Population 27,512 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Wilmette: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Wilmette
Household size in Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.79 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.84 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.72 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
At 2.72 people per household, Wilmette sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has edged down from 2.79 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the north.
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 Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.5 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.2 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.8 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.1 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.4 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Wilmette skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.1, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has edged down from 45.5 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose.
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 Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.6% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Wilmette: 5.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Only 32 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people 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 Wilmette
Renters in Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 12.1% of households in Wilmette rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly four in ten owners (38.1%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the southeast; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share is down 1.3 points from 2006–10, 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 Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.4% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.9% of homes in Wilmette are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, 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 Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1949 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Wilmette is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1955, 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 1951 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Only 24 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have older 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 Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,602 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,690 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,764 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,349 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$747 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wilmette pays $2,349 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $747 a month since 2006–10, up 47%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.7% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 Wilmette
Bachelor's degrees in Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.8% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 81.2% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 83.1% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 83.3% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Wilmette: 83.3% 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 5.5 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only two 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 Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.4% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.7% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.3% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.8% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Wilmette: 98.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only nine of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people 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 Wilmette
| Period | Wilmette | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.3% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.4% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wilmette runs below the national rate: 4.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. 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).
Wilmette 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmette | 2.72 | 45.1 | 5.1% | 12.1% | 4.9% | 1955 | $2,349 | 83.3% | 98.8% | 4.2% |
| Kenilworth | 3.29 | 41.7 | 3.3% | 3.9% | 5.7% | 1938 | $3,446 | 91.1% | 99.6% | 3.9% |
| Winnetka | 3.01 | 43.5 | 6.2% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 1950 | $1,886 | 86.6% | 99.3% | 4.1% |
| Evanston | 2.23 | 40.1 | 8.5% | 41.9% | 8.1% | 1957 | $1,936 | 70.2% | 96.8% | 6.0% |
| Skokie | 2.76 | 44.4 | 8.6% | 26.7% | 5.3% | 1962 | $1,795 | 52.8% | 90.9% | 4.6% |
| Northfield | 2.47 | 45.5 | 3.6% | 12.1% | 6.4% | 1971 | $2,117 | 79.5% | 99.6% | 2.1% |
| Golf | 2.49 | 40.2 | 5.8% | 34.3% | 1.1% | 1996 | $2,468 | 67.4% | 97.8% | 2.3% |
| Morton Grove | 2.65 | 45.7 | 7.4% | 15.4% | 5.4% | 1967 | $2,052 | 54.8% | 90.8% | 4.7% |
| Glencoe | 3.02 | 42.9 | 3.0% | 8.0% | 14.3% | 1956 | $2,175 | 89.2% | 99.9% | 3.5% |
| Glenview | 2.64 | 45.9 | 7.5% | 21.4% | 5.3% | 1969 | $1,878 | 63.7% | 96.0% | 4.5% |
| Lincolnwood | 2.86 | 46.7 | 4.4% | 16.2% | 8.0% | 1963 | $3,363 | 56.9% | 93.7% | 7.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Zionsville, IN · Fremont, NE · Severna Park, MD · Smithtown, NY · South Bradenton, FL · Forest Grove, OR · Sugar Hill, GA · Sun City West, AZ · Deer Park, NY · Corbin, KY
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 Wilmette. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.