West Chicago, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
West 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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B
Income Around average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | West Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,065 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1339.1 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.50% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.1 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 6,359 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in West Chicago declined by 1.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 21,065 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in West Chicago is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 23.8% of residents. That is 2.6 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 5,019 23.8% +2.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,417 21.0% -0.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,729 22.5% +2.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,661 12.6% -4.3 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 49.0% of the people living in West Chicago and men 51.0%.
- Women 49.0% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 51.0% Illinois 49.4%
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100% of everyone living in West Chicago
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Economy
West Chicago has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | West Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $95,968 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.01% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.2% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in West Chicago is about 14% higher than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | West Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $283,168 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,459 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 74.5% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in West Chicago is about 16.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,459 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in West Chicago spend about 43 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 180 hours, about 7.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | West Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.6 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 43.2 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 180 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,583 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | — | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,949 | 1,547 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in West Chicago is 22 minutes, shorter 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
West Chicago has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | West Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.9% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 3.27 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Health
West Chicago has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | West Chicago | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.2 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.7% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.8% | 19.2% | 19.0% |
West Chicago, IL Compared With Nearby Cities
How West Chicago, IL compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Chicago, IL | 21,065 | $95,968 #3/3 | $283,168 #2/3 | 21.6 min #1/3 |
| Bartlett, IL | 33,124 | $126,830 | $551,242 | 27.1 min |
| St. Charles, IL | 31,856 | $110,703 | $162,898 | 21.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about West Chicago, Illinois.
How many people live in West Chicago, Illinois?
About 21,065 people live in West Chicago, Illinois, in 6,359 households of 3.3 people on average. The median age is 37.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is West Chicago, Illinois urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, West Chicago, Illinois has 1,339 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 15 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in West Chicago, Illinois?
The median home costs 3.0 times the median household income ($283,168 against $95,968), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,459 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in West Chicago, Illinois?
Unemployment in West Chicago, Illinois is 8.2%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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