top 49%
vs43 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
77 · Top 18%
vs69 · Top 28%
Access
91 · Bottom 47%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Highland | O'Fallon | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,262 | 32,262 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,551 | $105,982 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,008 | $54,265 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,434/sq mi | 2,041/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $202,900 | $295,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $855 | $1,332 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.7% | 70.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.8% | 52.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 6.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 79 | 200 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.7 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 393.8% | -49.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.4" | 43.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.8 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.62 | 16.15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 36.8% | 36.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.7% | 38.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.4% | 27.4% | 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
Highland
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, hail.
O'Fallon
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Highland, IL · O'Fallon, IL · How this is calculated: methodology