St. Charles receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
St. Charles
Bolingbrook
Opportunity
60 · Top 42%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Growth
42 · Bottom 35%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
78 · Top 27%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs97 · Top 15%
Schools
90 · Top 3%
vs56 · Top 44%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs90 · Bottom 43%
Economic stability
79 · Top 8%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Charles | Bolingbrook | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,854 | 74,096 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $114,300 | $108,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $61,527 | $42,112 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,272/sq mi | 2,967/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $377,400 | $314,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,819 | $1,749 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.3% | 79.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.0% | 39.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.4% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 99 | 108 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.0 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.8% | -20.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.2" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 32.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.36 | 12.66 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 50.2% | 22.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 53.0% | 26.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.8% | 55.0% | 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.
Your best match
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St. Charles
74
Your Score
71
Area Score
Bolingbrook
68
Your Score
64
Area Score
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Full profiles: St. Charles, IL · Bolingbrook, IL · How this is calculated: methodology