Population 7,500 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Central Street Merchant District
Household size in Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.42 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.42 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.54 | 2.49 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.23 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.18 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Central Street Merchant District is a place of small households, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Locally, though, the typical household here is bigger than in Evanston overall, where it has 2.23 people. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the west.
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 Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.9 | 37.3 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.4 | 37.0 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.6 | 38.3 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.3 | 40.1 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.4 | +2.9 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Central Street Merchant District skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 44.9, in line with the national trend.
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 Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 7.9% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 8.3% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 8.3% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.6% | 8.5% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +0.6 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.6% of households in Central Street Merchant District, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Central Street Merchant District
Renters in Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.3% | 39.8% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.2% | 42.7% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.2% | 42.5% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.0% | 41.9% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +2.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.0% of households in Central Street Merchant District rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly four in ten owners (37.5%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.7 points, mirroring the country.
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 Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 11.6% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 11.3% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 8.1% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −3.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Central Street Merchant District than nationally: 5.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is up 0.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1944 | 1948 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1946 | 1948 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1944 | 1950 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1945 | 1957 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +8 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Central Street Merchant District is a place of older homes: half were built before 1945, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,533 | $1,210 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,487 | $1,290 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,875 | $1,527 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,360 | $1,936 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$827 | +$726 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Central Street Merchant District runs $2,360 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $827 a month since 2006–10, up 54%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 37.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Central Street Merchant District
Bachelor's degrees in Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.4% | 67.2% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 78.5% | 67.5% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 81.7% | 68.5% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 82.4% | 70.2% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +3.0 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Central Street Merchant District is highly educated: about eight in ten adults 25 and older (82.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.0 points, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the southeast.
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 Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.7% | 94.0% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.4% | 94.3% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.7% | 94.0% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.0% | 96.8% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +2.8 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Central Street Merchant District: 98.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Evanston as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 Central Street Merchant District
| Period | Central Street Merchant District | Evanston | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.6% | 6.6% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 7.8% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.5% | 4.2% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 6.0% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | −0.6 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Central Street Merchant District is close to the national rate: 4.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Evanston as a whole (6.0%). Unemployment is up 2.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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).
Central Street Merchant District compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Street Merchant District | 2.40 | 48.3 | 3.6% | 23.0% | 5.8% | 1945 | $2,360 | 82.4% | 98.0% | 4.7% |
| Gross Point | 2.96 | 42.3 | 5.2% | 8.5% | 5.5% | 1955 | $2,302 | 81.9% | 98.8% | 4.6% |
| Downtown | 1.82 | 29.9 | 5.5% | 64.1% | 12.9% | 1973 | $1,895 | 77.2% | 98.1% | 8.2% |
| South Evanston | 2.04 | 43.6 | 8.9% | 45.9% | 7.5% | 1950 | $1,798 | 75.9% | 98.4% | 4.3% |
| Rogers Park | 1.99 | 37.6 | 6.6% | 71.8% | 9.6% | 1945 | $1,389 | 52.4% | 88.7% | 6.9% |
| West Ridge | 3.03 | 37.0 | 12.3% | 46.4% | 8.1% | 1950 | $1,542 | 45.9% | 87.1% | 8.4% |
| Granville Gardens | 2.95 | 37.3 | 19.8% | 62.2% | 11.2% | 1945 | $1,484 | 38.0% | 82.5% | 7.6% |
| Sauganash | 2.83 | 42.0 | 5.4% | 10.8% | 4.1% | 1955 | $1,587 | 70.6% | 95.7% | 1.8% |
| Forest Glen | 2.77 | 44.8 | 6.4% | 11.0% | 4.9% | 1950 | $1,825 | 62.6% | 96.5% | 5.2% |
| North Park | 2.80 | 40.2 | 15.4% | 52.3% | 11.2% | 1954 | $1,173 | 47.5% | 91.6% | 4.9% |
| Edgewater | 1.76 | 39.8 | 3.1% | 64.0% | 8.9% | 1953 | $1,501 | 61.8% | 94.4% | 8.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Yorkfield, Elmhurst, IL · Urbanizacion Sierra Bayamon, Bayamon, PR · Downtown Normal, Normal, IL · Agua Fria, El Mirage, AZ · East Gloucester, Gloucester, MA · Far North Dallas-Justin, Justin, TX · Home Gardens, Corona, CA · Mosier Valley, Euless, TX · Mountain View, Anchorage, AK · Nashboro Village, Nashville, TN
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 Central Street Merchant District. 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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