Chicago, Illinois Income Statistics
Chicago Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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C
Chicago Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Chicago | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $78,169 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $67,334 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.7% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 16.3% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 14.5% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Chicago is about 7% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing faster in Chicago (5.7%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 16% of adults in Chicago earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Illinois average of 15%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Chicago, Illinois grew by 67.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $78,169 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.7% per year.
Chicago has stayed below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. The gap has narrowed from 8.7% in 2009 to 2.8% in 2024, the closest it has been.
Income Distribution in Chicago
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 446,858 households (39.8% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 25.4% of households in Chicago had an income under $35,000 and 23.4% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Chicago has a larger share of households earning under $10,000 (7.2% vs 5.1%) and a smaller share earning $50,000 to $74,999 (13.6% vs 15.5%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 80,746 | 7.2% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 53,638 | 4.8% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 76,922 | 6.9% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 73,369 | 6.5% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 106,676 | 9.5% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 153,110 | 13.6% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 130,751 | 11.7% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 184,147 | 16.4% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 100,167 | 8.9% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 162,544 | 14.5% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 1,122,071 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 362,266 residents (16.3% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 19.1% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 14.4% of Chicago residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 27.3% had some income but less than $25,000, and 25.3% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Chicago has a larger share of residents earning $100,000 or more (16.3% vs 13.9%) and a smaller share earning $35,000 to $49,999 (11.2% vs 12.6%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 320,603 | 14.4% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 241,427 | 10.9% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 155,734 | 7.0% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 208,360 | 9.4% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 189,541 | 8.5% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 248,877 | 11.2% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 295,078 | 13.3% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 198,630 | 8.9% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 362,266 | 16.3% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 2,220,516 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 14.4% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Chicago
| Metric | Chicago | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.562 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $74,810 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $66,702 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 10.8% | 18.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Chicago, it is 0.562, higher than Illinois's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 12% more than women's income in Chicago, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 12% wage gap accumulates to roughly $283,780 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chicago, Illinois has narrowed from about 12% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 12% in 2010, and was narrowest at 8% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,894 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Chicago | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.0% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 20.7% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 31 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 119,024 people are unemployed in Chicago, Illinois.
The average commute time in Chicago is 31 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Chicago, Illinois has fallen from 12.1% to 8.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.7% in 2013 and fell as low as 8.0% in 2023.
Chicago has stayed well above the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never dropped below it. It came closest in 2020, at 2.7 points higher. The gap has narrowed from 3.4 points in 2011 to 2.8 points in 2024.
Chicago, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
How Chicago, IL compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | 2,650,794 | $78,169 #2/3 | 5.7%/yr #2/3 | 8.0% #3/3 | 0.562 #3/3 |
| Cicero, IL | 82,796 | $71,023 | 6.5%/yr | 4.9% | 0.561 |
| Berwyn, IL | 55,595 | $78,260 | 3.5%/yr | 6.9% | 0.523 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Chicago, Illinois has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Illinois, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Chicago, Illinois.
How Rich Is Chicago, Illinois?
Chicago has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $78,169, about 7% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How has median household income changed in Chicago, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Chicago, Illinois rose 68%, from $46,658 to $78,169. Over the same years, income here outpaced Illinois as a whole: +68% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Chicago in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Chicago, Illinois was $75,108, up 5% from $71,547 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Chicago in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Chicago, Illinois was $62,101. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $78,169.
Is it hard to find a job in Chicago, Illinois?
Unemployment in Chicago, Illinois is 8.0%, well above the Illinois rate of 5.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Chicago, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Chicago is 0.562. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Chicago, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chicago, Illinois has narrowed from about 12% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 12% in 2010, and was narrowest at 8% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,894 since 2009.
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