Plano receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Plano
Waukegan
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs34 · Bottom 24%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs95 · Top 19%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Plano | Waukegan | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,203 | 89,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,271 | $71,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,274 | $33,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,359/sq mi | 3,672/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $230,700 | $190,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,686 | $1,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.3% | 50.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 20.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.2% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 13 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 35.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 27 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 28.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.6 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.32 | 12.61 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.2% | 69.4% | 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 · Waukegan, IL · How this is calculated: methodology