Chicago, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Chicago, IL Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below average
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B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,650,794 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 11302.4 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.03% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.3 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,122,071 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Chicago declined by 4.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 2,650,794 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Chicago is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 26.5% of residents. That is 4.6 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 617,816 23.3% +2.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 701,889 26.5% +4.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 491,876 18.6% -1.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 364,952 13.8% -3.1 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Illinois, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.3% of the people living in Chicago and men 48.7%.
- Women 51.3% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 48.7% Illinois 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Chicago
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Chicago has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $78,169 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.67% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.0% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Chicago is about 7% lower than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $262,028 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,430 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 46.5% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Chicago is about 15.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,430 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Chicago spend about 63 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 263 hours, about 10.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 31.5 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 63.0 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 263 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $8,143 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 20.7% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 20,211 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,222 | 1,547 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Chicago is 32 minutes, longer than the 24 minutes in Illinois.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Chicago has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.32 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Health
Chicago has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.6 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.5% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.7% | 19.2% | 19.0% |
Chicago, IL Compared With Nearby Cities
How Chicago, IL compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 2,650,794 | $78,169 #2/3 | $262,028 #3/3 | 31.5 min #3/3 |
| Cicero, IL | 82,796 | $71,023 | $316,248 | 30.3 min |
| Berwyn, IL | 55,595 | $78,260 | $413,871 | 28.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Chicago, Illinois.
What is the population of Chicago, Illinois?
About 2,650,794 people live in Chicago, Illinois, in 1,122,071 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 36.3, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Chicago, Illinois?
Averaged over its land area, Chicago, Illinois has 11,302 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 131 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Chicago, Illinois?
The median home costs 3.4 times the median household income ($262,028 against $78,169), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,430 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Chicago, Illinois?
Unemployment in Chicago, Illinois is 8.0%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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