Hinsdale receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Wilmette
Hinsdale
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs51 · Bottom 39%
Growth
41 · Bottom 34%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 41%
vs86 · Top 40%
Schools
96 · Top 1%
vs96 · Top 1%
Access
96 · Top 32%
vs95 · Top 34%
Economic stability
71 · Top 27%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Wilmette | Hinsdale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,503 | 17,175 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $190,662 | $250,000+ | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $112,774 | $122,593 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,092/sq mi | 3,715/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $810,600 | $1,053,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,978 | $1,924 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 87.9% | 89.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 83.6% | 80.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.2% | 2.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 20.0% | 0.0% | 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" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.3 min | 34.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.3 | 41.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.46 | 13.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 58.2% | 72.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.9% | 74.0% | 2019-20 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
Wilmette
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Hinsdale
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Wilmette, IL · Hinsdale, IL · How this is calculated: methodology