Morton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Peoria
Morton
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs57 · Top 37%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs74 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
32 · Bottom 24%
vs84 · Top 9%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 20%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Peoria | Morton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 112,169 | 16,595 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,410 | $94,402 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,466 | $48,602 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,331/sq mi | 1,288/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $156,200 | $239,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,005 | $1,074 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.5% | 79.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.7% | 46.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% | 6.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 36 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -5.3% | 68.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.6" | 37.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.2 min | 18.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 41.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 40 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.52 | 15.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 15.6% | 48.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 17.4% | 58.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 76.7% | 17.6% | 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
Peoria
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, hail.
Morton
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: Peoria, IL · Morton, IL · How this is calculated: methodology