Population 18,140 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Chatham
Household size in Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.39 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.32 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.26 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Chatham are small: just 2.26 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.40, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.2 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.0 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.4 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Chatham are younger than 40.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the northeast.
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 Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.5% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.0% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.8% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.6 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in six households in Chatham (16.8%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 7.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Chatham
Renters in Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.9% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.2% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 51.7% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 47.3% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Chatham than nationally: 47.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 44.8% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the east and least common in the west. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 5.6 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.7% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.8% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Chatham than nationally: 13.3%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones.
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 Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1948 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1946 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1950 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Chatham is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1950, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the north.
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 Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $812 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $903 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $947 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,206 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$394 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Chatham runs $1,206 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $394 a month from 2006–10, a 49% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 37.8% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Chatham
Bachelor's degrees in Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.7% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.8% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.4% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.6% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Chatham as nationally: 36.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Chicago area overall (40.9%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 11.9 points, mirroring the country.
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 Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.8% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.5% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.1% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.6% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Chatham is above the national rate: 93.6% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.8 points, as it has nationally.
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 Chatham
| Period | Chatham | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.8% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 22.3% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.7% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Chatham runs well above the national rate: 15.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.3 points, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Chatham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham | 2.26 | 40.4 | 16.8% | 47.3% | 13.3% | 1950 | $1,206 | 36.6% | 93.6% | 15.6% |
| Avalon Highlands | 2.08 | 39.3 | 22.2% | 72.9% | 16.7% | 1944 | $1,107 | 19.4% | 84.2% | 21.4% |
| Italian Bowery | 1.85 | 40.8 | 18.2% | 86.3% | 15.3% | 1953 | $1,138 | 12.4% | 85.0% | 20.7% |
| Avalon Park | 2.34 | 46.5 | 23.3% | 33.7% | 18.4% | 1946 | $1,068 | 34.5% | 92.9% | 13.0% |
| Auburn Park | 2.19 | 44.9 | 18.7% | 63.1% | 18.8% | 1953 | $1,041 | 18.5% | 88.9% | 6.0% |
| Grand Crossing | 2.35 | 41.1 | 28.6% | 62.7% | 15.1% | 1944 | $1,073 | 22.1% | 82.1% | 15.1% |
| Chester Highlands | 2.83 | 37.1 | 40.3% | 56.9% | 15.1% | 1945 | $1,133 | 16.3% | 80.6% | 17.7% |
| Essex | 2.13 | 40.8 | 21.3% | 58.3% | 18.0% | 1957 | $1,220 | 24.0% | 87.8% | 14.2% |
| Calumet Heights | 2.04 | 48.7 | 16.4% | 30.0% | 7.3% | 1952 | $1,135 | 38.1% | 93.6% | 13.1% |
| Auburn Gresham | 2.68 | 41.3 | 26.1% | 41.1% | 15.5% | 1948 | $1,084 | 19.1% | 85.6% | 15.5% |
| Brainerd | 2.63 | 41.9 | 26.3% | 43.8% | 10.5% | 1949 | $1,064 | 18.8% | 89.7% | 20.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Far Southwest, Portland, OR · Westlake-San Francisco, Daly City, CA · Cully, Portland, OR · Tule Springs, Las Vegas, NV · North Central Westminster, Westminster, CO · Eads-Fisherville, Cordova, TN · Midway, Gulf Breeze, FL · East Garfield Park, Chicago, IL · Metzger, Tigard, OR · Upper State, Santa Barbara, CA
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 Chatham. 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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