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
Elgin
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
81 · Top 4%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
59 · Top 41%
vs25 · Bottom 17%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
85 · Top 2%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Oswego | Elgin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,375 | 114,934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,792 | $90,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,866 | $37,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,298/sq mi | 3,011/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $344,500 | $273,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,860 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.9% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.6% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 490 | 184 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.5 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 48.9% | -48.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.8 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.20 | 15.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.2% | 13.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.0% | 13.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 28.4% | 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: Oswego, IL · Elgin, IL · How this is calculated: methodology