Ottawa is home to 147,181 people. Few US metro areas rank higher on income. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $154,495. At a median age of 42.8, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 4% of people across the metro were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $72,296, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% 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 Ottawa
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$114,590 → $154,495(+35%)US over the same years: +67%
Adults with a bachelor's degree10.9% → 20.8%(+9.9 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Among the 28 metro and micro areas based in Illinois
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)18.1%(1,537)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.3%(1,646)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39%(3,316)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.8%(410)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.3%(114)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 8,511 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
Ottawa, decade by decade
Ottawa 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
148,331
$64,819
$114,590
10.9%
10.3
2000
153,098
$73,771
$154,486
13.8%
17.9
2010
154,908
$72,693
$172,801
15.8%
25.4
2020
148,539
$71,793
$151,243
18.9%
36.5
2024
147,181
$72,296
$154,495
20.8%
37.3
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.
