Population 54,947 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Whiteside County
Household size in Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.39 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Whiteside County is a place of small households, averaging 2.38 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.46, mirroring the country.
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 Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.7 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.6 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.2 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.6 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Whiteside County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.6, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 41.7 in 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.5% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Whiteside County (12.5%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in Illinois as a whole (11.3%). Whiteside County has a higher share of single-parent households than the great majority of Illinois counties.
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 Whiteside County
Renters in Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.2% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.6% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.1% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 23.1% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 23.1% of households in Whiteside County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 45.3% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.1 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.5% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Whiteside County than nationally: 11.5%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 1.7 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1960 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1961 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1961 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Whiteside County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1961, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1958 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east 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 Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $622 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $683 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $708 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $937 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$316 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Whiteside County runs $937 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $316 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.8% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; 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 Whiteside County
Bachelor's degrees in Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.4% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.3% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Whiteside County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.3%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 4.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the center.
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 Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.5% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.8% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.5% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.9% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Whiteside County is a bit above the national rate: 91.9% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 6.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Whiteside County
| Period | Whiteside County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.0% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Whiteside County than nationally: unemployment was 4.4%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Whiteside County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whiteside County | 2.38 | 43.6 | 12.5% | 23.1% | 11.5% | 1961 | $937 | 20.3% | 91.9% | 4.4% |
| Lee County | 2.38 | 43.7 | 10.7% | 26.4% | 11.5% | 1963 | $912 | 19.7% | 91.8% | 5.2% |
| Clinton County | 2.39 | 43.0 | 11.7% | 25.5% | 9.4% | 1959 | $930 | 23.2% | 93.6% | 3.5% |
| Cedar County | 2.42 | 44.8 | 10.1% | 18.5% | 9.2% | 1967 | $916 | 23.7% | 95.8% | 2.2% |
| Kendall County | 3.09 | 36.4 | 12.2% | 16.0% | 3.9% | 1997 | $1,934 | 36.6% | 94.1% | 4.3% |
| Johnson County | 2.40 | 34.6 | 6.9% | 40.6% | 7.5% | 1989 | $1,205 | 55.7% | 96.1% | 3.8% |
| DuPage County | 2.69 | 41.3 | 8.0% | 26.9% | 5.6% | 1978 | $1,826 | 52.0% | 92.9% | 4.9% |
| Cook County | 2.58 | 39.4 | 12.3% | 42.3% | 8.4% | 1961 | $1,567 | 41.7% | 88.1% | 7.4% |
| Iowa County | 2.35 | 43.5 | 9.6% | 23.4% | 5.9% | 1967 | $775 | 25.3% | 95.4% | 1.7% |
| Poweshiek County | 2.19 | 41.2 | 7.2% | 28.8% | 11.7% | 1965 | $881 | 28.4% | 94.7% | 3.5% |
| LaPorte County | 2.45 | 41.9 | 14.5% | 25.3% | 12.2% | 1969 | $1,070 | 22.3% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Beltrami County, MN · Santa Cruz County, AZ · Shelby County, KY · Shelby County, OH · Blount County, AL · Belknap County, NH · Bedford County, TN · Bedford County, PA · Barry County, MI · Barron County, WI
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 Whiteside County. 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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