Aurora receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Zion
Aurora
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 14%
vs43 · Bottom 22%
Growth
40 · Bottom 32%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs59 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 23%
vs79 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs94 · Top 21%
Schools
18 · Bottom 8%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs88 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs72 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Zion | Aurora | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,600 | 179,898 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,104 | $93,633 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,277 | $40,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,474/sq mi | 3,992/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $183,800 | $274,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,186 | $1,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.8% | 66.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 38.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 9.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 22 | 844 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 69.2% | 176.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 15°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.3" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 29.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.3 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.45 | 15.57 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.6% | 20.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 12.0% | 23.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.3% | 45.2% | 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: Zion, IL · Aurora, IL · How this is calculated: methodology