Population 7,157 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rensselaer
Household size in Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.40 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.47 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.56 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.16 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
The average household in Rensselaer has 2.56 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.40, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the southwest.
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 Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.8 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.2 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.5 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.5 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.3 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Rensselaer is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.5, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has edged down from 37.8 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southwest.
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 Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.8% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.2% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.9% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Rensselaer: 14.9% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 0.8 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Rensselaer has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Indiana 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 Rensselaer
Renters in Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.9% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.9% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.6% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.5% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Rensselaer rent their homes (32.5%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 43.2% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 0.5 points, 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 Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Rensselaer than nationally: 12.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1965 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Rensselaer is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1965, 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 1960 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the south 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 Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $630 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $654 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $731 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $918 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$288 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rensselaer pays $918 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $288 a month since 2006–10, up 46%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.6% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the center and lowest in the southwest.
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 Rensselaer
Bachelor's degrees in Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.0% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.5% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Rensselaer: 18.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 2.7 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the center.
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 Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.5% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.5% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.4% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.0% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Rensselaer never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.6 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Rensselaer
| Period | Rensselaer | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.3%, unemployment in Rensselaer is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is lower than in the wider Chicago area (6.3%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.8 points, in line with the national trend.
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).
Rensselaer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rensselaer | 2.56 | 37.5 | 14.9% | 32.5% | 12.4% | 1965 | $918 | 18.5% | 87.0% | 5.3% |
| Collegeville | 2.70 | 44.6 | 10.3% | 14.8% | 5.9% | 1977 | $866 | 20.9% | 94.9% | 2.4% |
| Parr | 2.61 | 39.5 | 10.7% | 19.0% | 11.2% | 1995 | $860 | 19.0% | 91.5% | 0.0% |
| McCoysburg | 2.68 | 45.4 | 9.8% | 9.1% | 8.2% | 1968 | $896 | 22.6% | 97.0% | 2.6% |
| Mount Ayr | 2.67 | 45.9 | 12.3% | 13.4% | 4.1% | 1982 | $899 | 16.6% | 95.3% | 1.2% |
| Newland | 2.43 | 45.6 | 8.3% | 18.4% | 23.8% | 1978 | $1,016 | 7.9% | 92.6% | 2.9% |
| Foresman | 2.66 | 43.2 | 6.7% | 16.7% | 7.7% | 1971 | $908 | 21.2% | 92.8% | 6.2% |
| Fair Oaks | 2.76 | 40.2 | 13.0% | 11.1% | 7.3% | 1998 | $799 | 17.1% | 86.5% | 4.6% |
| Lee | 2.73 | 38.3 | 17.4% | 20.3% | 10.5% | 1963 | $872 | 16.4% | 82.2% | 2.1% |
| Gifford | 2.65 | 39.6 | 8.3% | 12.4% | 9.2% | 1993 | $1,151 | 11.6% | 92.4% | 10.7% |
| Remington | 2.45 | 44.7 | 7.9% | 18.0% | 8.2% | 1961 | $736 | 22.9% | 93.7% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Air Force Academy, CO · Almont, MI · Alma, GA · Alpine, TX · Allendale, NJ · Albertson, NY · Albany, KY · Alamo Heights, TX · Akron, NY · Ahoskie, NC
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 Rensselaer. 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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