Elmhurst receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wheaton
Elmhurst
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs49 · Bottom 35%
Growth
38 · Bottom 29%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 22%
vs81 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
84 · Top 9%
vs82 · Top 12%
Access
95 · Top 37%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs76 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Wheaton | Elmhurst | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,557 | 45,671 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,008 | $149,644 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,088 | $77,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,731/sq mi | 4,470/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $455,700 | $545,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,799 | $1,975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.7% | 79.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 64.5% | 64.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 3.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 73 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 50.0% | -3.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.2" | 37.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 42.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.09 | 13.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.5% | 42.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.9% | 41.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.5% | 16.5% | 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: Wheaton, IL · Elmhurst, IL · How this is calculated: methodology