Population 53,292 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Oak Park
Household size in Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.48 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Oak Park is a place of small households, averaging 2.37 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 edged down from 2.41, mirroring the country. Households are largest in the north and smallest in the west.
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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Oak Park are younger than 40.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 38.9 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the south, the 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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Oak Park than nationally: 9.3%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is little changed from 2006–10, while 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 Oak Park
Renters in Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.3% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.5% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.0% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Oak Park than nationally: 40.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 32.0% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 37 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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Oak Park than nationally: 7.4%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The Chicago area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 2.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1941 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1941 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1943 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1945 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Oak Park is a place of older homes: half were built before 1945, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1941 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only four have older 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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,024 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,105 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,290 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,564 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$540 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Oak Park runs $1,564 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $540 a month since 2006–10, up 53%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.3% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the west and lowest in the northeast.
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 Oak Park
Bachelor's degrees in Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.2% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 67.5% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 70.5% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 72.4% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Oak Park is highly educated: just over seven in ten adults 25 and older (72.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 5.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.2% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.6% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.5% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.6% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Oak Park: 97.6% 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 edged up 1.4 points, a smaller shift than nationally. Only 26 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people 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 Oak Park
| Period | Oak Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.9% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.9% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.8%, unemployment in Oak Park is close to the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
Oak Park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Park | 2.37 | 40.8 | 9.3% | 40.0% | 7.4% | 1945 | $1,564 | 72.4% | 97.6% | 5.8% |
| Forest Park | 2.01 | 42.2 | 12.6% | 47.2% | 9.3% | 1947 | $1,360 | 52.2% | 94.7% | 4.5% |
| River Forest | 2.62 | 40.6 | 6.0% | 12.3% | 6.6% | 1949 | $1,807 | 72.7% | 97.3% | 7.8% |
| Berwyn | 2.81 | 39.4 | 14.5% | 38.9% | 9.3% | 1942 | $1,316 | 24.5% | 84.6% | 6.6% |
| Elmwood Park | 2.66 | 41.1 | 12.9% | 34.4% | 8.2% | 1955 | $1,436 | 31.7% | 87.2% | 6.4% |
| Maywood | 3.15 | 35.6 | 20.0% | 40.0% | 10.7% | 1941 | $1,380 | 18.6% | 80.8% | 8.0% |
| Cicero | 3.50 | 34.9 | 20.9% | 45.4% | 7.7% | 1942 | $1,225 | 11.5% | 69.1% | 4.7% |
| Hines | 1.44 | 66.5 | 16.3% | 54.3% | 4.9% | 1959 | $613 | 29.0% | 83.2% | 12.9% |
| North Riverside | 2.35 | 42.9 | 11.6% | 33.4% | 4.9% | 1956 | $1,267 | 42.0% | 97.0% | 1.4% |
| Broadview | 2.65 | 36.6 | 20.8% | 41.3% | 8.2% | 1953 | $1,172 | 17.3% | 79.2% | 4.2% |
| River Grove | 2.63 | 39.3 | 10.5% | 43.1% | 8.1% | 1962 | $1,205 | 24.8% | 91.1% | 5.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Aloha, OR · Westfield, IN · Richmond, KY · North Highlands, CA · Hollister, CA · Hacienda Heights, CA · Gallatin, TN · Fuquay-Varina, NC · Fond Du Lac, WI · Fairfield, CT
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 Oak Park. 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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