Machesney Park receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Loves Park
Machesney Park
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 5%
vs30 · Bottom 6%
Growth
45 · Bottom 40%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
63 · Top 46%
vs62 · Top 46%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 28%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
38 · Bottom 33%
vs55 · Top 45%
Access
68 · Bottom 10%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 46%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Loves Park | Machesney Park | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,502 | 22,630 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,868 | $75,489 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,338 | $36,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,440/sq mi | 1,784/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $160,400 | $173,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,120 | $1,102 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.9% | 79.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.3% | -2.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 19.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 13.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 47 | 24 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.1% | 100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.2" | 37.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.40 | 14.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 12.7% | 25.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 22.5% | 26.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.4% | 58.4% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Loves Park
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Machesney Park
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Loves Park
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
Machesney Park
59
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Loves Park, IL · Machesney Park, IL · How this is calculated: methodology