Population 12,932 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Winnetka
Household size in Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.09 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.03 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.01 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.01 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Winnetka are large by national standards, averaging 3.01 people against 2.65 for the U.S. That usually means more families with children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 3.09, as it has nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 32 have larger households.
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 Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.7 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.0 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.7 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.5 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.8 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Winnetka is 43.5 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.7, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.9% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.2% | 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 Winnetka: 6.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Winnetka has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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 Winnetka
Renters in Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 8.0% of households in Winnetka rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 32.4% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 1.1 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 24 have a lower share of renters.
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 Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.3% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.7% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.0% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Winnetka than nationally: 8.0%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The Chicago area as a whole looks much the same.
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 Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1943 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1946 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1943 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1950 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Winnetka is a place of older homes: half were built before 1950, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the southeast has the oldest housing. Only eight 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 Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,359 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,465 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,837 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,886 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$528 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Winnetka pays $1,886 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $528 a month from 2006–10, a 39% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 40.0% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 Winnetka
Bachelor's degrees in Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.0% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 86.9% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 91.5% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 86.6% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −0.4 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Winnetka is highly educated: nearly nine in ten adults 25 and older (86.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the southwest. Only one other Illinois city with 5,000+ people has 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 Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.9% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.7% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 99.5% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.3% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Winnetka: 99.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Only four 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 Winnetka
| Period | Winnetka | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.7% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.4% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Winnetka than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged up 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. 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).
Winnetka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnetka | 3.01 | 43.5 | 6.2% | 8.0% | 8.0% | 1950 | $1,886 | 86.6% | 99.3% | 4.1% |
| Kenilworth | 3.29 | 41.7 | 3.3% | 3.9% | 5.7% | 1938 | $3,446 | 91.1% | 99.6% | 3.9% |
| Northfield | 2.47 | 45.5 | 3.6% | 12.1% | 6.4% | 1971 | $2,117 | 79.5% | 99.6% | 2.1% |
| Wilmette | 2.72 | 45.1 | 5.1% | 12.1% | 4.9% | 1955 | $2,349 | 83.3% | 98.8% | 4.2% |
| Glencoe | 3.02 | 42.9 | 3.0% | 8.0% | 14.3% | 1956 | $2,175 | 89.2% | 99.9% | 3.5% |
| Golf | 2.49 | 40.2 | 5.8% | 34.3% | 1.1% | 1996 | $2,468 | 67.4% | 97.8% | 2.3% |
| Glenview | 2.64 | 45.9 | 7.5% | 21.4% | 5.3% | 1969 | $1,878 | 63.7% | 96.0% | 4.5% |
| Skokie | 2.76 | 44.4 | 8.6% | 26.7% | 5.3% | 1962 | $1,795 | 52.8% | 90.9% | 4.6% |
| Evanston | 2.23 | 40.1 | 8.5% | 41.9% | 8.1% | 1957 | $1,936 | 70.2% | 96.8% | 6.0% |
| Morton Grove | 2.65 | 45.7 | 7.4% | 15.4% | 5.4% | 1967 | $2,052 | 54.8% | 90.8% | 4.7% |
| Glenview Nas | 2.57 | 46.4 | 6.5% | 31.1% | 6.7% | 1989 | $2,263 | 69.2% | 97.9% | 2.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Larkspur, CA · Mary Esther, FL · Marshfield, MO · Los Alamitos, CA · Loomis, CA · Longs, SC · Lockhart, FL · Little Falls, MN · Lincolnwood, IL · Liberty Lake, WA
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 Winnetka. 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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