Normal receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Normal
Moline
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Climate
60 · Bottom 14%
vs59 · Bottom 13%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 24%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
58 · Top 42%
vs23 · Bottom 15%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 20%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Normal | Moline | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,569 | 42,197 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,785 | $67,701 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,168 | $36,476 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,867/sq mi | 2,519/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $213,600 | $146,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $965 | $900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.8% | 67.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.9% | 28.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.4% | 15.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 122 | 90 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.1% | 5.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.4" | 38.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 25.0 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.63 | 16.15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.1% | 11.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 29.7% | 18.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.8% | 62.8% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Normal
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Moline
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Normal, IL · Moline, IL · How this is calculated: methodology