Joliet receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Northlake
Joliet
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 6%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Growth
10 · Bottom 2%
vs41 · Bottom 34%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 11%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
33 · Bottom 26%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 40%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Northlake | Joliet | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,513 | 150,445 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,892 | $92,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,569 | $36,812 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,940/sq mi | 2,270/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $259,800 | $265,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,123 | $1,276 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.6% | 73.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 6.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 25.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 11.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 312 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.9" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.8 min | 31.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.12 | 14.85 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 9.8% | 15.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 21.3% | 20.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.1% | 65.5% | 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
Northlake
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Joliet
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Northlake, IL · Joliet, IL · How this is calculated: methodology