Population 5,508 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Riverwoods
Household size in Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.67 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.76 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.84 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.77 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Riverwoods average 2.77 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.67, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the south 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 Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.2 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.4 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.7 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.0 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −2.2 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Riverwoods skews older than the country: its median age is 43.0, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has dropped from 45.2 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and oldest in the north.
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 Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.0% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Riverwoods: 8.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has risen 5.3 points since 2006–10, even as 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 Riverwoods
Renters in Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.1% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.8% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.2% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.4% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Riverwoods own their homes; 26.4% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 39.2% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the south. The renter share is up 9.3 points from 2006–10, 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 Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 2.9% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Riverwoods: 7.3% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Chicago area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is up 1.5 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 Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1982 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Riverwoods are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1982, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the Chicago area overall, where the median home dates to 1970. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the north 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 Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,854 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,701 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,137 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,267 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$413 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Riverwoods runs $2,267 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $413 a month from 2006–10, a 22% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.9% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are 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 Riverwoods
Bachelor's degrees in Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 63.5% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 72.6% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 76.9% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 79.3% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +15.8 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Riverwoods is highly educated: about eight in ten adults 25 and older (79.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 15.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only seven of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people 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 Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 97.1% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.9% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.8% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.6% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Riverwoods: 98.6% 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 risen 1.5 points, mirroring the country. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 11 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 Riverwoods
| Period | Riverwoods | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.9% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Riverwoods has been low: just 1.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 16 have lower unemployment. Unemployment is down 4.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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).
Riverwoods 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverwoods | 2.77 | 43.0 | 8.2% | 26.4% | 7.3% | 1982 | $2,267 | 79.3% | 98.6% | 1.9% |
| Lincolnshire | 2.65 | 47.6 | 5.0% | 22.3% | 6.6% | 1987 | $2,761 | 76.4% | 97.6% | 2.7% |
| Bannockburn | 2.62 | 31.8 | 2.3% | 5.8% | 3.7% | 1970 | $3,456 | 81.2% | 99.3% | 2.2% |
| Deerfield | 2.71 | 44.5 | 4.6% | 14.5% | 3.0% | 1972 | $2,308 | 81.1% | 98.6% | 2.9% |
| Wheeling | 2.58 | 41.9 | 8.3% | 35.2% | 6.1% | 1980 | $1,819 | 40.9% | 87.8% | 4.5% |
| Buffalo Grove | 2.67 | 42.7 | 4.9% | 18.4% | 4.3% | 1981 | $2,164 | 67.7% | 96.6% | 2.8% |
| Northbrook | 2.54 | 50.3 | 4.4% | 17.4% | 9.0% | 1976 | $2,327 | 71.2% | 96.7% | 3.2% |
| Prospect Heights | 2.38 | 45.4 | 8.3% | 35.6% | 4.4% | 1972 | $1,551 | 42.0% | 83.7% | 3.1% |
| Highland Park | 2.64 | 46.4 | 4.1% | 15.9% | 6.0% | 1963 | $2,022 | 77.9% | 97.3% | 3.3% |
| Highwood | 2.56 | 41.5 | 5.7% | 43.2% | 2.9% | 1958 | $1,984 | 42.6% | 82.7% | 4.6% |
| Lake Forest | 2.72 | 46.6 | 5.0% | 11.3% | 8.3% | 1976 | $1,997 | 79.9% | 97.7% | 1.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: New Whiteland, IN · Otisville, MI · Nowata, OK · Northvale, NJ · Northlake, TX · Northfield, VT · Northfield, IL · Niota, TN · Ninety Six, SC · Nicholson, GA
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 Riverwoods. 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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