Population 31,958 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of West Lawn: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in West Lawn
Household size in West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.67 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.75 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.48 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.51 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
West Lawn is a place of big households: 3.51 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.67, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Chicago neighborhood has larger households.
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 West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.4 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.4 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 33.5 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.7 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.7, West Lawn is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 29.4, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the southwest.
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 West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.9% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.3% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.3% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 17.0% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in West Lawn: 17.0% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.9 points, in line with the national trend.
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 West Lawn
Renters in West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.1% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.8% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.8% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.8% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
West Lawn is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 37.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in West Lawn than nationally: 5.7%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 1.8 points, in line with the national trend. Few Chicago neighborhoods have a lower vacancy rate: only 12 of 135.
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 West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1956 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1952 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | −3 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in West Lawn 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. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the north 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 West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,092 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,088 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,090 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,274 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$182 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in West Lawn costs $1,274 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $182 a month since 2006–10, up 17%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 34.2% of the typical renter's income, 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 West Lawn
Bachelor's degrees in West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 11.8% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.1% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +10.0 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in West Lawn have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.1%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 10.0 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the east.
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 West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.8% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 67.4% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 71.9% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 70.0% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About three in ten adults in West Lawn never finished high school, well above the national share: only 70.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.2 points, as it has nationally. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only nine have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 West Lawn
| Period | West Lawn | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Lawn runs well above the national rate: 7.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. 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).
West Lawn 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Lawn | 3.51 | 34.7 | 17.0% | 23.8% | 5.7% | 1952 | $1,274 | 18.1% | 70.0% | 7.8% |
| West Elsdon | 3.40 | 37.6 | 15.4% | 28.5% | 6.2% | 1957 | $1,306 | 16.7% | 76.4% | 7.3% |
| Chicago Lawn | 3.25 | 33.3 | 23.4% | 46.6% | 8.9% | 1952 | $1,242 | 15.0% | 73.0% | 11.9% |
| Garfield Manor | 3.65 | 39.4 | 15.0% | 45.0% | 6.4% | 1942 | $1,098 | 10.8% | 66.3% | 11.9% |
| Ashburn | 3.27 | 38.9 | 15.8% | 16.4% | 5.7% | 1956 | $1,254 | 21.9% | 82.0% | 10.0% |
| Gage Park | 3.50 | 33.7 | 13.8% | 40.6% | 6.5% | 1943 | $1,061 | 11.3% | 66.9% | 11.3% |
| Archer Heights | 3.02 | 39.3 | 9.0% | 35.4% | 6.7% | 1949 | $1,088 | 13.9% | 69.2% | 11.9% |
| Clarkdale | 3.22 | 35.8 | 13.1% | 12.6% | 2.3% | 1956 | $1,101 | 18.9% | 79.7% | 11.1% |
| Clearing | 2.68 | 37.2 | 15.4% | 26.7% | 6.2% | 1960 | $1,477 | 23.2% | 85.9% | 5.3% |
| Archer Limits | 3.21 | 38.0 | 15.1% | 15.6% | 4.6% | 1956 | $1,264 | 17.2% | 78.8% | 5.6% |
| Garfield Ridge | 2.90 | 40.4 | 9.1% | 16.7% | 5.1% | 1958 | $1,310 | 27.4% | 83.7% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Downtown Seattle, Seattle, WA · Old Brooklyn, Cleveland, OH · Berryessa, San Jose, CA · Scripps Ranch, San Diego, CA · Wrigley, Long Beach, CA · Rhodes Ranch, Spring Valley, NV · West End, Tacoma, WA · Carrollwood, Tampa, FL · North Lawndale, Chicago, IL · Torresdale, Philadelphia, PA
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 West Lawn. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.