Ottawa receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ottawa
Evanston
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 45%
vs54 · Bottom 44%
Growth
43 · Bottom 37%
vs39 · Bottom 30%
Climate
65 · Bottom 36%
vs55 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
53 · Bottom 46%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs92 · Top 26%
Access
83 · Bottom 25%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
66 · Top 37%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Ottawa | Evanston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,678 | 11,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,699 | $76,516 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,124 | $42,167 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,228/sq mi | 1,150/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $166,500 | $280,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,032 | $805 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.8% | 71.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.2% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 8.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 36 | 17 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -50.7% | -29.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.5" | 9.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 18.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.9 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Ottawa
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, inland flooding.
Evanston
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Full profiles: Ottawa, KS · Evanston, WY · How this is calculated: methodology