Population 21,339 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ottawa
Household size in Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.31 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.39 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Ottawa is a place of small households, averaging 2.39 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 2.35, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northwest.
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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.4 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.2 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.3 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.3 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Ottawa skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.3, against 40.1 nationally. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the west.
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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.8% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Ottawa: 15.6% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 5.7 points, even as the national share fell. Ottawa has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Illinois cities.
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 Ottawa
Renters in Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.4% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.0% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.4% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.0% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Ottawa own their homes; 27.0% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly four in ten owners (38.2%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the southwest. The renter share is down 4.4 points from 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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Ottawa as nationally: 8.2%, against 9.6%. Vacancy is down 1.9 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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Ottawa is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1967, 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 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the west has the oldest housing.
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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $690 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $761 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $854 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $938 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$249 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ottawa pays $938 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $249 a month since 2006–10, up 36%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.9% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the north.
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 Ottawa
Bachelor's degrees in Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.8% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.3% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.2% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.4 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Ottawa: 24.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 4.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the north.
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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.7% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.5% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.3% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Ottawa is a bit above the national rate: 92.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.8 points from 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 Ottawa
| Period | Ottawa | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.5% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs high in Ottawa: 7.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 5.0 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).
Ottawa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | 2.39 | 42.3 | 15.6% | 27.0% | 8.2% | 1967 | $938 | 24.2% | 92.5% | 7.0% |
| Stoneyville | 2.77 | 30.2 | 15.4% | 27.0% | 3.1% | 1969 | $928 | 12.8% | 90.1% | 0.0% |
| Naplate | 2.50 | 42.6 | 8.9% | 22.2% | 6.9% | 1976 | $1,024 | 20.5% | 91.1% | 3.9% |
| Woodland Addition | 2.48 | 46.7 | 8.5% | 15.9% | 6.4% | 1981 | $999 | 26.2% | 97.8% | 3.7% |
| Marseilles | 2.48 | 42.8 | 7.8% | 23.9% | 12.6% | 1974 | $1,007 | 22.3% | 94.6% | 6.4% |
| Wedron | 2.47 | 43.1 | 3.3% | 14.7% | 9.3% | 1984 | $1,191 | 25.5% | 93.7% | 5.0% |
| Grand Ridge | 2.54 | 38.9 | 9.9% | 14.9% | 6.1% | 1962 | $991 | 16.5% | 93.1% | 5.5% |
| Prairie Center | 2.47 | 45.9 | 4.0% | 8.6% | 11.6% | 1974 | $1,220 | 26.3% | 96.6% | 4.1% |
| Utica | 2.63 | 40.9 | 4.7% | 10.0% | 16.5% | 1965 | $1,309 | 21.6% | 94.2% | 4.8% |
| North Utica | 2.54 | 44.4 | 3.8% | 11.1% | 9.0% | 1980 | $1,458 | 25.6% | 95.9% | 4.0% |
| Serena | 2.42 | 52.6 | 4.3% | 17.2% | 10.5% | 1994 | $1,190 | 38.3% | 93.4% | 2.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Pelham, AL · Portsmouth, NH · Pleasantville, NJ · Pleasant Prairie, WI · Pittsboro, NC · Pinole, CA · Petal, MS · Perry, GA · Pendleton, OR · Princeton Junction, NJ
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 Ottawa. 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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