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CITY

Wheaton

Illinois · 54,065 residents (2025 est.) · 11.3 sq mi
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The short version

Wheaton is home to 53,557 people in Illinois. 64% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. That puts it in the top 4% of US cities for household income. That is roughly 44% ahead of the Illinois median. Density works out to 4,732 people per square mile. The median household earns $120,008, about 46% above the national median.

At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $120,008, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.8
US median: 38.9
More educated
64% 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 Wheaton

What changed most since 1990

  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$356,650 → $455,700 (+28%)US over the same years: +67%

Among the 394 cities and towns in the Chicago metro

  • 101st in household income$120,008
  • 52nd in share with a bachelor's degree64.5%
  • 57th in home value$455,700
  • 210th in diversity score50.4

Its weight in DuPage County

Wheaton's population equals 5.8% of DuPage County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 3.0% of the county's.

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
53,557
−3%since 2000
from 55,416 in 2000
54,065 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
4,732 / sq mi
−3%since 2000
from 4,896 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
36.8
+3%since 2000
from 35.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
11.3 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
51K52K53K55K56K19902000201020202024Wheaton
202454K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.8%(3,103)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(3,249)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.4%(3,404)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 198.3%(4,423)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247.9%(4,223)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.2%(7,060)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.8%(6,307)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.8%(6,335)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6411.4%(6,093)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.1%(5,411)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.1%(2,710)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.3%(1,239)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$120,008
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $73,385 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$62,088
+82%since 2000
from $34,147 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
71.2%
+14.7 ptssince 2009
from 56.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
5.6%
+2.0 ptssince 2000
from 3.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.458
+1%since 2010
from 0.454 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Other services10.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Information9.8%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade8.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Public administration8.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance4.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade3.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Arts, entertainment, food2.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.4%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$455,700
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $211,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,799
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $892 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
71.7%
−2.4 ptssince 2000
from 74.1% in 2000
28.3% rent
Vacancy rate
3.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.54 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.57 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
22.8%
−5.6 ptssince 2009
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.8%
−3.5 ptssince 2009
from 44.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.8
−9%since 2009
from 4.2 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
34
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic87.5%(48,494)
Black2.8%(1,525)
Hispanic / Latino3.7%(2,023)
Asian4.8%(2,680)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic76.3%(40,848)
Black4.1%(2,217)
Hispanic / Latino8.9%(4,785)
Asian5.8%(3,094)
Other4.9%(2,613)
Diversity Score
50
+57%since 2009
from 32 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican5%(2,679)
Puerto Rican0.8%(408)
Colombian0.6%(311)
Ecuadorian0.5%(254)
Guatemalan0.3%(158)
Salvadoran0.2%(120)
Peruvian0.2%(114)
Venezuelan0.2%(101)
Cuban0.2%(92)
Spaniard0.2%(90)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Paraguayan0.1%(34)
Panamanian0.1%(28)
Argentine0.1%(28)
Nicaraguan0.1%(27)
Honduran0%(16)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.9%(499)
Korean0.9%(458)
Chinese0.8%(429)
Vietnamese0.7%(386)
Burmese0.6%(325)
Filipino0.6%(311)
Pakistani0.2%(133)
Bhutanese0.2%(124)
Taiwanese0.1%(53)
Japanese0.1%(45)
Cambodian0.1%(41)
Thai0%(25)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German23.8%(12,727)
Irish16.2%(8,700)
English10.4%(5,560)
Italian9.8%(5,257)
Polish8.3%(4,455)
Swedish4.2%(2,241)
Norwegian2.8%(1,520)
American2.5%(1,325)
Dutch2.3%(1,257)
Scottish2%(1,070)
Czech1.7%(886)
French1.6%(877)
+ 43 more ancestry groups with data
Greek1.1%(571)
Danish1%(554)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(507)
Arab0.9%(500)
Lithuanian0.8%(444)
Russian0.7%(400)
Ukrainian0.7%(398)
Slovak0.7%(364)
Austrian0.5%(287)
Swiss0.5%(270)
British0.5%(261)
Armenian0.5%(260)
Welsh0.4%(237)
Canadian0.4%(228)
Croatian0.3%(174)
Iraqi0.3%(166)
Ethiopian0.3%(163)
Lebanese0.3%(148)
West Indian0.2%(114)
Hungarian0.2%(111)
Slovene0.2%(98)
Egyptian0.2%(94)
Belgian0.1%(78)
Finnish0.1%(77)
Iranian0.1%(65)
Bulgarian0.1%(61)
Jamaican0.1%(58)
Portuguese0.1%(51)
Serbian0.1%(51)
Romanian0.1%(50)
Macedonian0.1%(48)
Australian0.1%(43)
Moroccan0.1%(37)
Latvian0.1%(27)
Brazilian0%(26)
Turkish0%(18)
Ghanaian0%(10)
Haitian0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
64.5%
+7.2 ptssince 2000
from 57.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
96.2%
+1.8 ptssince 2000
from 94.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
28.1%
+6.1 ptssince 2000
from 22.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.7 min
+23%since 2000
from 21.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
59.5%
−13.6 ptssince 2009
from 73.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.0%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
4.2%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
25.7%
+19.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.0%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.7%
−2.8 ptssince 2011
from 6.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.8%
−2.4 ptssince 2011
from 67.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.4%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 73.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 16.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
56.9%
+4.9 ptssince 2009
from 52.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.4%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Female
50.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Foreign born
10.8%
+1.7 ptssince 2009
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
2.8%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
7.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2012
from 7.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
2.3%
−4.1 ptssince 2013
from 6.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
95.7%
+6.6 ptssince 2017
from 89.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
98.3%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 96.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
86.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 85.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
85.4%
−1.6 ptssince 2016
from 87.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
4.8%
+2.0 ptssince 2016
from 2.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.3%(7,479)
Married57.4%(12,166)
Widowed1.8%(383)
Divorced5.5%(1,161)
Women 15+
Never married31.7%(7,161)
Married51.1%(11,545)
Widowed7.5%(1,689)
Divorced9.8%(2,217)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
2.3%
−4.1 ptssince 2013
from 6.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
72.9%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 71.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.3%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 16.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 15.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
8.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 8.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 1.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
83.8%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 84.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
23.9%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 22.3% 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)28.9%(344)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)12.7%(151)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era26.2%(311)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War12.6%(150)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(11)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,189 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

Wheaton, decade by decade

Wheaton population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199051,464$125,303$356,65049.4%20.0
200055,416$133,682$384,73457.3%28.7
201052,894$124,047$514,14559.6%36.6
202053,970$128,190$450,51563.8%48.3
202453,557$120,008$455,70064.5%50.4

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.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Wheaton

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Pop 51,792
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Pop 43,945
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Head to head

Compare Wheaton to nearby cities

WHEATON VS
Glen Ellyn
Income$140,938+17%
Home value$544,000+19%
Population28,750−47%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WHEATON VS
Winfield
Income$135,795+13%
Home value$386,300−15%
Population10,146−81%
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WHEATON VS
Glendale Heights
Income$86,545−28%
Home value$261,700−43%
Population32,655−40%
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WHEATON VS
Carol Stream
Income$102,309−15%
Home value$335,000−26%
Population39,315−27%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wheaton, Illinois?

Wheaton, Illinois has about 53,557 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Wheaton, Illinois?

The typical household in Wheaton, Illinois earns about $120,008 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wheaton, Illinois expensive?

In Wheaton, Illinois, the median home is worth about $455,700, and the typical rent is about $1,799 a month.

How educated are people in Wheaton, Illinois?

About 64.5% of adults age 25 and over in Wheaton, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Wheaton, Illinois?

About 5.6% of people in Wheaton, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wheaton, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, Wheaton, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,093 residents, a change of about 4 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 →