Population 45,181 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in West Town
Household size in West Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.24 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.27 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.19 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.97 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.28 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in West Town are small: just 1.97 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.24, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.8 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.9 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.3 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.8 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
West Town is young: half of its residents are under 33.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 31.8, in line with the national trend.
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 Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.5% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −7.3 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 4.5% of households in West Town, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 7.3 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only 13 have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Town
Renters in West Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.6% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 64.2% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 62.1% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 61.9% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in West Town rent: 61.9% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. More than one in five owners (21.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the north; owners are most common in the center.
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 Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.6% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.0% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −7.6 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in West Town: 6.0% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. Vacancy is down 7.6 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. West Town has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Chicago neighborhoods.
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 Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +21 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in West Town leans older: the median home dates to 1973, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1952 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing. Among Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, though, only 12 have newer homes.
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 Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,023 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,237 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,589 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,098 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,075 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in West Town pays $2,098 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,075 a month from 2006–10, a 105% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 25.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the west.
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 Town
Bachelor's degrees in West Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.8% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 57.4% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 67.0% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 71.6% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +20.8 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in West Town: 71.6% 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 20.8 points, 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 West Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.9% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.1% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.2% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.5% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.5 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in West Town: 94.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 10.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. West Town has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Chicago neighborhoods.
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 Town
| Period | West Town | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in West Town runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 3.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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 Town 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 Town | 1.97 | 33.8 | 4.5% | 61.9% | 6.0% | 1973 | $2,098 | 71.6% | 94.5% | 4.6% |
| Wicker Park | 2.03 | 32.7 | 3.2% | 52.5% | 6.7% | 1974 | $2,366 | 85.5% | 97.5% | 3.0% |
| Ukrainian Village | 2.15 | 34.0 | 6.0% | 56.0% | 8.1% | 1948 | $1,940 | 73.6% | 94.4% | 3.7% |
| Near West Side | 1.86 | 33.6 | 7.8% | 69.1% | 6.5% | 1994 | $1,949 | 63.1% | 93.8% | 8.3% |
| Greektown | 1.60 | 32.6 | 1.4% | 58.5% | 7.0% | 1998 | $2,518 | 86.7% | 98.4% | 4.1% |
| Belgravia Terrace | 2.04 | 34.4 | 2.7% | 55.3% | 8.8% | 1971 | $2,443 | 89.2% | 98.6% | 3.3% |
| Lincoln Park | 1.99 | 32.7 | 2.6% | 55.2% | 9.5% | 1971 | $2,253 | 86.8% | 97.7% | 4.5% |
| Logan Square | 2.20 | 33.3 | 6.8% | 61.2% | 8.9% | 1949 | $1,875 | 63.8% | 92.9% | 4.7% |
| Claremont Cottages | 2.22 | 33.6 | 7.6% | 59.4% | 11.8% | 1986 | $1,803 | 59.1% | 93.1% | 9.2% |
| Near North Side | 1.59 | 34.6 | 4.3% | 66.2% | 10.9% | 1994 | $2,464 | 85.3% | 97.8% | 3.4% |
| Gold Coast | 1.41 | 43.0 | 1.8% | 54.3% | 10.7% | 1969 | $2,147 | 88.0% | 98.9% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Gateway-Green Valley Ranch, Denver, CO · Unionport, Bronx, NY · Throgs Neck-Edgewater Park, Bronx, NY · TCU-West Cliff, Fort Worth, TX · Sugar House, Salt Lake City, UT · Harbor Gateway, Torrance, CA · Greenwich Village, Manhattan, NY · Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY · Green Valley North, Henderson, NV · Greater Greenspoint, 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 Town. 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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