Population 21,848 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Sycamore
Household size in Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.62 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.70 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The average household in Sycamore has 2.56 people, a bit under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.50, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northeast 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 Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.9 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.6 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.7 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.5 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.4 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Sycamore is 37.5 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 37.9, even as the national median rose. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the east.
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 Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in Sycamore than nationally: 8.9%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 2.2 points from 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 Sycamore
Renters in Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.2% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 32.6% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.5% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.3% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Sycamore own their homes; 27.3% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 27.4% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast.
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 Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.8% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Sycamore than nationally: 5.9%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Chicago area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 1.1 points, 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 Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Sycamore is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1988, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $943 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $955 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,048 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,244 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$302 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Sycamore runs $1,244 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $302 a month from 2006–10, a 32% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 25.9% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northeast and lowest in the south.
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 Sycamore
Bachelor's degrees in Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.2% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.6% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.7% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.7% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.5 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Sycamore: 46.7% 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. The share with a degree is up 13.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.3% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.1% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.2% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.2% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Sycamore: 96.2% 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 5.0 points, 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 Sycamore
| Period | Sycamore | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Sycamore has been low: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Sycamore 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sycamore | 2.56 | 37.5 | 8.9% | 27.3% | 5.9% | 1988 | $1,244 | 46.7% | 96.2% | 3.1% |
| Cortland | 2.69 | 33.7 | 13.9% | 20.0% | 7.0% | 1991 | $1,483 | 29.5% | 92.7% | 6.0% |
| DeKalb | 2.39 | 31.7 | 17.1% | 58.2% | 7.6% | 1974 | $1,124 | 33.7% | 88.2% | 11.0% |
| Richardson | 2.65 | 47.7 | 4.6% | 12.5% | 8.7% | 1982 | $1,365 | 37.2% | 94.9% | 3.2% |
| Clare | 2.73 | 52.1 | 10.9% | 22.5% | 3.9% | 1952 | $1,391 | 30.5% | 92.0% | 2.8% |
| Genoa | 2.59 | 38.0 | 6.9% | 24.8% | 1.2% | 1985 | $1,100 | 20.9% | 90.3% | 2.6% |
| Virgil | 2.60 | 42.9 | 6.1% | 17.4% | 7.5% | 1976 | $1,472 | 32.0% | 95.7% | 3.3% |
| Burlington | 2.69 | 42.8 | 6.6% | 11.9% | 6.4% | 1974 | $1,336 | 31.6% | 94.4% | 2.9% |
| Maple Park | 2.72 | 41.1 | 6.9% | 18.9% | 5.7% | 1983 | $1,678 | 33.7% | 95.8% | 5.0% |
| Kingston | 2.70 | 39.7 | 11.0% | 13.0% | 3.3% | 1979 | $1,133 | 23.1% | 94.5% | 8.1% |
| Elva | 2.83 | 36.0 | 6.4% | 17.8% | 9.0% | 1967 | $1,242 | 27.5% | 89.0% | 6.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Albany, CA · Orange City, FL · Pleasant Prairie, WI · Perry, GA · Pendleton, OR · Pelham, AL · Payson, UT · Palmetto Bay, FL · Palm Valley, FL · Ottawa, IL
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 Sycamore. 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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