Wheaton, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Updated
Wheaton, 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 Top grade
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A
Income Above average
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A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Wheaton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,899 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 4082.6 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.18% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.5 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 17,195 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Wheaton declined by 0.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 46,899 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Wheaton is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 24.3% of residents. That is 3.0 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 11,380 24.3% +3.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 9,001 19.2% -2.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 9,383 20.0% -0.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 7,671 16.4% -0.6 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 51.7% of the people living in Wheaton and men 48.3%.
- Women 51.7% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 48.3% Illinois 49.4%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Wheaton
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Economy
Wheaton has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Wheaton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $117,910 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.60% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Wheaton is about 40% higher than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | Wheaton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $201,033 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,795 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.4% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Wheaton is about 9.3 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,795 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Wheaton spend about 42 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 174 hours, about 7.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Wheaton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 20.9 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 41.9 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 174 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,407 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 24.1% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 98 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,950 | 1,547 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Wheaton is 21 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
Wheaton has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Wheaton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 56.2% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.51 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Health
Wheaton has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Wheaton | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 81.8 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 8.5% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 10.6% | 19.2% | 19.0% |
Wheaton, IL Compared With Nearby Cities
Wheaton, IL is the largest of the 5 cities compared here, 46,899 residents against a local median of 24,948. The measure that sets Wheaton, IL apart most is median home price: $201,033, 48% below the local median of $384,860.
The cities themselves spread $354,515 on median home price, so Wheaton, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wheaton, IL has the 5th highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheaton, IL | 46,899 | $117,910 #2/5 | $201,033 #5/5 | 20.9 min #1/5 |
| Glen Ellyn, IL | 27,036 | $132,070 | $438,845 | 23.5 min |
| Carol Stream, IL | 37,373 | $103,218 | $330,874 | 23.8 min |
| Lisle, IL | 22,476 | $104,405 | $585,767 | 25.1 min |
| Glendale Heights, IL | 22,861 | $99,154 | $231,252 | 22.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Wheaton, Illinois.
What is the population of Wheaton, Illinois?
About 46,899 people live in Wheaton, Illinois, in 17,195 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 37.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Wheaton, Illinois?
Averaged over its land area, Wheaton, Illinois has 4,083 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 47 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is Wheaton, Illinois an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.7 times the median household income ($201,033 against $117,910), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,795 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 Wheaton, Illinois?
Unemployment in Wheaton, Illinois is only 3.9%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Wheaton, Illinois?
56.2% of adults in Wheaton, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 6 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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