Population 23,561 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Washington Heights
Household size in Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.79 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.86 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.91 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.69 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
At 2.69 people per household, Washington Heights sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has dropped from 2.79 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.4 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.7 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.1 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.7 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Washington Heights skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.4, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the center.
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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.4% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.0% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.6% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in five households in Washington Heights (19.6%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Washington Heights
Renters in Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.0% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.3% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.9% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Washington Heights rent their homes (25.9%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About four in ten owners (39.9%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is down 2.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only 13 of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods have a lower share of renters.
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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.4% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Washington Heights as nationally: 9.4%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Chicago area as a whole (7.2%). Vacancy is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1951 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1949 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Washington Heights is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1952, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $983 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $971 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,037 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,372 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$389 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Washington Heights costs $1,372 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $389 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 39.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the north.
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 Washington Heights
Bachelor's degrees in Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.1% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.7% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.3% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a quarter of adults 25 and older in Washington Heights (26.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 9.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the northwest.
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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.3% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.5% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.1% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.0% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.7 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Washington Heights have finished high school (92.0%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 6.7 points from 2006–10, 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 Washington Heights
| Period | Washington Heights | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.2% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 23.6% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.5% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.8% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Washington Heights: 11.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 6.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Washington Heights 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Heights | 2.69 | 41.7 | 19.6% | 25.9% | 9.4% | 1952 | $1,372 | 26.3% | 92.0% | 11.8% |
| Brainerd | 2.63 | 41.9 | 26.3% | 43.8% | 10.5% | 1949 | $1,064 | 18.8% | 89.7% | 20.4% |
| Beverly | 2.70 | 43.7 | 8.9% | 15.6% | 9.2% | 1943 | $1,386 | 57.6% | 97.3% | 8.6% |
| Roseland | 2.67 | 41.1 | 20.1% | 45.8% | 17.6% | 1949 | $1,209 | 22.5% | 88.2% | 18.3% |
| Chester Highlands | 2.83 | 37.1 | 40.3% | 56.9% | 15.1% | 1945 | $1,133 | 16.3% | 80.6% | 17.7% |
| Auburn Gresham | 2.68 | 41.3 | 26.1% | 41.1% | 15.5% | 1948 | $1,084 | 19.1% | 85.6% | 15.5% |
| South Englewood | 2.42 | 40.5 | 23.2% | 60.8% | 14.0% | 1953 | $1,120 | 20.7% | 84.2% | 16.8% |
| Morgan Park | 2.46 | 42.2 | 11.4% | 29.3% | 7.8% | 1951 | $1,691 | 40.9% | 95.1% | 9.7% |
| Chatham | 2.26 | 40.4 | 16.8% | 47.3% | 13.3% | 1950 | $1,206 | 36.6% | 93.6% | 15.6% |
| Pullman | 2.27 | 42.9 | 16.2% | 42.9% | 21.4% | 1949 | $1,130 | 36.3% | 90.8% | 14.1% |
| Auburn Park | 2.19 | 44.9 | 18.7% | 63.1% | 18.8% | 1953 | $1,041 | 18.5% | 88.9% | 6.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: The Plaza, Long Beach, CA · Green Valley South, Henderson, NV · Greenbrier West, Chesapeake, VA · Haddington-Carroll Park, Philadelphia, PA · Hermosa, Chicago, IL · Hunts Point, Bronx, NY · Inner Sunset, San Francisco, CA · Northampton, Hampton, VA · Outer Richmond, San Francisco, CA · Springlake-University Terrace, Shreveport, LA
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 Washington Heights. 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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