Population 1,445 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ford Heights
Household size in Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.48 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.99 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.83 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.96 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The average household in Ford Heights has 2.52 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 3.48 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.5 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 32.2 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 31.8 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.2 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +21.7 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Ford Heights skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.4% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 23.8% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −17.7 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Ford Heights than nationally: 13.0%, against 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 Ford Heights
Renters in Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 59.9% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 58.1% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.0% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.8% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −18.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in Ford Heights rent their homes (41.8%), above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 56.0% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.3% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.3% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 20.4% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.8% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 21.8% of the housing in Ford Heights, 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.
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 Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1965 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1967 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1970 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Ford Heights is a place of older homes: half were built before 1970, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The picture is much the same across the Chicago area.
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 Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,000 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $840 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $873 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,061 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$61 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ford Heights pays $1,061 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 39.2% of household income on rent, 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 Ford Heights
Bachelor's degrees in Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.9% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.7 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Ford Heights: 13.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.9% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.4% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.4% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.2% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Ford Heights is close to the national rate: 88.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, 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 Ford Heights
| Period | Ford Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.0% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 31.6% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 27.6% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −11.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ford Heights runs well above the national rate: 13.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. 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).
Ford Heights 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Heights | 2.52 | 49.2 | 13.0% | 41.8% | 21.8% | 1970 | $1,061 | 13.9% | 88.2% | 13.7% |
| Sauk Village | 3.14 | 32.4 | 29.2% | 35.0% | 16.8% | 1972 | $1,525 | 18.1% | 91.1% | 11.7% |
| Lynwood | 2.71 | 42.7 | 15.7% | 26.9% | 12.8% | 1987 | $1,563 | 27.3% | 92.0% | 6.4% |
| Glenwood | 2.54 | 43.7 | 13.0% | 26.8% | 10.5% | 1969 | $1,429 | 37.5% | 92.4% | 18.5% |
| Chicago Heights | 2.90 | 35.5 | 22.8% | 34.6% | 13.5% | 1961 | $1,264 | 21.9% | 85.4% | 12.6% |
| South Chicago Heights | 2.52 | 39.6 | 14.3% | 39.1% | 8.1% | 1965 | $1,339 | 11.8% | 75.9% | 7.9% |
| Steger | 2.42 | 39.4 | 12.8% | 40.1% | 10.3% | 1967 | $1,126 | 20.0% | 89.5% | 7.7% |
| Dyer | 2.63 | 44.9 | 8.8% | 10.0% | 3.4% | 1995 | $1,255 | 38.5% | 95.6% | 3.0% |
| Thornton | 2.33 | 44.1 | 10.1% | 15.8% | 3.6% | 1961 | $1,114 | 26.9% | 93.9% | 12.0% |
| Lansing | 2.55 | 40.1 | 20.7% | 27.5% | 8.1% | 1965 | $1,376 | 28.3% | 93.4% | 9.4% |
| Crete | 2.50 | 47.6 | 9.5% | 9.8% | 5.2% | 1975 | $1,303 | 31.5% | 94.7% | 5.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Williamstown, NY · Blanchard, ID · Cridersville, OH · Mazon, IL · Silverado, CA · Sardis City, AL · Salisbury, PA · Rib Lake, WI · Randolph, ME · Plentywood, MT
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 Ford Heights. 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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