Lake Forest receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lake Forest
Joliet
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Growth
34 · Bottom 23%
vs41 · Bottom 34%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 23%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
94 · Top 1%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Forest | Joliet | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,416 | 150,445 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $235,081 | $92,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $109,918 | $36,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,129/sq mi | 2,270/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $938,300 | $265,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,815 | $1,276 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.8% | 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 | 80.5% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.5% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 16 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.0% | -43.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.3" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 31.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.1 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.13 | 14.85 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.0% | 15.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.9% | 20.7% | 2019-20 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lake Forest
72
Your Score
71
Area Score
Joliet
63
Your Score
59
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Forest, IL · Joliet, IL · How this is calculated: methodology