Dolton, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Dolton, 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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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Dolton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,134 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4294.7 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.01% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.3 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 7,749 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Dolton declined by 13.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 20,134 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Dolton is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.6% of residents. That is 2.3 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,751 23.6% +2.3 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,757 18.7% -3.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,112 20.4% on par
- Boomers 61–79 3,213 16.0% -1.0 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 53.4% of the people living in Dolton and men 46.6%.
- Women 53.4% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 46.6% Illinois 49.4%
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Economy
Dolton has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Dolton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,942 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.25% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 12.7% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Dolton is about 33% lower than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | Dolton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $106,779 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,366 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.6% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Dolton is about 6.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,366 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Dolton spend about 61 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 254 hours, about 10.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Dolton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 30.5 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 60.9 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 254 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $7,872 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.8% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 30,528 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,553 | 1,547 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Dolton is 30 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
Dolton has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Dolton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.4% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.58 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Health
Dolton has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Dolton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.4 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 20.5% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.7% | 19.2% | 19.0% |
Dolton, IL Compared With Nearby Cities
How Dolton, IL compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolton, IL | 20,134 | $55,942 #3/3 | $106,779 #2/3 | 30.5 min #1/3 |
| South Holland, IL | 22,419 | $80,765 | $97,060 | 31.8 min |
| Calumet City, IL | 34,245 | $57,106 | $113,588 | 31.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Dolton, Illinois.
What is the population of Dolton, Illinois?
About 20,134 people live in Dolton, Illinois, in 7,749 households of 2.6 people on average. The median age is 37.3, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Dolton, Illinois urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Dolton, Illinois has 4,295 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 50 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Dolton, Illinois an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.9 times the median household income ($106,779 against $55,942), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,366 a month takes about 29% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Dolton, Illinois?
Unemployment in Dolton, Illinois is 12.7%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How common is a college degree in Dolton, Illinois?
20.4% of adults in Dolton, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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