Mundelein receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Joliet
Mundelein
Opportunity: Mundelein is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
34 · Bottom 10%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth: Mundelein is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
41 · Bottom 34%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate: Mundelein is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience: Joliet is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools: Mundelein is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs57 · Top 43%
Access: Mundelein is the more favorable of the two.
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability: Mundelein is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs73 · Top 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Joliet | Mundelein | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 150,445 | 31,915 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,201 | $108,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,812 | $49,674 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,270/sq mi | 2,918/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $265,800 | $309,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,276 | $1,566 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.7% | 71.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.5% | 46.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 312 | 72 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -43.2% | -33.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 32.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 30.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 38.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 52 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.85 | 13.67 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 15.3% | 22.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 20.7% | 30.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.5% | 43.4% | 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.
Full profiles: Joliet, IL · Mundelein, IL · How this is calculated: methodology