Lake Zurich receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lake Zurich
Elgin
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
23 · Bottom 10%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 23%
vs76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
85 · Top 2%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Zurich | Elgin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,832 | 114,934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $135,968 | $90,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $61,196 | $37,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,865/sq mi | 3,011/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $435,300 | $273,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,909 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.8% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.7% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.4% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 5 | 184 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -70.6% | -48.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.3" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.3 | 36.7 | 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.
Your best match
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Lake Zurich
72
Your Score
68
Area Score
Elgin
62
Your Score
57
Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Zurich, IL · Elgin, IL · How this is calculated: methodology