MICROPOLITAN AREA
Ottawa Micro
Ottawa, IL · 3 counties · 145,902 residents (2025 est.) · 2,164 sq mi
Time machine
VIEWING
COMPARE TO
The short version
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
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
147,181
−4%since 2000
from 153,098 in 2000
145,902 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
2,164 sq mi
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
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
19
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
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
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 75.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
93.6%
+4.4 ptssince 2020
from 89.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
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
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
15.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 15.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
2.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
71.6%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 72.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
41.2%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 40.0% 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)18.1%(1,537)
Gulf War (1990s)19.3%(1,646)
Vietnam era39%(3,316)
Korean War4.8%(410)
World War II1.3%(114)
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
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.
Keep going
Explore from here
DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024