Population 4,997 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Lakewood: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Lakewood
Household size in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.25 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.24 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.08 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.92 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.34 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Lakewood are large by national standards, averaging 2.92 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Household size has dropped from 3.25 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 Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.8 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.2 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.9 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.1 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 41.1, the median age in Lakewood is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the east.
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 Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Lakewood: 7.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Compared with other Illinois cities, Lakewood has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
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 Lakewood
Renters in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.2% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Lakewood is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 7.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than a quarter of owners (27.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 21 have a lower 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 Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 2.8% of homes in Lakewood are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Only 12 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people 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 Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1988 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1991 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Lakewood is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the east has the oldest housing. Only 38 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have newer homes.
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 Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,194 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,658 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,596 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,471 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$277 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Lakewood costs $1,471 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 40.8% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the east.
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 Lakewood
Bachelor's degrees in Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 46.2% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.9% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.1% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Lakewood is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (51.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the northwest. Lakewood has a higher share of college graduates than the great majority of Illinois cities.
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 Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.5% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.9% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.3% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.8% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Lakewood: 96.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Lakewood has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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 Lakewood
| Period | Lakewood | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lakewood runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. 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).
Lakewood 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood | 2.92 | 41.1 | 7.0% | 7.8% | 2.8% | 1991 | $1,471 | 51.1% | 96.8% | 4.6% |
| Lake in the Hills | 3.05 | 36.3 | 10.7% | 15.0% | 3.4% | 1994 | $1,687 | 37.5% | 94.6% | 5.2% |
| Crystal Lake | 2.78 | 41.6 | 8.9% | 19.4% | 4.0% | 1982 | $1,533 | 43.0% | 93.6% | 4.2% |
| Ridgefield | 2.60 | 44.3 | 6.8% | 26.1% | 3.9% | 1989 | $1,365 | 50.9% | 94.7% | 4.9% |
| Huntley | 2.61 | 49.8 | 9.0% | 10.9% | 2.9% | 2003 | $1,644 | 41.1% | 96.2% | 3.9% |
| Algonquin | 2.81 | 42.0 | 6.6% | 11.4% | 5.2% | 1990 | $1,808 | 43.0% | 95.6% | 4.3% |
| Prairie Grove | 2.56 | 42.8 | 5.2% | 15.9% | 6.4% | 2000 | $2,899 | 46.8% | 97.6% | 2.0% |
| Trout Valley | 2.22 | 44.2 | 3.3% | 15.3% | 8.8% | 1967 | $1,355 | 41.9% | 93.2% | 4.1% |
| Cary | 2.81 | 40.7 | 9.0% | 12.3% | 4.4% | 1982 | $1,672 | 46.9% | 97.4% | 4.1% |
| Oakwood Hills | 2.61 | 43.4 | 5.3% | 7.4% | 2.3% | 1982 | $1,890 | 42.5% | 95.7% | 4.8% |
| Woodstock | 2.51 | 41.3 | 9.3% | 24.8% | 4.1% | 1980 | $1,368 | 31.8% | 89.1% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Hancock, MI · Sylvania, GA · Taft, TX · Tallapoosa, GA · Tappan, NY · Tavernier, FL · Hardy, VA · Hardin, MT · Hanover, IN · Swanton, VT
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 Lakewood. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.