Population 4,347 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Thornwood
Household size in Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.27 | 3.05 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.17 | 2.96 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.17 | 3.04 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.19 | 2.86 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.19 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Thornwood is a place of big households: 3.19 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids.
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 Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.9 | 34.8 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.4 | 37.2 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.9 | 37.9 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.8 | 40.0 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +5.2 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 39.8, the median age in Thornwood is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.9, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.1% | 11.1% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.4% | 8.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 12.6% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 6.3% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.2 pts | −4.8 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.9% of households in Thornwood, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Thornwood
Renters in Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.7% | 13.0% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.8% | 15.2% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 17.8% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 1.6% | 17.4% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | +4.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 1.6% of households in Thornwood rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About three in ten owners (29.4%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%.
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 Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 4.7% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 2.6% | 4.4% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 2.8% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 1.9% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.3% of homes in Thornwood are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Locally, though, the rate is higher than in South Elgin as a whole (1.9%).
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 Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2000 | 1989 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 2001 | 1987 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 2002 | 1993 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 2003 | 1995 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Thornwood is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 2003, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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 Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,143 | $1,215 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,595 | $1,263 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,765 | $1,390 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,074 | $1,770 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,931 | +$555 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Thornwood costs $3,074 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 43.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Thornwood
Bachelor's degrees in Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 55.8% | 33.4% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 64.5% | 36.0% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.9% | 38.0% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 58.5% | 37.4% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.7 pts | +4.0 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Thornwood is highly educated: about six in ten adults 25 and older (58.5%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%.
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 Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.3% | 90.0% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.1% | 93.0% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.2% | 91.7% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.9% | 92.1% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | +2.2 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Thornwood is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%.
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 Thornwood
| Period | Thornwood | South Elgin | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.8% | 6.1% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 6.3% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 4.9% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 4.4% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Thornwood than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. The picture is much the same across South Elgin. 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).
Thornwood compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thornwood | 3.19 | 39.8 | 2.9% | 1.6% | 4.3% | 2003 | $3,074 | 58.5% | 93.9% | 4.0% |
| Maple Manor | 2.75 | 37.7 | 19.6% | 24.8% | 7.1% | 1953 | $1,335 | 20.2% | 83.7% | 7.3% |
| Elgin Historic District | 3.35 | 29.6 | 27.9% | 49.8% | 4.1% | 1945 | $1,329 | 22.4% | 68.9% | 6.4% |
| Valley View | 2.50 | 41.2 | 5.8% | 28.0% | 4.4% | 1969 | $1,195 | 47.3% | 94.9% | 8.1% |
| Randall Hills | 2.47 | 44.1 | 6.3% | 28.6% | 4.1% | 1988 | $1,723 | 34.3% | 94.2% | 7.2% |
| Coventry | 3.10 | 35.6 | 14.6% | 30.8% | 4.9% | 1971 | $1,407 | 32.8% | 90.0% | 2.7% |
| Frontenac | 3.18 | 35.9 | 9.3% | 24.0% | 3.9% | 1989 | $2,160 | 49.8% | 87.8% | 4.9% |
| Sycamore Manor | 2.31 | 34.7 | 12.5% | 39.1% | 8.4% | 1967 | $1,032 | 40.4% | 93.3% | 3.2% |
| Winston Park | 2.57 | 46.2 | 11.3% | 7.7% | 4.3% | 1965 | $2,442 | 50.5% | 98.8% | 3.7% |
| Scarsdale | 2.46 | 43.1 | 8.5% | 26.9% | 6.5% | 1967 | $2,022 | 67.5% | 96.6% | 3.0% |
| Tall Grass | 3.34 | 39.1 | 7.0% | 2.3% | 2.9% | 2006 | $2,199 | 82.0% | 98.7% | 4.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Stoneybrook, Alafaya, FL · Brookside, Findlay, OH · Castle Ranch, Bakersfield, CA · Castle Rouge, Detroit, MI · Cedar-Isles-Dean, Minneapolis, MN · Urbanizacion El Comandante, Carolina, PR · Upper Laurel, Oakland, CA · Cherrydale, Arlington, VA · Victory Hills, Albuquerque, NM · East Community Team South, Kansas City, MO
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 Thornwood. 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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