United States › Illinois › Ottawa CITY
Ottawa Illinois · 18,684 residents (2025 est.) · 14.9 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Ottawa is home to 18,447 people in Illinois. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $154,000. The foreign-born share is 3%. Median rent is $920 a month. There are 1,238 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
23% 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 18,307 in 2000
18,684 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,238 / sq mi
−4%since 2009
from 1,294 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 18K 18K 19K 19K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ottawa Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $71,413
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,513 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,426 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.417 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.9%
Public administration 4.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.4%
Education & health services 2.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$154,000
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $87,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$920
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $490 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 67.4% in 2000
30.3% rent
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.24 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 23.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 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 91.5%(16,756)
Hispanic / Latino 5.2%(954)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 82.6%(15,229)
Hispanic / Latino 10.1%(1,861)
from 28 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
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data from 16.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 82.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 65.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 73.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 79.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 37.7%(2,657)
Women 15+
Never married 30.3%(2,334)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 18.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 68.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.6% 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) 16.4%(180)
Gulf War (1990s) 37.5%(412)
Share of the 1,100 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.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Ottawa, Illinois? Ottawa, Illinois has about 18,447 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ottawa, Illinois? The typical household in Ottawa, Illinois earns about $71,413 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ottawa, Illinois expensive? In Ottawa, Illinois, the median home is worth about $154,000, and the typical rent is about $920 a month.
How educated are people in Ottawa, Illinois? About 23.3% of adults age 25 and over in Ottawa, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ottawa, Illinois? About 17.3% of people in Ottawa, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ottawa, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Ottawa, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 985 residents, a change of about 6 percent over that period.
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