Sycamore receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Plano
Sycamore
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs58 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs80 · Top 24%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs98 · Top 12%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs78 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Plano | Sycamore | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,203 | 18,559 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,271 | $84,120 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,274 | $43,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,359/sq mi | 1,834/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $230,700 | $265,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,686 | $1,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.3% | 71.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 46.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 8.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 37.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.6 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.32 | 14.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.2% | 27.1% | 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: Plano, IL · Sycamore, IL · How this is calculated: methodology