Population 1,281 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wheeler
Household size in Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.92 | 2.79 | 2.57 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.81 | 2.82 | 2.59 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.88 | 2.75 | 2.57 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.76 | 2.66 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.12 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
Households in Wheeler average 2.76 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Household size has dropped from 2.92 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.8 | 37.8 | 38.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.1 | 38.9 | 39.1 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.8 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.8 | +3.0 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Wheeler skews older than the country: its median age is 43.8, against 40.1 nationally.
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 Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 12.0% | 11.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.9% | 11.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.1 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.6% of households in Wheeler, well below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Wheeler
Renters in Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.3% | 32.1% | 28.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 34.8% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 35.5% | 30.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 11.6% | 34.5% | 29.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Wheeler is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 11.6% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. More than four in ten owners (44.1%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.5% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 9.8% | 11.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 8.9% | 10.9% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 2.3% | 7.2% | 9.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.2 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Wheeler: just 2.3% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market.
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 Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1966 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1967 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1979 | 1967 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1970 | 1977 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Wheeler is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1989, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole.
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 Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $946 | $1,060 | $763 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,247 | $1,142 | $819 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,007 | $1,306 | $903 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,369 | $1,602 | $1,146 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$423 | +$542 | +$384 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Wheeler costs $1,369 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 26.4% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Wheeler
Bachelor's degrees in Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.6% | 35.2% | 24.6% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.7% | 37.9% | 27.1% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.1% | 40.9% | 30.0% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Wheeler: 15.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.6% | 85.6% | 86.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.7% | 86.7% | 87.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.4% | 88.4% | 88.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.6% | 89.5% | 89.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | +3.9 pts | +3.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Wheeler is above the national rate: 93.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%.
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 Wheeler
| Period | Wheeler | Chicago area | Indiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 9.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 10.8% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 6.3% | 4.9% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 6.3% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.5 pts | −2.8 pts | −4.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Wheeler than nationally: unemployment was 3.5%, against 5.4%. 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).
Wheeler 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler | 2.76 | 43.8 | 6.6% | 11.6% | 2.3% | 1989 | $1,369 | 15.1% | 93.6% | 3.5% |
| Deep River | 2.82 | 47.1 | 8.1% | 3.5% | 4.1% | 1993 | $1,369 | 23.7% | 91.5% | 3.3% |
| Portage | 2.67 | 40.3 | 15.1% | 27.4% | 7.9% | 1983 | $1,317 | 18.5% | 89.8% | 6.6% |
| Hobart | 2.47 | 41.4 | 9.7% | 29.5% | 8.1% | 1971 | $1,171 | 21.1% | 93.9% | 3.9% |
| Valparaiso | 2.53 | 40.9 | 8.4% | 25.4% | 6.6% | 1985 | $1,319 | 36.7% | 94.9% | 3.3% |
| New Chicago | 2.61 | 29.1 | 19.1% | 42.9% | 11.1% | 1974 | $1,135 | 9.0% | 77.9% | 8.2% |
| Lake Station | 2.78 | 36.1 | 19.1% | 25.3% | 7.1% | 1963 | $1,173 | 8.3% | 77.1% | 13.3% |
| Burns Harbor | 2.47 | 40.8 | 12.9% | 30.9% | 7.8% | 1994 | $1,361 | 24.5% | 95.8% | 7.7% |
| Winfield | 3.18 | 38.0 | 6.0% | 6.1% | 9.4% | 2006 | $1,719 | 41.7% | 91.5% | 4.3% |
| Ogden Dunes | 2.27 | 51.9 | 3.0% | 0.6% | 14.3% | 1960 | $1,241 | 73.4% | 97.6% | 2.6% |
| Chesterton | 2.51 | 41.4 | 11.1% | 20.5% | 7.7% | 1983 | $1,352 | 36.6% | 96.0% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Huguenot, NY · Tampico, IL · Rudolph, OH · McGrady, NC · Mayking, KY · Lilbourn, MO · Leesburg, TX · Lake Arthur, NM · Lagro, IN · Kenesaw, NE
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 Wheeler. 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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