CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Chicago Metro

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN · 13 counties · 8,948,739 residents · 6,923.142 sq mi
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The short version

Chicago is wealthier than most US places, with a median household income of $51,746. Population has held roughly steady since 1990. Median home value has risen by half since 1990, reaching $156,535.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 33.9
US median: 35.2
More educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
8,948,739
+11%since 1990
from 8,053,895 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,293 / sq mi
+11%since 1990
from 1,163 / sq mi in 1990
US average: 242
Median age
33.9
+4%since 1990
from 32.5 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
7.9M8.3M8.8M9.2M9.6M1990201020202024Chicago
20249.4M
1990201020202024
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$51,746
+9%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $35,983 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,671
+50%since 1990
from $16,395 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
10.5%
−0.8 ptssince 1990
from 11.3% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$156,535
+16%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $102,556 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$671
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $492 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
65.4%
+3.5 ptssince 1990
from 61.9% in 1990
34.6% rent
Afford Score
3.0
+6%since 1990
from 2.9 in 1990
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in Chicago on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic71.6%(5,769,059)
Black19.1%(1,541,579)
Hispanic / Latino10.8%(867,165)
Asian3.2%(256,833)
Diversity Score67.3%(5,423,247)
2000
White, non-Hispanic58.9%(5,270,212)
Black18.6%(1,664,453)
Hispanic / Latino16.6%(1,483,946)
Asian4.3%(383,448)
Diversity Score71.9%(6,436,633)
Diversity Score
72
+7%since 1990
from 67 in 1990
1990 – 2024
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
29.1%
+5.5 ptssince 1990
from 23.6% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
81.1%
+4.4 ptssince 1990
from 76.7% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
10.7%
+2.3 ptssince 1990
from 8.4% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.9 min
−12%since 1990
from 26.1 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

In this metro

Principal cities

ChicagoCENTRAL2,731,585NapervilleCENTRAL153,114ElginCENTRAL115,476SchaumburgCENTRAL77,249EvanstonCENTRAL76,380BolingbrookCENTRAL74,803SkokieCENTRAL66,544Des PlainesCENTRAL58,772Downers GroveCENTRAL50,365
What's inside

13 component counties

Cook CountyCENTRAL5,194,625DuPage CountyCENTRAL934,298Lake CountyCENTRAL719,339Will CountyCENTRAL712,253Kane CountyCENTRAL525,757Lake CountyCENTRAL504,612McHenry CountyCENTRAL317,751Porter CountyCENTRAL176,049Kendall CountyCENTRAL145,470DeKalb County101,835Grundy County54,052Jasper County33,894Newton County14,188
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Chicago

Dallas
Pop 8,477,157
Houston
Pop 7,904,627
Atlanta
Pop 6,482,182
Los Angeles
Pop 12,844,441
Places similar to Chicago
Head to head

Compare Chicago side by side

CHICAGO VS
Dallas
Income$92,044+78%
Home value$353,895+126%
Population8,477,157−10%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHICAGO VS
Houston
Income$83,674+62%
Home value$297,128+90%
Population7,904,627−16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHICAGO VS
Atlanta
Income$91,036+76%
Home value$376,129+140%
Population6,482,182−31%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHICAGO VS
Los Angeles
Income$96,499+86%
Home value$865,530+453%
Population12,844,441+36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN has about 8,948,739 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?

The typical household in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN earns about $51,746 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN expensive?

In Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, the median home is worth about $156,535, and the typical rent is about $671 a month.

How educated are people in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?

About 29.1% of adults age 25 and over in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?

About 10.5% of people in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN live below the federal poverty line.

Has Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN grown since 1990?

Yes, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN has grown since 1990. The population has added about 894,844 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

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