Population 11,180 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wood River
Household size in Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.46 | 2.52 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.23 | 2.53 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.49 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.25 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.21 | −0.06 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Wood River is a place of small households, averaging 2.25 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.46 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.9 | 38.5 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.7 | 39.5 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 40.7 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.8 | 40.8 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +2.3 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Wood River skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.9, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the center.
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 Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 11.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.4% | 11.0% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.0% | 11.1% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Wood River as they are nationally: 11.0%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 3.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Wood River
Renters in Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.8% | 28.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.7% | 30.1% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.1% | 31.1% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 29.4% | 29.6% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +1.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About three in ten households in Wood River rent their homes (29.4%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 32.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the northwest; owners are most common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.6 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 9.6% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 10.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 10.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 8.8% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Wood River as nationally: 8.9%, against 9.6%. Vacancy has edged down 0.6 points since 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 Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1955 | 1972 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1952 | 1972 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1955 | 1973 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1955 | 1975 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +0 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Wood River 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 newest homes are mostly in the east, the oldest in the center. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 26 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 Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $720 | $825 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $724 | $920 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $814 | $1,010 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $999 | $1,239 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$279 | +$414 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wood River pays $999 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $279 a month from 2006–10, a 39% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 33.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Wood River
Bachelor's degrees in Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.7% | 30.3% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.8% | 32.1% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.8% | 34.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.5% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +8.3 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Wood River have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Wood River has a lower share of college graduates than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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 Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.5% | 88.8% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.8% | 90.5% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.8% | 92.1% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 93.6% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.8 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Wood River: 94.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the St. Louis area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.8 points, as it has nationally.
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 Wood River
| Period | Wood River | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 8.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 4.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 4.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.8 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wood River has been low: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.8 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
Wood River 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood River | 2.25 | 41.8 | 11.0% | 29.4% | 8.9% | 1955 | $999 | 18.5% | 94.3% | 2.6% |
| East Alton | 2.24 | 40.4 | 16.8% | 31.9% | 9.7% | 1959 | $865 | 17.3% | 89.0% | 3.4% |
| Roxana | 2.31 | 39.6 | 12.9% | 25.6% | 7.0% | 1956 | $1,008 | 22.7% | 93.7% | 4.7% |
| Rosewood Heights | 2.16 | 55.5 | 11.0% | 29.6% | 4.3% | 1970 | $816 | 23.8% | 88.4% | 2.8% |
| Hartford | 2.08 | 45.2 | 10.7% | 15.9% | 11.0% | 1951 | $1,006 | 5.1% | 92.4% | 6.7% |
| South Roxana | 2.59 | 36.5 | 20.2% | 29.3% | 6.3% | 1970 | $895 | 10.4% | 88.0% | 5.7% |
| Cottage Hills | 2.57 | 37.1 | 19.2% | 30.7% | 10.6% | 1978 | $964 | 15.0% | 85.0% | 8.5% |
| Bethalto | 2.36 | 39.5 | 9.4% | 17.1% | 8.2% | 1976 | $990 | 28.6% | 93.7% | 4.0% |
| Alton | 2.35 | 39.7 | 15.2% | 35.6% | 14.0% | 1954 | $1,007 | 23.5% | 92.3% | 5.5% |
| Moro | 2.34 | 44.2 | 7.5% | 21.1% | 5.9% | 1985 | $1,511 | 28.3% | 92.3% | 2.9% |
| Poag | 2.26 | 37.7 | 11.1% | 34.2% | 13.2% | 1992 | $948 | 41.5% | 96.4% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Louisville, TN · Lincolnshire, IL · Lindon, UT · Linganore, MD · Litchfield, NH · Aberdeen, NC · Little Chute, WI · Long Valley, NJ · Loudon, TN · Lincoln Park, NJ
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 Wood River. 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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