Population 3,805 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Elwood
Household size in Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.74 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.64 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.21 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The average household in Elwood has 2.53 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.74, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.5 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.7 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.0 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.4 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Elwood skews older than the country: its median age is 43.4, against 40.1 nationally.
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 Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.0% of households in Elwood, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Elwood
Renters in Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.7% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 14.7% of households in Elwood rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 38.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as 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 Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Elwood than nationally: 6.2%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Chicago area.
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 Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1987 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Elwood is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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 Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $890 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,049 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,184 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,497 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$607 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Elwood runs $1,497 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents here are lower than in the Chicago area as a whole ($1,602). Rent takes 24.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Elwood
Bachelor's degrees in Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.4% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.7% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.1% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Elwood have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.1%, against 35.6% nationally.
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 Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.5% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.7% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.7% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Elwood is above the national rate: 93.7% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%.
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 Elwood
| Period | Elwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Elwood has been strong: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
Elwood compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elwood | 2.53 | 43.4 | 6.0% | 14.7% | 6.2% | 1988 | $1,497 | 20.1% | 93.7% | 2.9% |
| Rockdale | 3.02 | 28.9 | 30.8% | 48.5% | 7.1% | 1950 | $1,268 | 13.1% | 82.8% | 8.4% |
| Manhattan | 2.95 | 33.5 | 9.7% | 9.6% | 4.6% | 2003 | $1,219 | 34.3% | 98.8% | 1.6% |
| Symerton | 2.86 | 43.9 | 4.0% | 2.5% | 9.1% | 1988 | $1,065 | 20.7% | 98.9% | 5.2% |
| Channahon | 3.03 | 37.3 | 9.4% | 10.5% | 4.9% | 1992 | $1,355 | 26.9% | 95.9% | 6.6% |
| Joliet | 2.88 | 37.0 | 15.0% | 31.2% | 7.0% | 1971 | $1,443 | 21.7% | 82.0% | 6.2% |
| New Lenox | 2.97 | 39.7 | 5.7% | 7.8% | 5.3% | 1993 | $1,621 | 42.9% | 97.2% | 2.4% |
| Shorewood | 2.82 | 43.5 | 8.1% | 5.3% | 5.4% | 1996 | $1,829 | 41.2% | 95.9% | 6.0% |
| Wilmington | 2.50 | 41.9 | 8.7% | 29.1% | 12.3% | 1971 | $1,079 | 17.5% | 93.1% | 5.5% |
| Minooka | 3.01 | 34.2 | 9.4% | 14.1% | 3.1% | 1999 | $1,605 | 28.1% | 93.6% | 4.6% |
| Lorenzo | 2.51 | 48.7 | 9.2% | 12.2% | 19.7% | 1979 | $1,108 | 26.2% | 96.7% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bethany, MO · Waterbury, VT · Warrensburg, NY · South Fulton, TN · Sherman, CT · Milford, IN · Lyons, KS · Lake Ann, MI · Jennings, FL · Jackson, SC
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 Elwood. 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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