Population 24,566 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Zion
Household size in Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.94 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.01 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.96 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.80 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Zion average 2.80 people, a bit above the national 2.65, so families with children are somewhat more common here. Household size has dropped from 2.94 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the southeast.
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 Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.1 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.3 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.1 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.6 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Zion is young: half of its residents are under 34.6, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young families with children. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 32.1, in line with the national trend. Only 18 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people 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 Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 21.1% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.8% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Zion: 18.8% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 25 have a higher 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 Zion
Renters in Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.4% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.2% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.9% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.0% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in Zion rent their homes (39.0%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. More than a third of owners (35.8%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.5% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.2% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Zion: 7.2% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Chicago area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 6.9 points, a much bigger shift than 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 Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1970 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1968 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | −4 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Zion is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1968, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The picture is much the same across the Chicago area. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the southeast.
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 Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $836 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $995 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,082 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,243 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$407 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Zion runs $1,243 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $407 a month from 2006–10, a 49% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the southwest.
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 Zion
Bachelor's degrees in Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.3% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.4% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.8% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Zion: 15.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the center. Only 26 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have a lower 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 Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.3% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.6% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 83.1% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 84.0% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in six adults in Zion never finished high school, well above the national share: only 84.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 1.8 points, as it has nationally. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 33 have a lower 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 Zion
| Period | Zion | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 16.6% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.9% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.9 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Zion than nationally: unemployment was 6.9%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 4.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Zion 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zion | 2.80 | 34.6 | 18.8% | 39.0% | 7.2% | 1968 | $1,243 | 15.8% | 84.0% | 6.9% |
| Winthrop Harbor | 2.28 | 51.1 | 5.0% | 16.7% | 4.9% | 1979 | $1,429 | 20.3% | 95.8% | 9.1% |
| Beach Park | 2.65 | 42.0 | 11.9% | 19.0% | 3.7% | 1985 | $1,345 | 20.9% | 81.5% | 8.0% |
| Wadsworth | 2.81 | 43.4 | 6.1% | 8.1% | 4.2% | 1991 | $1,468 | 46.9% | 91.5% | 6.1% |
| Russell | 3.00 | 36.4 | 8.6% | 23.8% | 13.0% | 1981 | $1,578 | 56.4% | 99.6% | 7.8% |
| Rosecrans | 2.51 | 51.1 | 6.1% | 15.6% | 7.0% | 1990 | $1,454 | 50.9% | 99.8% | 3.4% |
| Waukegan | 2.90 | 36.4 | 16.5% | 50.6% | 6.0% | 1963 | $1,278 | 19.1% | 73.3% | 6.9% |
| Pleasant Prairie | 2.44 | 42.8 | 8.9% | 28.1% | 4.8% | 1995 | $1,291 | 40.1% | 94.8% | 3.3% |
| Park City | 3.27 | 31.8 | 22.4% | 34.9% | 3.2% | 1990 | $1,381 | 21.6% | 69.9% | 6.9% |
| Gurnee | 2.63 | 41.4 | 7.3% | 22.1% | 3.1% | 1989 | $1,727 | 55.5% | 95.2% | 5.3% |
| Old Mill Creek | 3.07 | 39.7 | 9.4% | 6.8% | 5.1% | 1992 | $1,768 | 68.8% | 99.0% | 4.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Picayune, MS · Marietta, OH · Maumelle, AR · Maywood, CA · Mill Creek East, WA · Morrow, GA · Munster, IN · Norton Shores, MI · Oakland, CT · Onalaska, 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 Zion. 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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