Winnetka receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Winnetka
Elgin
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 25%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Growth
23 · Bottom 10%
vs31 · Bottom 18%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs76 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 42%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
98 · Top 1%
vs25 · Bottom 17%
Access
95 · Top 34%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Winnetka | Elgin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,484 | 114,934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $250,000+ | $90,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $162,186 | $37,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,275/sq mi | 3,011/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,337,800 | $273,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,842 | $1,361 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 92.0% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 86.7% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 1.6% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 184 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.9% | -48.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.3" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.9 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 10.74 | 15.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 70.6% | 13.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 65.2% | 13.3% | 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
Winnetka
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Elgin
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Winnetka, IL · Elgin, IL · How this is calculated: methodology