Evanston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lyons
Evanston
Opportunity
27 · Bottom 5%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Growth
23 · Bottom 10%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Schools
27 · Bottom 19%
vs76 · Top 19%
Access
95 · Top 34%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 34%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Lyons | Evanston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,339 | 76,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,993 | $96,434 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,056 | $66,712 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,685/sq mi | 9,814/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $257,300 | $481,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,198 | $1,762 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.2% | 56.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.0% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 386 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 5.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | 2473.3% | 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 | 12 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 30.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.07 | 11.00 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.7% | 36.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 14.1% | 34.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 80.2% | 36.7% | 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
Lyons
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Evanston
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Lyons, IL · Evanston, IL · How this is calculated: methodology