Population 5,820 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Highwood
Household size in Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.13 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.57 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The average household in Highwood has 2.56 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.13, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
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 Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.2 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.0 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Highwood are younger than 41.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the Chicago area overall, where the median age is 39.7. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.2, in line with the national trend.
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 Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.3% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −8.9 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.7% of households in Highwood, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 8.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Highwood has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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 Highwood
Renters in Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.1% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 54.8% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.2% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.2% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Highwood than nationally: 43.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 46.0% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 23 have a higher share of renters.
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 Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 2.9% of homes in Highwood are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.2 points, as it has nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 have a lower vacancy rate.
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 Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | −7 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Highwood is a place of older homes: half were built before 1958, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Highwood has older homes than the great majority of Illinois cities.
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 Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,281 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,295 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,350 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,984 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$703 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Highwood runs $1,984 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $703 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.2% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the south.
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 Highwood
Bachelor's degrees in Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.5% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.3% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.6% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Highwood than nationally: 42.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 10.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the southwest.
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 Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 73.9% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.3% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.0% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.7% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.7 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Highwood never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 8.7 points, mirroring the country. Only 26 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Highwood
| Period | Highwood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.9% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Highwood than nationally: unemployment was 4.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, 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).
Highwood 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highwood | 2.56 | 41.5 | 5.7% | 43.2% | 2.9% | 1958 | $1,984 | 42.6% | 82.7% | 4.6% |
| Highland Park | 2.64 | 46.4 | 4.1% | 15.9% | 6.0% | 1963 | $2,022 | 77.9% | 97.3% | 3.3% |
| Lake Forest | 2.72 | 46.6 | 5.0% | 11.3% | 8.3% | 1976 | $1,997 | 79.9% | 97.7% | 1.9% |
| Bannockburn | 2.62 | 31.8 | 2.3% | 5.8% | 3.7% | 1970 | $3,456 | 81.2% | 99.3% | 2.2% |
| Deerfield | 2.71 | 44.5 | 4.6% | 14.5% | 3.0% | 1972 | $2,308 | 81.1% | 98.6% | 2.9% |
| Riverwoods | 2.77 | 43.0 | 8.2% | 26.4% | 7.3% | 1982 | $2,267 | 79.3% | 98.6% | 1.9% |
| Northbrook | 2.54 | 50.3 | 4.4% | 17.4% | 9.0% | 1976 | $2,327 | 71.2% | 96.7% | 3.2% |
| Glencoe | 3.02 | 42.9 | 3.0% | 8.0% | 14.3% | 1956 | $2,175 | 89.2% | 99.9% | 3.5% |
| Lincolnshire | 2.65 | 47.6 | 5.0% | 22.3% | 6.6% | 1987 | $2,761 | 76.4% | 97.6% | 2.7% |
| Lake Bluff | 2.58 | 42.8 | 5.0% | 28.6% | 8.7% | 1977 | $1,939 | 67.9% | 96.1% | 3.4% |
| Mettawa | 2.44 | 48.3 | 3.0% | 19.6% | 11.7% | 1993 | $3,247 | 67.7% | 98.1% | 2.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Hayes, VA · Greenport, NY · Greentown, IN · Greenville, IN · Greenwich, NY · Greenwood, DE · Gretna, VA · Grifton, NC · Grimesland, NC · Groesbeck, TX
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 Highwood. 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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