Population 22,154 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Gold Coast
Household size in Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.45 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.51 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.56 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.41 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Gold Coast are small: just 1.41 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. Household size has edged down from 1.45 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Gold Coast has the smallest households of any Chicago neighborhood.
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 Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.9 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.1 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.0 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.9 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Gold Coast skews older than the country: its median age is 43.0, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has dropped from 45.9 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the north.
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 Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.2% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.8% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 1.8% of households in Gold Coast, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only one other Chicago neighborhood has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Gold Coast
Renters in Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.0% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.4% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 52.0% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 54.3% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +10.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Gold Coast rent: 54.3% 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 owners, 47.9% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 10.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Gold Coast as nationally: 10.7%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Chicago area as a whole (7.2%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 7.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Gold Coast is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the south has the oldest housing.
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 Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,249 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,449 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,653 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,147 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$899 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Gold Coast runs $2,147 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $899 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 26.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the southwest.
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 Gold Coast
Bachelor's degrees in Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.7% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 81.0% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.0% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 88.0% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Gold Coast is highly educated: about nine in ten adults 25 and older (88.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 11.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Chicago neighborhood has a higher share of college graduates.
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 Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.4% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.9% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.1% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.9% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Gold Coast: 98.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Gold Coast has the highest share of high school graduates of any Chicago neighborhood.
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 Gold Coast
| Period | Gold Coast | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Gold Coast runs below the national rate: 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only 11 have lower unemployment. 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).
Gold Coast 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast | 1.41 | 43.0 | 1.8% | 54.3% | 10.7% | 1969 | $2,147 | 88.0% | 98.9% | 3.5% |
| Near North Side | 1.59 | 34.6 | 4.3% | 66.2% | 10.9% | 1994 | $2,464 | 85.3% | 97.8% | 3.4% |
| Belgravia Terrace | 2.04 | 34.4 | 2.7% | 55.3% | 8.8% | 1971 | $2,443 | 89.2% | 98.6% | 3.3% |
| Loop | 1.57 | 33.9 | 4.9% | 71.6% | 12.6% | 1997 | $2,503 | 83.0% | 96.3% | 4.8% |
| Lincoln Park | 1.99 | 32.7 | 2.6% | 55.2% | 9.5% | 1971 | $2,253 | 86.8% | 97.7% | 4.5% |
| Greektown | 1.60 | 32.6 | 1.4% | 58.5% | 7.0% | 1998 | $2,518 | 86.7% | 98.4% | 4.1% |
| Printers Row | 1.58 | 30.9 | 3.4% | 63.6% | 8.9% | 2001 | $2,446 | 84.6% | 97.3% | 6.0% |
| West Town | 1.97 | 33.8 | 4.5% | 61.9% | 6.0% | 1973 | $2,098 | 71.6% | 94.5% | 4.6% |
| Wicker Park | 2.03 | 32.7 | 3.2% | 52.5% | 6.7% | 1974 | $2,366 | 85.5% | 97.5% | 3.0% |
| Near West Side | 1.86 | 33.6 | 7.8% | 69.1% | 6.5% | 1994 | $1,949 | 63.1% | 93.8% | 8.3% |
| Ukrainian Village | 2.15 | 34.0 | 6.0% | 56.0% | 8.1% | 1948 | $1,940 | 73.6% | 94.4% | 3.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: The Plaza, Long Beach, CA · Lake Murray, San Diego, CA · Liliha-Kapalama, Honolulu, HI · Loma Portal, San Diego, CA · Lower Peters Canyon, Irvine, CA · Midland Beach, Staten Island, NY · Outer Richmond, San Francisco, CA · Prospect Hill, San Antonio, TX · Roseway, Portland, OR · Sixteen Acres, Springfield, MA
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 Gold Coast. 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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