Population 18,431 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in ZIP 60542
Household size in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.88 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.91 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.68 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in ZIP 60542 average 2.68 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has dropped from 2.88 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.9 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.5 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.9 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.6 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 40.9, the median age in ZIP 60542 is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.3, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.2% of households in ZIP 60542, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 0.5 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in ZIP 60542
Renters in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.7% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.0% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a quarter of households in ZIP 60542 rent their homes (25.7%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About a third of owners (33.3%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the northeast. The renter share is up 8.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 3.2% of homes in ZIP 60542 are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 2.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 20 of the 480 Illinois ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1989 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1988 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1990 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1994 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in ZIP 60542 is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1994, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1989 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Only 39 of the 480 Illinois ZIP codes with 5,000+ people have newer homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,170 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,207 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,359 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,671 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$501 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in ZIP 60542 runs $1,671 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $501 a month since 2006–10, up 43%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southwest and lowest in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in ZIP 60542
Bachelor's degrees in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.0% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 38.3% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.8% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.7% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
About four in ten adults 25 and older in ZIP 60542 (40.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.8% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.5% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in ZIP 60542 is above the national rate: 93.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in ZIP 60542
| Period | ZIP 60542 | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in ZIP 60542 is close to the national rate: 4.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the wider Chicago area (6.3%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
ZIP 60542 compared with nearby ZIP codes
| ZIP code | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 60542 | 2.68 | 40.9 | 7.2% | 25.7% | 3.2% | 1994 | $1,671 | 40.7% | 93.5% | 4.7% |
| ZIP 60539 | 2.48 | 51.9 | 5.9% | 9.1% | 5.4% | 1999 | $1,297 | 39.7% | 94.1% | 9.3% |
| ZIP 60510 | 2.63 | 42.8 | 7.8% | 20.9% | 2.0% | 1979 | $1,644 | 56.9% | 96.9% | 2.9% |
| ZIP 60506 | 2.83 | 37.5 | 17.2% | 32.4% | 3.9% | 1968 | $1,505 | 28.7% | 83.4% | 5.6% |
| ZIP 60505 | 3.37 | 33.2 | 19.9% | 40.8% | 6.8% | 1958 | $1,400 | 15.1% | 64.6% | 7.5% |
| ZIP 60502 | 2.74 | 39.5 | 8.3% | 25.3% | 4.9% | 1997 | $2,012 | 64.1% | 94.2% | 5.3% |
| ZIP 60134 | 2.82 | 41.1 | 6.3% | 15.3% | 3.8% | 1990 | $1,904 | 64.9% | 97.7% | 4.4% |
| ZIP 60554 | 2.67 | 46.7 | 7.5% | 7.9% | 5.4% | 1996 | $1,446 | 48.8% | 96.1% | 3.2% |
| ZIP 60519 | 3.12 | 43.0 | 5.4% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1996 | $2,130 | 79.7% | 95.5% | 2.1% |
| ZIP 60538 | 2.97 | 36.9 | 10.6% | 19.8% | 6.9% | 1989 | $2,026 | 26.1% | 88.8% | 5.1% |
| ZIP 60504 | 2.80 | 35.5 | 13.0% | 38.3% | 5.8% | 1995 | $2,027 | 51.9% | 92.8% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Zip codes with similar populations: 77012, TX · 35214, AL · 37090, TN · 38829, MS · 43138, OH · 44709, OH · 44830, OH · 48334, MI · 53024, WI · 53094, WI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up ZIP 60542. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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