Joliet receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Joliet
Elgin
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 10%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
41 · Bottom 34%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
35 · Bottom 29%
vs25 · Bottom 17%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Joliet | Elgin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 150,445 | 114,934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,201 | $90,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,812 | $37,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,270/sq mi | 3,011/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $265,800 | $273,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,276 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.7% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.5% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 312 | 184 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -43.2% | -48.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 52 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.85 | 15.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 15.3% | 13.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 20.7% | 13.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.5% | 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: Joliet, IL · Elgin, IL · How this is calculated: methodology