Population 20,351 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wicker Park
Household size in Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.13 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.18 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.03 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Wicker Park are small: just 2.03 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. Household size has dropped from 2.13 in 2006–10, 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 Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.9 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 31.1 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.1 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.7 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 32.7, Wicker Park is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 30.9 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only eight are younger.
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 Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Wicker Park: 3.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only seven of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods 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 Wicker Park
Renters in Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.2% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 55.1% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 54.2% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 52.5% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Wicker Park: 52.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 16.5% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the northeast.
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 Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.7% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Wicker Park than nationally: 6.7%, against 9.6% for the U.S. That is in line with the rest of the Chicago area. Vacancy is down 3.1 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1943 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1955 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +31 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in Wicker Park leans a little older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally. Locally, though, homes here are newer than in the Chicago area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1970. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the southwest has the oldest housing. Few Chicago neighborhoods have newer homes: only 11 of 135.
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 Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,271 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,542 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,955 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,366 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,095 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wicker Park pays $2,366 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $1,095 a month since 2006–10, up 86%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 22.5% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the northeast.
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 Wicker Park
Bachelor's degrees in Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 72.0% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 77.3% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 80.4% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 85.5% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.6 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Wicker Park: 85.5% 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. The share with a degree is up 13.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only four of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.2% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 96.4% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.5% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Wicker Park: 97.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.3 points, as it has nationally. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only ten have a higher 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 Wicker Park
| Period | Wicker Park | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.8% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.8% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.0% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Wicker Park has been strong: just 3.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods, only two have lower unemployment. 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).
Wicker Park 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wicker Park | 2.03 | 32.7 | 3.2% | 52.5% | 6.7% | 1974 | $2,366 | 85.5% | 97.5% | 3.0% |
| West Town | 1.97 | 33.8 | 4.5% | 61.9% | 6.0% | 1973 | $2,098 | 71.6% | 94.5% | 4.6% |
| Ukrainian Village | 2.15 | 34.0 | 6.0% | 56.0% | 8.1% | 1948 | $1,940 | 73.6% | 94.4% | 3.7% |
| Logan Square | 2.20 | 33.3 | 6.8% | 61.2% | 8.9% | 1949 | $1,875 | 63.8% | 92.9% | 4.7% |
| Lincoln Park | 1.99 | 32.7 | 2.6% | 55.2% | 9.5% | 1971 | $2,253 | 86.8% | 97.7% | 4.5% |
| Belgravia Terrace | 2.04 | 34.4 | 2.7% | 55.3% | 8.8% | 1971 | $2,443 | 89.2% | 98.6% | 3.3% |
| Beat 2535 | 2.69 | 37.3 | 9.6% | 52.8% | 7.9% | 1938 | $1,443 | 35.4% | 80.9% | 12.4% |
| Hamlin Park | 2.51 | 33.8 | 4.6% | 37.1% | 7.6% | 1956 | $1,994 | 81.2% | 94.7% | 5.6% |
| Near West Side | 1.86 | 33.6 | 7.8% | 69.1% | 6.5% | 1994 | $1,949 | 63.1% | 93.8% | 8.3% |
| Humboldt Park | 3.15 | 33.5 | 27.4% | 59.8% | 9.7% | 1942 | $1,383 | 23.5% | 77.2% | 10.8% |
| Greektown | 1.60 | 32.6 | 1.4% | 58.5% | 7.0% | 1998 | $2,518 | 86.7% | 98.4% | 4.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: 19th Ward, Rochester, NY · Baker-Zachary Area, Baker, LA · Bario Logan, San Diego, CA · Bronxdale, Bronx, NY · Central, Boston, MA · Northwest Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO · Save The Valley 21, El Paso, TX · Santa Clara, Eugene, OR · Rockdale, Atlanta, GA · Rockaway Park, Queens, NY
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 Wicker Park. 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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