McHenry receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
McHenry
Elgin
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
47 · Bottom 44%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 32%
vs76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
47 · Bottom 44%
vs25 · Bottom 17%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
81 · Top 5%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | McHenry | Elgin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,074 | 114,934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,315 | $90,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,734 | $37,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,893/sq mi | 3,011/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,500 | $273,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,553 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.4% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.7% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 79 | 184 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -68.4% | -48.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.3" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.9 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.26 | 15.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 18.0% | 13.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 25.0% | 13.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.0% | 61.1% | 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: McHenry, IL · Elgin, IL · How this is calculated: methodology