Sycamore receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sycamore
McHenry
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
58 · Bottom 10%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 24%
vs74 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 12%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs81 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Sycamore | McHenry | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,559 | 28,074 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,120 | $86,315 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,190 | $45,734 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,834/sq mi | 1,893/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $265,700 | $266,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,140 | $1,553 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.6% | 74.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.0% | 25.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 4.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 70 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.8% | -68.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.4" | 35.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 31.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 43.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.20 | 13.26 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 25.8% | 18.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 27.3% | 25.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.1% | 39.0% | 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.
Full profiles: Sycamore, IL · McHenry, IL · How this is calculated: methodology