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CITY · INCORPORATED 1837 · 2010 ACS

Chicago

Illinois · 2,695,598 residents · 228 sq mi
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The short version

Chicago is a city of 2,695,598 people in Illinois. Owners hold 45% of the housing stock. The median age is 32.9, younger than the US median of 37.2. The average commute runs 34 minutes. 21% of locals were born outside the United States. 20.9% of locals live below the federal poverty line.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Younger
median age 32.9
US median: 37.2
More educated
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 47%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
2,695,598
−7%since 2000
from 2,896,016 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
32.9
+4%since 2000
from 31.5 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
228 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2.7M2.7M2.8M2.9M2.9M19902000201020202024Chicago
20242.7M
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56.9%(185,887)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.2%(166,077)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.1%(164,466)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 196.8%(182,933)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 248.3%(223,027)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3419.1%(515,551)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4414%(378,139)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5412.6%(338,737)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 649.8%(262,849)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 745.6%(151,095)
US avg: 7%
75 to 843.3%(89,804)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.4%(37,033)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$46,877
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,625 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$27,148
+35%since 2000
from $20,175 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
30.3%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
20.9%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 19.6% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.511
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade10.1%
US avg: 10.9%
Other services9.1%
US avg: 7%
Information8.8%
US avg: 11.5%
Public administration6.8%
US avg: 4.9%
Finance & insurance6%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical5.6%
US avg: 4.2%
Wholesale trade4.8%
US avg: 7.2%
Arts, entertainment, food2.6%
US avg: 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing2.6%
US avg: 3.1%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$269,200
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $144,300 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$885
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $616 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
44.9%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 43.8% in 2000
55.1% rent
Vacancy rate
13.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.56 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.60 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
42.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 42.4% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
50.2%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
5.7
−1%since 2009
from 5.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic31.3%(907,166)
Black36.4%(1,053,739)
Hispanic / Latino26%(753,644)
Asian4.3%(124,437)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic31.7%(854,717)
Black32.4%(872,286)
Hispanic / Latino28.9%(778,862)
Asian5.4%(144,903)
Other1.4%(37,204)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican20.6%(557,706)
Puerto Rican3.7%(100,280)
South American1.3%(34,771)
Central American1.1%(28,978)
Ecuadorian0.6%(17,521)
Guatemalan0.6%(16,930)
Colombian0.3%(7,887)
Cuban0.3%(7,804)
Honduran0.2%(4,759)
Peruvian0.2%(4,585)
Salvadoran0.2%(4,268)
Dominican0.1%(2,735)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Spaniard0.1%(2,591)
Argentine0.1%(1,719)
Nicaraguan0%(982)
Chilean0%(874)
Venezuelan0%(867)
Panamanian0%(542)
Uruguayan0%(360)
Bolivian0%(220)
Ancestry
German7.6%(205,854)
Irish7.5%(201,693)
Polish6.5%(176,295)
Italian3.8%(102,784)
English2.4%(64,569)
Subsaharan African1.3%(35,899)
American1.3%(34,496)
Russian1%(28,264)
Swedish1%(26,075)
French0.9%(25,044)
Greek0.7%(17,672)
Arab0.6%(16,675)
+ 51 more ancestry groups with data
Scottish0.6%(16,230)
Dutch0.5%(14,116)
Norwegian0.5%(14,090)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(13,218)
Czech0.5%(12,625)
Ukrainian0.5%(12,513)
Lithuanian0.5%(12,503)
West Indian0.4%(11,090)
Romanian0.3%(9,121)
Hungarian0.3%(8,760)
Austrian0.3%(7,125)
Croatian0.3%(7,104)
Nigerian0.2%(6,123)
Welsh0.2%(5,904)
Danish0.2%(5,565)
British0.2%(5,392)
Serbian0.2%(5,286)
Slovak0.2%(4,761)
Jamaican0.2%(4,601)
French Canadian0.2%(4,592)
Swiss0.1%(3,481)
Bulgarian0.1%(3,223)
Haitian0.1%(2,734)
Finnish0.1%(2,609)
Belgian0.1%(2,576)
Ethiopian0.1%(2,224)
Iranian0.1%(2,222)
Palestinian0.1%(2,219)
Canadian0.1%(2,179)
Lebanese0.1%(1,936)
Ghanaian0.1%(1,873)
Turkish0.1%(1,598)
Iraqi0.1%(1,592)
Latvian0.1%(1,505)
Brazilian0.1%(1,439)
Slovene0.1%(1,432)
Israeli0.1%(1,411)
Armenian0%(1,256)
Portuguese0%(1,187)
Syrian0%(1,029)
Moroccan0%(1,014)
Egyptian0%(1,010)
Jordanian0%(948)
Somali0%(637)
Australian0%(561)
Macedonian0%(495)
Kenyan0%(456)
Guyanese0%(272)
Barbadian0%(154)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
32.2%
+6.8 ptssince 2000
from 25.5% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
79.4%
+7.6 ptssince 2000
from 71.8% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
12.9%
+2.9 ptssince 2000
from 10.0% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
33.6 min
+31%since 2000
from 25.6 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
50.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
10.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
26.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
4.0%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
5.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 5.7% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
1.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
26.0%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 25.7% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
14.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
36.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.7% in 2009
Female
51.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 51.3% in 2009
Foreign born
21.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
5.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.3% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married51%(561,100)
Married39.8%(437,092)
Widowed2.3%(25,475)
Divorced6.9%(75,632)
Women 15+
Never married48.3%(569,186)
Married35.6%(419,632)
Widowed7.1%(83,882)
Divorced8.9%(105,068)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
9.8%
−9.9 ptssince 2013
from 19.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
53.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 53.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.0%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 10.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
14.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 13.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
24.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 25.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
61.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 61.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
35.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 35.8% 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)26.8%(16,267)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.8%(11,441)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era29.2%(17,772)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5%(3,064)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1%(616)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 60,766 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
Explore

Neighborhoods in Chicago

Albany ParkAndersonvilleArcher HeightsAshburnAvondaleBack of the YardsBelmont CentralBelmont GardensBelmont HeightsBeverlyBrainerdBridgeportBrighton ParkBronzevilleBucktownBudlong WoodsBuena ParkBurnsideCalumet HeightsChathamChicago LawnClearing (W)CraginDouglas ParkDunningEast BeverlyEast ChathamEast Garfield ParkEast Hyde ParkEast SideEast UkrainianEdgewaterEdgewater BeachEdison ParkEnglewoodFernwoodFifth CityFuller ParkGage ParkGalewoodGarfield RidgeGold CoastGoose IslandGraceland WestGrand CrossingGreshamHeart of ChicagoHegewischHermosaHumboldt ParkHyde ParkIda B. Wells - Darrow HomesIllinois Medical DistrictIrving ParkJefferson ParkKelvin ParkKenwoodKilbourn ParkLake CalumetLake ViewLake View EastLincoln ParkLittleLogan SquareLongwood ManorMarquette ParkMayfairMcKinley ParkMontclareMorgan ParkMount GreenwoodNear NorthNear West SideNoble SquareNorth AustinNorth CenterNorth KenwoodNorwood Park EastO'HareO'Hare International AirportOaklandOldOld Irving ParkOld Town TrianglePalmer SquarePark ManorPark WestPilsenPortage ParkPrairie ShoresRavenswoodRiver NorthRogers ParkRoscoeRoselandRosemoorScottsdaleSheffield NeighborsSouth AustinSouth ChicagoSouth LoopSouth ShoreStreetervilleThe BushThe LoopTri-TaylorUkrainianUniversity Village - Little ItalyUptownWashington HeightsWashington ParkWestWest BeverlyWest ChathamWest ChesterfieldWest ElsdonWest EnglewoodWest Garfield ParkWest Humboldt ParkWest LawnWest Loop GateWest PullmanWest Rogers ParkWest WoodlawnWicker ParkWoodlawnWrightwoodWrightwood NeighborsWrigleyvilleNeighborhoods in Chicago
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Chicago, Illinois?

Chicago, Illinois has about 2,695,598 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Chicago, Illinois?

The typical household in Chicago, Illinois earns about $46,877 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chicago, Illinois expensive?

In Chicago, Illinois, the median home is worth about $269,200, and the typical rent is about $885 a month.

How educated are people in Chicago, Illinois?

About 32.2% of adults age 25 and over in Chicago, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chicago, Illinois?

About 20.9% of people in Chicago, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has Chicago, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, Chicago, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 88,128 residents, a change of about -3 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →