Western Springs receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
La Grange
Western Springs
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs37 · Bottom 27%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs98 · Top 13%
Access
96 · Top 33%
vs96 · Top 34%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs79 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | La Grange | Western Springs | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,998 | 13,446 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $159,929 | $230,255 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $79,689 | $104,158 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,336/sq mi | 4,828/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $594,300 | $739,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,856 | $2,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.5% | 95.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.2% | 83.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 1.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 23 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.0% | -11.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 34.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 41.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
La Grange
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Western Springs
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
La Grange
67
Your Score
61
Area Score
Western Springs
69
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: La Grange, IL · Western Springs, IL · How this is calculated: methodology