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Chicago Demographics and Statistics

With a population of almost three million, the city of Chicago is one of the most populous in the United States and it trails only after Los Angeles and New York City in population. This is not surprising as Chicago is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and also has one of the highest population densities in the country.

Even after the Great Chicago Fire in the 19th century, the population soared and to an extent, the growth is still maintained in the 21st century. In terms of the composition of the various races residing in the city, Whites form a chunk as they are over 40% of the population while the others are African Americans, Asians, Multiracial Americans, Hispanics and other nationalities.

Chicago (city), Illinois

  People QuickFacts Chicago Illinois
  Population, 2006 estimate 2,833,321 12,831,970
  Population, percent change, April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006 -2.2% 3.3%
  Population, 2000 2,896,016 12,419,293
  Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2000 7.5% 7.1%
  Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2000 26.2% 26.1%
  Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2000 10.3% 12.1%
  Female persons, percent, 2000 51.5% 51.0%
  White persons, percent, 2000 (a) 42.0% 73.5%
  Black persons, percent, 2000 (a) 36.8% 15.1%
  American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2000 (a) 0.4% 0.3%
  Asian persons, percent, 2000 (a) 4.3% 3.4%
  Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2000 (a) 0.1% Z
  Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2000 2.9% 1.9%
  Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2000 (b) 26.0% 12.3%
  Living in same house in 1995 and 2000, pct 5 yrs old & over 54.4% 56.8%
  Foreign born persons, percent, 2000 21.7% 12.3%
  Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2000 35.5% 19.2%
  High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2000 71.8% 81.4%
  Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2000 25.5% 26.1%
  Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2000 35.2 28.0
 
  Housing units, 2000 1,152,868 4,885,615
  Homeownership rate, 2000 43.8% 67.3%
  Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000 $132,400 $130,800
 
  Households, 2000 1,061,928 4,591,779
  Persons per household, 2000 2.67 2.63
  Median household income, 1999 $38,625 $46,590
  Per capita money income, 1999 $20,175 $23,104
  Persons below poverty, percent, 1999 19.6% 10.7%
  Business QuickFacts Chicago Illinois
  Wholesale trade sales, 2002 ($1000) 29,983,954 317,467,059
  Retail sales, 2002 ($1000) 17,303,363 131,469,518
  Retail sales per capita, 2002 $5,993 $10,445
  Accommodation and foodservices sales, 2002 ($1000) 5,527,041 19,072,168
  Total number of firms, 2002 204,989 958,120
  Black-owned firms, percent, 2002 19.2% 7.2%
  American Indian and Alaska Native owned firms, percent, 2002 0.5% 0.4%
  Asian-owned firms, percent, 2002 6.7% 4.6%
  Hispanic-owned firms, percent, 2002 8.7% 4.1%
  Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander owned firms, percent, 2002 S 0.1%
  Women-owned firms, percent, 2002 33.5% 29.7%
 
Geography QuickFacts Chicago Illinois
Land area, 2000 (square miles) 227 55,583
Persons per square mile, 2000 12,750.5 223.4
FIPS Code 14000 17
Counties Cook County
DuPage County