Population 9,199 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North Center
Household size in North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.23 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.38 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.53 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.34 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, North Center sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the wider Chicago area, where it has 2.66 people. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.23, even as the national average fell.
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 North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.2 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.1 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.7 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.7 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
North Center is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.2, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the east 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 North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.1% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in North Center: 3.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only 11 have 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 North Center
Renters in North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.6% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 47.7% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.9% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.3% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in North Center rent their homes (39.3%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 24.5% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has fallen 2.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in North Center is close to the national rate: 8.6% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1943 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1947 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1946 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +21 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in North Center is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1964, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1943 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the east.
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 North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $952 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,166 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,379 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,825 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$873 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in North Center costs $1,825 a month with utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $873 a month since 2006–10, up 92%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; the highest are 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 North Center
Bachelor's degrees in North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.5% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 62.4% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 72.1% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 78.4% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in North Center: 78.4% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 16.9 points, in line with the national trend.
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 North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.4% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.0% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.2% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.5% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in North Center: 96.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.2 points, mirroring the country. North Center has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Chicago neighborhoods.
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 North Center
| Period | North Center | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in North Center than nationally: unemployment was 3.7%, against 5.4%. Only 12 of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods 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).
North Center 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Center | 2.58 | 37.7 | 3.8% | 39.3% | 8.6% | 1964 | $1,825 | 78.4% | 96.5% | 3.7% |
| Roscoe Village | 2.45 | 33.2 | 5.0% | 49.7% | 10.6% | 1945 | $1,954 | 81.9% | 98.0% | 4.1% |
| Cuyler | 2.23 | 38.3 | 3.4% | 47.6% | 11.4% | 1942 | $1,795 | 80.8% | 97.9% | 4.3% |
| Bricktown | 2.42 | 34.3 | 5.5% | 42.1% | 8.7% | 1963 | $1,901 | 81.7% | 97.6% | 3.3% |
| Hamlin Park | 2.51 | 33.8 | 4.6% | 37.1% | 7.6% | 1956 | $1,994 | 81.2% | 94.7% | 5.6% |
| Ravenswood Gardens | 2.23 | 37.6 | 5.2% | 54.0% | 7.8% | 1938 | $1,690 | 76.5% | 97.8% | 4.1% |
| West Ravenswood | 1.90 | 36.3 | 6.4% | 66.3% | 8.6% | 1944 | $1,683 | 70.2% | 96.2% | 3.3% |
| Ravenswood Manor | 2.39 | 35.8 | 7.8% | 55.4% | 8.9% | 1943 | $1,528 | 53.9% | 89.5% | 6.4% |
| Lake View | 1.87 | 33.0 | 2.6% | 63.4% | 6.9% | 1963 | $1,985 | 84.8% | 98.4% | 3.1% |
| Uptown | 1.70 | 37.1 | 5.2% | 70.1% | 10.3% | 1949 | $1,390 | 64.6% | 93.3% | 5.2% |
| Bowmanville | 2.34 | 37.1 | 7.9% | 54.2% | 5.1% | 1952 | $1,556 | 65.1% | 94.3% | 6.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Calumet Heights, Chicago, IL · Cedar-Riverside, Minneapolis, MN · Central, Minneapolis, MN · Santo Nino, Laredo, TX · Merriman Valley, Akron, OH · Mesa Hills, El Paso, TX · Midtown, Little Rock, AR · Mustang-Padre Island, Corpus Christi, TX · Oak Hill, Jacksonville, FL · Oak View, Huntington Beach, CA
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 North Center. 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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