United States › Illinois › Blue Island CITY
Blue Island Illinois · 21,805 residents (2025 est.) · 4.07 sq mi
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The short version
Blue Island is a city of 21,741 people in Illinois. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. 52% of homes are owner-occupied. Density works out to 5,340 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $178,700, having risen by half since 2000. That trails the Illinois median by roughly 29%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 23,463 in 2000
21,805 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
5,340 / sq mi
−2%since 2009
from 5,460 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 30.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
21K 22K 22K 23K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Blue Island Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $59,489
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,520 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,156 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 21.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.380 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 8.7%
Public administration 3.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Transportation & warehousing 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$178,700
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $102,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,072
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $578 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 54.3% in 2000
48.2% rent
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.56 people
−14%since 2009
from 2.97 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 41.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 40.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 36.2%(8,498)
Hispanic / Latino 37.9%(8,899)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 18%(3,909)
Hispanic / Latino 47.5%(10,326)
from 82 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 11.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 66.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 24.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 68.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 15.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 66.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 20.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 11.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 20.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 93.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 59.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 38.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 47.1%(4,323)
Women 15+
Never married 47.1%(4,436)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 20.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 7.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 12.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 29.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 56.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.0% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 16.8%(115)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.1%(117)
Share of the 684 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Blue Island Head to head
Compare Blue Island to nearby cities BLUE ISLAND VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Blue Island, Illinois? Blue Island, Illinois has about 21,741 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Blue Island, Illinois? The typical household in Blue Island, Illinois earns about $59,489 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Blue Island, Illinois expensive? In Blue Island, Illinois, the median home is worth about $178,700, and the typical rent is about $1,072 a month.
How educated are people in Blue Island, Illinois? About 20.7% of adults age 25 and over in Blue Island, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Blue Island, Illinois? About 17.1% of people in Blue Island, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Blue Island, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Blue Island, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 538 residents, a change of about 3 percent over that period.
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