Woodstock receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Woodstock
McHenry
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 21%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
52 · Top 46%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Climate
59 · Bottom 12%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 32%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
62 · Top 37%
vs47 · Bottom 44%
Access
81 · Bottom 23%
vs83 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
78 · Top 11%
vs81 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Woodstock | McHenry | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,147 | 28,074 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,758 | $86,315 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,631 | $45,734 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,982/sq mi | 1,893/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $245,700 | $266,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 | $1,553 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.8% | 74.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.0% | -3.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.6% | 25.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 4.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 75 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 35.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 31.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.7 | 43.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.28 | 13.26 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 24.6% | 18.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 38.9% | 25.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.1% | 39.0% | 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: Woodstock, IL · McHenry, IL · How this is calculated: methodology