MICROPOLITAN AREA
Ottawa Micro
Ottawa, IL · 3 counties · 145,902 residents (2025 est.) · 2,164.306 sq mi
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The short version
Ottawa has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $72,296. Population has declined 4% since 2000. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $154,495. It sits in the top 10% of US metro areas for household income.
At a glance
Lower income
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
Section 01
Population & growth
PEP 2025 EST:145,902 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024147K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(7,563)
5 to 95.8%(8,474)
10 to 146.2%(9,103)
15 to 196.1%(8,942)
20 to 245.6%(8,297)
25 to 3411.7%(17,202)
35 to 4412.3%(18,060)
45 to 5411.8%(17,407)
55 to 6414.6%(21,471)
65 to 7412.1%(17,866)
75 to 846.1%(8,999)
85 and over2.6%(3,797)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$72,296
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,497 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
48.4%
+21.0 ptssince 2009
from 27.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade14.9%
Information13.3%
Finance & insurance8.7%
Professional, scientific, technical6.6%
Wholesale trade6.4%
Other services4.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.3%
Public administration3.7%
Construction3.4%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
Education & health services2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
Manufacturing0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$154,495
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $84,805 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
2.1
−10%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
19
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Ottawa on RentDataNow
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic92.4%(141,457)
Black1.2%(1,834)
Hispanic / Latino5%(7,694)
Asian0.5%(776)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic82.9%(122,068)
Black2%(2,927)
Hispanic / Latino10.8%(15,886)
Asian0.8%(1,237)
Other3.4%(5,063)
37
+63%since 2009
from 23 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
27
−13%since 2020
from 32 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican9.4%(13,885)
Puerto Rican0.4%(621)
South American0.2%(322)
Spaniard0.1%(158)
Colombian0.1%(148)
Central American0.1%(138)
Chilean0.1%(69)
Guatemalan0%(49)
Peruvian0%(46)
Salvadoran0%(41)
Bolivian0%(31)
Costa Rican0%(25)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.3%(436)
Filipino0.2%(357)
Chinese0.1%(137)
Taiwanese0.1%(96)
Vietnamese0%(51)
Korean0%(30)
Thai0%(28)
Mien0.1%(20)
Cambodian0%(17)
Hmong0%(13)
Laotian0%(11)
Japanese0%(10)
+ 1 more asian origin group with data
Okinawan0%(2)
Ancestry
German25.1%(36,904)
Irish15.4%(22,651)
English10.3%(15,097)
Italian8.4%(12,361)
Polish6.1%(8,947)
American4.5%(6,551)
Norwegian3.2%(4,773)
French2.6%(3,806)
Swedish2.6%(3,764)
Scottish1.5%(2,237)
Slovak1.1%(1,641)
Dutch1%(1,452)
+ 41 more ancestry groups with data
Czech0.7%(1,044)
Welsh0.7%(983)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(934)
Slovene0.6%(878)
Lithuanian0.5%(764)
Danish0.5%(665)
Hungarian0.4%(556)
Belgian0.3%(440)
Austrian0.3%(426)
Russian0.2%(361)
Greek0.2%(291)
Subsaharan African0.2%(284)
Croatian0.2%(270)
Swiss0.2%(269)
Arab0.2%(259)
Portuguese0.1%(199)
French Canadian0.1%(191)
Egyptian0.2%(171)
Lebanese0.1%(168)
Canadian0.1%(143)
British0.1%(142)
Ukrainian0.1%(141)
Finnish0.1%(118)
Romanian0.1%(91)
Turkish0.1%(83)
Somali0.1%(74)
Serbian0%(56)
West Indian0%(41)
Ghanaian0%(40)
Syrian0%(39)
Macedonian0%(38)
Australian0%(35)
Haitian0%(35)
Brazilian0%(25)
Palestinian0%(22)
Latvian0%(18)
Nigerian0%(16)
Iranian0%(15)
Ethiopian0.2%(14)
Israeli0%(4)
Jamaican0%(4)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
91.8%
+9.7 ptssince 2000
from 82.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Section 08
People & community
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.8%(20,192)
Married52.1%(32,116)
Widowed3.3%(2,052)
Divorced11.8%(7,243)
Women 15+
Never married26%(15,688)
Married51.5%(31,097)
Widowed10.1%(6,096)
Divorced12.5%(7,557)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
In this metro
Largest cities
OttawaCENTRAL18,684Streator12,190Peru9,780LaSalle9,388Princeton7,674Mendota6,894Lake Holiday5,641Spring Valley5,408Marseilles4,809Oglesby3,618Sheridan2,094Earlville1,590De Pue1,571Ladd1,384North Utica1,334Granville1,325Walnut1,267Wenona950Leland928Wyanet858Annawan858Sheffield798Hennepin747Tonica737Tiskilwa718La Moille670Dalzell639Grand Ridge508Mark505Buda465
The 30 most populous of 59 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.
What's inside
3 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Ottawa
Flagstaff
Pop 144,368
Anderson Creek
Pop 150,137
Harrisonburg
Pop 140,155
Jefferson City
Pop 152,712
Places similar to OttawaHead to head
Compare Ottawa side by side
OTTAWA VS
Flagstaff
Income$72,966+1%
Home value$448,000+190%
Population144,368−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTTAWA VS
Anderson Creek
Income$71,287−1%
Home value$246,200+59%
Population150,137+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTTAWA VS
Harrisonburg
Income$73,776+2%
Home value$307,785+99%
Population140,155−4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
OTTAWA VS
Jefferson City
Income$73,899+2%
Home value$215,872+40%
Population152,712+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Ottawa, IL?
Ottawa, IL has about 147,181 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ottawa, IL?
The typical household in Ottawa, IL earns about $72,296 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ottawa, IL expensive?
In Ottawa, IL, the median home is worth about $154,495, and the typical rent is about $904 a month.
How educated are people in Ottawa, IL?
About 20.8% of adults age 25 and over in Ottawa, IL hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ottawa, IL?
About 13.0% of people in Ottawa, IL live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ottawa, IL grown since 1990?
Yes, Ottawa, IL has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,150 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024