Darien receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lemont
Darien
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 19%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
73 · Top 32%
vs81 · Top 22%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
78 · Top 16%
vs76 · Top 19%
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs77 · Top 13%
Measured values
| Metric | Lemont | Darien | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,820 | 21,879 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,370 | $111,215 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,818 | $55,898 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,020/sq mi | 3,544/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $468,800 | $398,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,209 | $1,857 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.6% | 78.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.9% | 52.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.1% | 4.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 144 | 54 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.1 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.4% | 54.3% | 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 | 22 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.8 min | 31.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.7 | 44.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.60 | 12.31 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.3% | 35.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.5% | 36.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 17.7% | 27.8% | 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: Lemont, IL · Darien, IL · How this is calculated: methodology