Cicero receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Riverdale
Cicero
Opportunity
18 · Bottom 1%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Growth
11 · Bottom 3%
vs10 · Bottom 2%
Climate
63 · Bottom 25%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
60 · Bottom 20%
vs91 · Top 31%
Schools
18 · Bottom 9%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Access
96 · Top 32%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
20 · Bottom 2%
vs52 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Riverdale | Cicero | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,340 | 82,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $39,833 | $70,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $19,290 | $25,547 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,892/sq mi | 14,117/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $113,800 | $249,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,231 | $1,154 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 51.5% | 54.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 41.5% | 14.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.4" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.6 min | 32.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.8 | 34.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.56 | 15.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 9.0% | 8.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 9.0% | 11.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 76.9% | 82.0% | 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
Riverdale
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Cicero
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Riverdale, IL · Cicero, IL · How this is calculated: methodology