Des Plaines receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wheeling
Des Plaines
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 29%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 36%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs91 · Top 29%
Schools
37 · Bottom 32%
vs66 · Top 32%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
68 · Top 33%
vs69 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | Wheeling | Des Plaines | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,433 | 59,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,205 | $97,875 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,499 | $45,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,432/sq mi | 4,155/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,200 | $335,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,663 | $1,606 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.7% | 78.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 38.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 6.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 20 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.5% | -53.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.3" | 37.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 42.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.13 | 10.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.2% | 25.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 15.1% | 33.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 67.8% | 56.9% | 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
Wheeling
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Des Plaines
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Wheeling
61
Your Score
57
Area Score
Des Plaines
65
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Wheeling, IL · Des Plaines, IL · How this is calculated: methodology