Population 9,166 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Tolleston
Household size in Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.56 | 2.61 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.60 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.58 | 2.43 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.56 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.05 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Tolleston average 2.62 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.56, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the east.
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 Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1 | 37.8 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.4 | 38.7 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.9 | 39.8 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 38.1 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.1 | +0.3 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Tolleston skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.2, against 40.1 nationally. Residents skew youngest in the southwest and 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 Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.0% | 24.0% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 22.5% | 22.9% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 27.7% | 23.0% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 25.0% | 25.5% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +1.6 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about a quarter of households in Tolleston (25.0%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Gary as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.0 points, 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 Tolleston
Renters in Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.7% | 43.6% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.4% | 47.4% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 43.9% | 48.4% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.2% | 49.5% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +15.6 pts | +5.9 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Tolleston than nationally: 45.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Even so, renters make up a smaller share here than in Gary overall (49.5%). Just over six in ten owners (62.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 15.6 points, 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 Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.7% | 22.0% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.5% | 24.3% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.8% | 25.2% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.3% | 24.1% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +2.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 20.3% of the housing in Tolleston, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Still, the rate is lower than in Gary as a whole (24.1%).
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 Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1955 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1956 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1956 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1967 | 1957 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +2 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Tolleston 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. Even so, homes here are newer than in Gary as a whole, where the median home dates to 1957. The median year built has moved up from 1959 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the east 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 Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $676 | $736 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $721 | $770 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $837 | $840 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,178 | $1,062 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$501 | +$326 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
The median renter in Tolleston pays $1,178 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in Gary as a whole ($1,062). Rents are up $501 a month from 2006–10, a 74% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 40.9% 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 Tolleston
Bachelor's degrees in Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 12.0% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 12.6% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 13.1% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.9% | 15.0% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +2.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Tolleston have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 17.9%, against 35.6% nationally. The picture is much the same across Gary. The share with a degree has risen 3.2 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.0% | 82.6% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.7% | 83.2% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 87.6% | 85.0% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.2% | 86.1% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | +3.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Tolleston never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Gary as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.2 points, mirroring the country.
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 Tolleston
| Period | Tolleston | Gary | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.4% | 18.3% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 19.6% | 18.7% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 12.5% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 10.1% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −10.0 pts | −8.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Tolleston: 9.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Still, the rate is lower than in Gary as a whole (10.1%). Unemployment is down 10.0 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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).
Tolleston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tolleston | 2.62 | 42.2 | 25.0% | 45.2% | 20.3% | 1967 | $1,178 | 17.9% | 86.2% | 9.3% |
| Tarrytown | 2.76 | 42.4 | 24.8% | 45.5% | 19.4% | 1965 | $1,148 | 12.0% | 90.8% | 8.0% |
| Downtown West | 2.97 | 24.3 | 48.0% | 62.1% | 22.8% | 1947 | $922 | 11.5% | 86.2% | 5.1% |
| Brunswick | 2.60 | 35.0 | 37.8% | 57.4% | 17.7% | 1962 | $1,089 | 11.1% | 83.0% | 6.1% |
| Midtown | 2.02 | 53.2 | 11.8% | 53.9% | 32.7% | 1955 | $782 | 15.7% | 82.0% | 8.5% |
| Pulaski | 2.72 | 25.5 | 39.4% | 73.8% | 29.1% | 1961 | $963 | 10.6% | 86.0% | 5.5% |
| Glen Park | 2.89 | 34.4 | 28.2% | 52.6% | 29.9% | 1951 | $1,191 | 11.4% | 84.8% | 14.1% |
| Turner-Meyn Park | 2.75 | 41.3 | 20.3% | 22.5% | 7.7% | 1958 | $1,354 | 12.6% | 81.2% | 6.3% |
| Forestdale | 2.62 | 31.2 | 18.3% | 50.7% | 6.0% | 1961 | $1,329 | 32.2% | 88.8% | 3.5% |
| Aetna | 2.32 | 38.1 | 21.8% | 58.5% | 22.1% | 1960 | $995 | 12.6% | 88.2% | 12.9% |
| Columbia Center | 2.50 | 30.9 | 25.1% | 53.9% | 5.3% | 1971 | $1,007 | 12.7% | 80.6% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Bella Vista, Philadelphia, PA · Boise, Portland, OR · Bon Air, Louisville, KY · Broadview, Seattle, WA · Chelsea, Atlantic City, NJ · Chicot West, Little Rock, AR · Dietz, Tucson, AZ · East Watertown, Watertown Town, MA · Frog Hollow, Hartford, CT · Toddville Road, Charlotte, 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 Tolleston. 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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