Evanston receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wheeling
Evanston
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 29%
vs41 · Bottom 19%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs62 · Top 30%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 36%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Schools
37 · Bottom 32%
vs76 · Top 19%
Access
96 · Top 30%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
68 · Top 33%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Wheeling | Evanston | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,433 | 76,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,205 | $96,434 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,499 | $66,712 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,432/sq mi | 9,814/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $266,200 | $481,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,663 | $1,762 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.7% | 56.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.8% | 69.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 20 | 386 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 5.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -35.5% | 2473.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.3" | 32.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 30.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 38.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.13 | 11.00 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.2% | 36.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 15.1% | 34.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 67.8% | 36.7% | 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.
Evanston
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: Wheeling, IL · Evanston, IL · How this is calculated: methodology