Population 32,147 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Near West Side
Household size in Near West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.01 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.13 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.13 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.86 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Near West Side are small: just 1.86 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 dropped from 2.01 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only 12 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 West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.6 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.2 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.2 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.6 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.0 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 33.6, Near West Side is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 32.6, as it has nationally. Residents skew youngest in the southeast and oldest in the northwest.
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 West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.4% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Near West Side: 7.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 4.7 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 West Side
Renters in Near West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.2% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 65.6% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 67.0% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 69.1% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Near West Side rent: 69.1% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. About three in ten owners (29.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 8.9 points, 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 Near West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.7% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Near West Side than nationally: 6.5%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 6.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Near West Side has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Chicago neighborhoods.
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 West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1994 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +16 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Near West Side has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1994, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only five 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 Near West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,082 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,276 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,563 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,949 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$867 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Near West Side costs $1,949 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $867 a month from 2006–10, an 80% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.1% 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 center; the most affordable are in the west.
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 West Side
Bachelor's degrees in Near West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.9% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 58.6% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.7% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 63.1% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Near West Side is highly educated: just over six in ten adults 25 and older (63.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 12.3 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the northwest.
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 West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.8% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.5% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.8% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Near West Side is above the national rate: 93.8% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 8.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 West Side
| Period | Near West Side | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Near West Side runs well above the national rate: 8.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.9 points, 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).
Near West 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 West Side | 1.86 | 33.6 | 7.8% | 69.1% | 6.5% | 1994 | $1,949 | 63.1% | 93.8% | 8.3% |
| 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% |
| Claremont Cottages | 2.22 | 33.6 | 7.6% | 59.4% | 11.8% | 1986 | $1,803 | 59.1% | 93.1% | 9.2% |
| Pilsen | 2.21 | 33.5 | 5.1% | 75.8% | 9.3% | 1947 | $1,463 | 43.1% | 83.1% | 5.5% |
| Lower West Side | 2.35 | 34.7 | 11.1% | 65.8% | 9.3% | 1942 | $1,316 | 39.0% | 75.6% | 8.0% |
| West Town | 1.97 | 33.8 | 4.5% | 61.9% | 6.0% | 1973 | $2,098 | 71.6% | 94.5% | 4.6% |
| Printers Row | 1.58 | 30.9 | 3.4% | 63.6% | 8.9% | 2001 | $2,446 | 84.6% | 97.3% | 6.0% |
| Ukrainian Village | 2.15 | 34.0 | 6.0% | 56.0% | 8.1% | 1948 | $1,940 | 73.6% | 94.4% | 3.7% |
| Loop | 1.57 | 33.9 | 4.9% | 71.6% | 12.6% | 1997 | $2,503 | 83.0% | 96.3% | 4.8% |
| Near North Side | 1.59 | 34.6 | 4.3% | 66.2% | 10.9% | 1994 | $2,464 | 85.3% | 97.8% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: South Gate, Glen Burnie, MD · Pacific Beach, San Diego, CA · Pennsport-Whitman-Queen, Philadelphia, PA · Pottage Park, Chicago, IL · Riverdale, Bronx, NY · Rosedale, Queens, NY · Serra Mesa, San Diego, CA · South Central, Reno, NV · South Dallas Fair Park, Dallas, TX · South End, Boston, 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 Near West 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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