Population 7,994 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Downtown Normal
Household size in Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.57 | 2.65 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.40 | 2.66 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.00 | 2.60 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.30 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −1.36 | −0.35 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Downtown Normal are small: just 2.22 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 3.57, 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 Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.0 | 29.9 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 20.3 | 30.3 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 20.3 | 31.6 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 19.8 | 33.0 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +3.2 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 19.8, Downtown Normal is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults in their twenties. The median age is little changed from 2006–10, while the national median rose.
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 Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 10.6% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 7.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 7.9% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 7.0% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −3.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Downtown Normal: 5.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.2 points, 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 Downtown Normal
Renters in Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.5% | 41.9% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 91.3% | 41.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 98.8% | 43.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 95.0% | 44.9% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +3.0 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Downtown Normal rent: 95.0% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among homeowners, 34.0% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.6 points from 2006–10, 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 Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.3% | 9.1% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.1% | 11.5% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 27.8% | 14.2% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.1% | 11.0% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | +1.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 22.1% of the housing in Downtown Normal, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.2 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1987 | 1982 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1982 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1984 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1987 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +5 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Downtown Normal are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are older than in Normal as a whole, where the median home dates to 1987.
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 Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,178 | $741 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,029 | $922 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,290 | $988 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,006 | $1,058 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | −$172 | +$317 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Downtown Normal costs $1,006 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has fallen $172 a month since 2006–10, down 15%, even as the national median rose. Rent takes 48.4% 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 northeast.
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 Downtown Normal
Bachelor's degrees in Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 58.1% | 46.4% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 50.2% | 49.8% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.9% | 46.4% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.3% | 49.8% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −19.8 pts | +3.5 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly four in ten adults 25 and older in Downtown Normal (38.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in Normal overall (49.8%). The share with a degree has fallen 19.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.8% | 94.9% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.2% | 94.3% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.3% | 96.2% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 100.0% | 97.9% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +3.0 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Downtown Normal: 100.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Downtown Normal
| Period | Downtown Normal | Normal | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 7.3% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.6% | 5.6% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 2.7% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 3.9% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Downtown Normal: 10.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.8 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Downtown Normal 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown Normal | 2.22 | 19.8 | 5.2% | 95.0% | 22.1% | 1983 | $1,006 | 38.3% | 100.0% | 10.7% |
| South Hill | 1.93 | 41.2 | 7.7% | 39.9% | 5.9% | 1961 | $1,032 | 34.6% | 92.5% | 2.9% |
| Sunnyland | 1.82 | 49.7 | 3.9% | 29.3% | 6.6% | 1960 | $838 | 13.2% | 95.2% | 1.7% |
| East Bluff | 2.82 | 28.1 | 39.2% | 51.4% | 21.4% | 1941 | $1,072 | 8.4% | 88.7% | 12.4% |
| Center Bluff | 2.34 | 35.3 | 18.9% | 28.2% | 14.5% | 1943 | $1,047 | 15.4% | 91.3% | 7.9% |
| Sunset Hills | 2.18 | 39.8 | 14.6% | 45.5% | 10.6% | 1952 | $887 | 25.2% | 84.5% | 5.6% |
| West Urbana | 2.05 | 27.7 | 2.7% | 68.7% | 14.5% | 1968 | $1,162 | 75.5% | 95.5% | 3.0% |
| West Central | 1.54 | 38.6 | 6.7% | 70.7% | 17.0% | 1958 | $943 | 48.8% | 94.3% | 2.5% |
| Bloomingdale | 2.37 | 32.1 | 22.6% | 49.0% | 11.6% | 1942 | $926 | 13.1% | 86.3% | 4.7% |
| Pettit-Rudisill | 2.99 | 26.4 | 40.9% | 67.4% | 9.3% | 1955 | $980 | 2.3% | 62.7% | 19.2% |
| Oxford | 2.57 | 29.8 | 30.4% | 56.3% | 11.3% | 1952 | $1,038 | 6.5% | 61.6% | 6.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Southwest Area, Cedar Rapids, IA · Downtown Oakdale, Oakdale, CA · East Gloucester, Gloucester, MA · East Lake, Chula Vista, CA · Far North Dallas-Justin, Justin, TX · Fields Corner, Boston, MA · Leonidas, New Orleans, LA · Machuchal, San Juan, PR · Rosebank, Staten Island, NY · Royal Highlands, Brooksville, FL
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 Downtown Normal. 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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