Zion and North Chicago receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Zion
North Chicago
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 14%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Growth
40 · Bottom 32%
vs35 · Bottom 24%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 23%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
18 · Bottom 8%
vs21 · Bottom 12%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs51 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Zion | North Chicago | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,600 | 30,643 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,104 | $60,172 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,277 | $24,592 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,474/sq mi | 3,832/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $183,800 | $159,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,186 | $1,426 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.8% | 32.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.8% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 24.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 22 | 10 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 69.2% | -28.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 81°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.3" | 35.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 18.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.3 | 23.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.45 | 13.57 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.6% | 7.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 12.0% | 13.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.3% | 91.5% | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Zion
58
Your Score
55
Area Score
North Chicago
57
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Zion, IL · North Chicago, IL · How this is calculated: methodology