Sycamore is home to 18,559 people in Illinois. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 6,539 people. About 46% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Density works out to 1,834 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 6%. 72% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Average income
median household income $84,120, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
46% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Sycamore
What changed most since 1990
Population9,708 → 18,559(+91%)US over the same years: +35%
Adults with a bachelor's degree25.0% → 46.0%(+21.0 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Median age33.5 → 36.1(+2.6 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Sycamore's population equals 18% of DeKalb County's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 10% of the county's. Its number of people who work from home equals 29% of the county's.
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)22.4%(181)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.4%(116)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era33.2%(268)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.6%(29)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 807 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
Over time
Sycamore, decade by decade
Sycamore population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
9,708
$81,742
$185,525
25.0%
13.3
2000
12,020
$94,582
$233,718
28.4%
21.2
2010
17,519
$95,462
$264,409
35.0%
29.3
2020
18,577
$79,902
$241,802
41.5%
42.2
2024
18,559
$84,120
$265,700
46.0%
41.4
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
