Population 64,226 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Ridge
Household size in West Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.97 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.05 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.00 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.03 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
West Ridge is a place of big households: 3.03 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 crept up from 2.97, even as the national average fell.
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 Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.6 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.6 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.2 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.0 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.4 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
West Ridge is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.0, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has crept up from 36.6 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southeast.
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 Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in West Ridge (12.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.6 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 West Ridge
Renters in West Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.0% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.6% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 49.5% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 46.4% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in West Ridge than nationally: 46.4% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 44.3% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, as it has 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 West Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.4% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in West Ridge: 8.1% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Chicago area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.0 points, as it has nationally.
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 Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1949 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1948 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1949 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
West Ridge is a place of older homes: half were built before 1950, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the center 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 Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $994 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $987 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,118 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,542 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$548 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in West Ridge runs $1,542 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $548 a month from 2006–10, a 55% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 34.1% 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 northwest.
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 Ridge
Bachelor's degrees in West Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 40.8% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.1% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.9% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in West Ridge: 45.9% 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. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.3 points, 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 West Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.4% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.8% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.7% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.1% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.7 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in West Ridge never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 4.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Ridge
| Period | West Ridge | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.4% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Ridge runs well above the national rate: 8.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 Ridge 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 Ridge | 3.03 | 37.0 | 12.3% | 46.4% | 8.1% | 1950 | $1,542 | 45.9% | 87.1% | 8.4% |
| Granville Gardens | 2.95 | 37.3 | 19.8% | 62.2% | 11.2% | 1945 | $1,484 | 38.0% | 82.5% | 7.6% |
| Rogers Park | 1.99 | 37.6 | 6.6% | 71.8% | 9.6% | 1945 | $1,389 | 52.4% | 88.7% | 6.9% |
| North Park | 2.80 | 40.2 | 15.4% | 52.3% | 11.2% | 1954 | $1,173 | 47.5% | 91.6% | 4.9% |
| Lincoln Square | 2.18 | 37.4 | 8.8% | 58.6% | 6.6% | 1955 | $1,582 | 62.1% | 92.6% | 6.6% |
| Bowmanville | 2.34 | 37.1 | 7.9% | 54.2% | 5.1% | 1952 | $1,556 | 65.1% | 94.3% | 6.4% |
| Edgewater | 1.76 | 39.8 | 3.1% | 64.0% | 8.9% | 1953 | $1,501 | 61.8% | 94.4% | 8.3% |
| Andersonville | 2.02 | 40.7 | 4.6% | 52.1% | 9.7% | 1939 | $1,706 | 69.0% | 94.1% | 5.0% |
| South Evanston | 2.04 | 43.6 | 8.9% | 45.9% | 7.5% | 1950 | $1,798 | 75.9% | 98.4% | 4.3% |
| Sauganash | 2.83 | 42.0 | 5.4% | 10.8% | 4.1% | 1955 | $1,587 | 70.6% | 95.7% | 1.8% |
| West Ravenswood | 1.90 | 36.3 | 6.4% | 66.3% | 8.6% | 1944 | $1,683 | 70.2% | 96.2% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: West Torrance, Torrance, CA · Far Rockaway, Queens, NY · Richmond Hill, Queens, NY · Hamilton Heights, Manhattan, NY · Highbridge, Bronx, NY · Hoover, Fresno, CA · Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL · Little Havana, Miami, FL · McLane, Fresno, CA · Meyerland, Houston, TX
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 Ridge. 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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