Round Lake Beach receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Round Lake Beach
Hammond
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 23%
vs81 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
64 · Top 41%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Round Lake Beach | Hammond | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,079 | 76,768 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,059 | $55,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,191 | $28,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,366/sq mi | 3,376/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $199,200 | $159,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,543 | $1,134 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.3% | 62.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.8% | 19.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | 42.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.3" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 29 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.1 min | 27.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.8 | 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.
Your best match
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Round Lake Beach
67
Your Score
64
Area Score
Hammond
59
Your Score
58
Area Score
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Full profiles: Round Lake Beach, IL · Hammond, IN · How this is calculated: methodology