Downers Grove, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Downers Grove, 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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A
Health Above average
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A
Income Above average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Downers Grove | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,779 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3498.3 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.43% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.5 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 21,224 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Downers Grove grew by 3.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 51,779 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Downers Grove is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.8% of residents. That is 2.4 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 9,079 17.5% -3.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 10,744 20.8% -1.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 11,801 22.8% +2.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 9,688 18.7% +1.8 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 51.4% of the people living in Downers Grove and men 48.6%.
- Women 51.4% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 48.6% Illinois 49.4%
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Economy
Downers Grove has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Downers Grove | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $113,724 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.97% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Downers Grove is about 35% higher than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | Downers Grove | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $537,998 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,569 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.6% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Downers Grove is about 28.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,569 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Downers Grove spend about 48 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 200 hours, about 8.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Downers Grove | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 24.0 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 48.0 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 200 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,198 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 23.4% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 26,354 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,676 | 1,547 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Downers Grove is about the same as 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
Downers Grove has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Downers Grove | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 54.0% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.42 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Health
Downers Grove has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Downers Grove | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.8 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.4% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 11.4% | 19.2% | 19.0% |
Downers Grove, IL Compared With Nearby Cities
Downers Grove, IL is the largest of the 5 cities compared here, 51,779 residents against a local median of 22,993. The measure that sets Downers Grove, IL apart most is median home price: $537,998, 38% above the local median of $390,540.
The cities themselves spread $363,972 on median home price, so Downers Grove, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Downers Grove, IL has the 2nd highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downers Grove, IL | 51,779 | $113,724 #1/5 | $537,998 #2/5 | 24.0 min #1/5 |
| Westmont, IL | 23,509 | $103,949 | $338,417 | 25.3 min |
| Darien, IL | 21,208 | $109,928 | $442,663 | 25.4 min |
| Woodridge, IL | 32,108 | $100,684 | $221,795 | 26.1 min |
| Lisle, IL | 22,476 | $104,405 | $585,767 | 25.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Downers Grove, Illinois.
How many people live in Downers Grove, Illinois?
About 51,779 people live in Downers Grove, Illinois, in 21,224 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 41.5, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Downers Grove, Illinois urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Downers Grove, Illinois has 3,498 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 40 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Downers Grove, Illinois an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 4.7 times the median household income ($537,998 against $113,724), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,569 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How educated are people in Downers Grove, Illinois?
54.0% of adults in Downers Grove, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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