Lockport receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lockport
Cary
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
69 · Top 17%
vs59 · Top 33%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs74 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs57 · Top 43%
Access
87 · Bottom 34%
vs88 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs83 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | Lockport | Cary | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,409 | 17,923 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,981 | $113,026 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,441 | $50,715 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,249/sq mi | 2,746/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $316,000 | $309,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,525 | $1,428 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.6% | 84.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.5% | 44.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.8% | 4.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 179 | 58 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.8 | 3.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 113.1% | 480.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 32.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.0 min | 31.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 39.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.35 | 14.70 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.8% | 24.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.7% | 32.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 46.8% | 26.8% | 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: Lockport, IL · Cary, IL · How this is calculated: methodology