Population 5,142 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wadsworth
Household size in Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.09 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.09 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.76 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.81 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.28 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Wadsworth average 2.81 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Household size has dropped from 3.09 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the northeast.
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 Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.0 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.3 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.7 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.4 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Wadsworth is 43.4 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 40.0 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.1% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.9% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.1% of households in Wadsworth, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 1.0 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Wadsworth has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Illinois 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 Wadsworth
Renters in Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Wadsworth is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 8.1% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than a third of owners (36.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 0.7 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Wadsworth: just 4.2% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy has fallen 2.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Wadsworth has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Illinois cities.
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 Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1992 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1993 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | −1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Wadsworth is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the west has the oldest housing. Wadsworth has newer homes than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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 Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,315 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,444 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,268 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,468 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$153 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Wadsworth costs $1,468 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $153 a month from 2006–10, a 12% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 25.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the southwest; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 Wadsworth
Bachelor's degrees in Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 43.2% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.3% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.9% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Wadsworth: 46.9% 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 9.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.4% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.2% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.0% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.5% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Wadsworth have finished high school (91.5%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has fallen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate rose.
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 Wadsworth
| Period | Wadsworth | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.0% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Wadsworth: 6.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.2 points, mirroring the country. 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).
Wadsworth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wadsworth | 2.81 | 43.4 | 6.1% | 8.1% | 4.2% | 1991 | $1,468 | 46.9% | 91.5% | 6.1% |
| Beach Park | 2.65 | 42.0 | 11.9% | 19.0% | 3.7% | 1985 | $1,345 | 20.9% | 81.5% | 8.0% |
| Rosecrans | 2.51 | 51.1 | 6.1% | 15.6% | 7.0% | 1990 | $1,454 | 50.9% | 99.8% | 3.4% |
| Zion | 2.80 | 34.6 | 18.8% | 39.0% | 7.2% | 1968 | $1,243 | 15.8% | 84.0% | 6.9% |
| Russell | 3.00 | 36.4 | 8.6% | 23.8% | 13.0% | 1981 | $1,578 | 56.4% | 99.6% | 7.8% |
| Old Mill Creek | 3.07 | 39.7 | 9.4% | 6.8% | 5.1% | 1992 | $1,768 | 68.8% | 99.0% | 4.7% |
| Gurnee | 2.63 | 41.4 | 7.3% | 22.1% | 3.1% | 1989 | $1,727 | 55.5% | 95.2% | 5.3% |
| Winthrop Harbor | 2.28 | 51.1 | 5.0% | 16.7% | 4.9% | 1979 | $1,429 | 20.3% | 95.8% | 9.1% |
| Waukegan | 2.90 | 36.4 | 16.5% | 50.6% | 6.0% | 1963 | $1,278 | 19.1% | 73.3% | 6.9% |
| Lindenhurst | 2.86 | 38.0 | 8.5% | 14.5% | 3.7% | 1988 | $1,982 | 49.2% | 95.3% | 6.5% |
| Park City | 3.27 | 31.8 | 22.4% | 34.9% | 3.2% | 1990 | $1,381 | 21.6% | 69.9% | 6.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Whispering Pines, NC · Westville, IL · Homer, LA · Wewahitchka, FL · Wewoka, OK · Pomeroy, OH · Holt, MO · Wheatland, CA · Wheatland, WY · Whiskey Creek, FL
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 Wadsworth. 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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