Oswego receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oswego
Aurora
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Growth
81 · Top 4%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs94 · Top 21%
Schools
59 · Top 41%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs88 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
85 · Top 2%
vs72 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Oswego | Aurora | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,375 | 179,898 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,792 | $93,633 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,866 | $40,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,298/sq mi | 3,992/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $344,500 | $274,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,860 | $1,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.9% | 66.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.6% | 9.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 490 | 844 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.5 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 48.9% | 176.7% | 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 | 33.8" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.8 min | 29.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.20 | 15.57 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.2% | 20.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.0% | 23.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 28.4% | 45.2% | 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: Oswego, IL · Aurora, IL · How this is calculated: methodology