Population 30,587 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Near South Side
Household size in Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.72 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.71 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.70 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.78 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Near South Side is a place of small households, averaging 1.78 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 1.72, even as the national average fell. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only ten have smaller households.
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 Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.4 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.8 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.2 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.8 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Near South Side is 36.2 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 35.4, a smaller shift than 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 Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.0% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.1% of households in Near South Side, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.6 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Near South Side
Renters in Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.3% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.4% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.8% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 50.5% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Near South Side: 50.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 21.7% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 4.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Near South Side than nationally: 6.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Chicago area. Vacancy has fallen 5.6 points since 2006–10, 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 Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1994 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 2001 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1999 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2002 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Near South Side is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2002, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1994 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the west has the oldest housing. No other Chicago neighborhood has 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 Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,210 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,589 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,999 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,340 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,130 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Near South Side runs $2,340 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,130 a month from 2006–10, a 93% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 30.5% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only six have higher rents.
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 Near South Side
Bachelor's degrees in Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.9% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 68.4% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 74.9% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 80.9% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +14.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Near South Side: 80.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 14.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Few Chicago neighborhoods have a higher share of college graduates: only 12 of 135.
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 Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.5% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.6% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.2% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.4% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Near South Side: 97.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 4.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only 12 of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods have a higher 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 Near South Side
| Period | Near South Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.4% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.1%, unemployment in Near South Side is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the Chicago area overall (6.3%). 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).
Near South Side 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Near South Side | 1.78 | 36.2 | 7.1% | 50.5% | 6.6% | 2002 | $2,340 | 80.9% | 97.4% | 5.1% |
| Printers Row | 1.58 | 30.9 | 3.4% | 63.6% | 8.9% | 2001 | $2,446 | 84.6% | 97.3% | 6.0% |
| Armour Square | 2.47 | 43.5 | 12.7% | 61.9% | 6.4% | 1965 | $1,056 | 28.3% | 71.4% | 11.4% |
| Douglas | 1.74 | 35.9 | 10.2% | 86.5% | 7.1% | 1964 | $1,143 | 41.6% | 92.0% | 16.6% |
| Loop | 1.57 | 33.9 | 4.9% | 71.6% | 12.6% | 1997 | $2,503 | 83.0% | 96.3% | 4.8% |
| University Village | 2.13 | 30.3 | 7.0% | 67.8% | 6.5% | 1986 | $1,676 | 67.1% | 94.1% | 7.5% |
| Greektown | 1.60 | 32.6 | 1.4% | 58.5% | 7.0% | 1998 | $2,518 | 86.7% | 98.4% | 4.1% |
| Pilsen | 2.21 | 33.5 | 5.1% | 75.8% | 9.3% | 1947 | $1,463 | 43.1% | 83.1% | 5.5% |
| Bridgeport | 2.38 | 40.2 | 7.3% | 50.5% | 6.9% | 1954 | $1,366 | 40.4% | 84.4% | 5.8% |
| Bronzeville | 2.31 | 36.7 | 9.6% | 61.2% | 7.7% | 1977 | $1,214 | 37.4% | 86.1% | 16.2% |
| Locks | 2.46 | 32.6 | 9.9% | 46.5% | 6.8% | 1946 | $1,472 | 38.5% | 78.0% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Brentwood, Washington, DC · Broadmoor-Sherwood, Baton Rouge, LA · Clintonville, Columbus, OH · Hyde Park, Chicago, IL · Albany Park, Chicago, IL · Little Haiti, Miami, FL · Little Lake City, Santa Fe Springs, CA · North Linden, Columbus, OH · Northeast, Anchorage, AK · Northeast, Columbus, OH
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 Near South Side. 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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