Cook County, IL

County

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2021 Population

5.27M

1.85% 1-year growth

US Senator

Dick Durbin

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tammy Duckworth

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

37.3

0.811% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

13.5%

1.43% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$72,121

6.24% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$266,800

4.42% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

2.6M

1.67% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Cook County, IL had a population of 5.27M people with a median age of 37.3 and a median household income of $72,121. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Cook County, IL grew from 5.17M to 5.27M, a 1.85% increase and its median household income grew from $67,886 to $72,121, a 6.24% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Cook County, IL are White (Non-Hispanic) (41.6%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (22.6%), White (Hispanic) (10.4%), Other (Hispanic) (9.61%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (7.46%).

None of the households in Cook County, IL reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

90.1% of the residents in Cook County, IL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Cook County, IL are Northwestern University (9,290 degrees awarded in 2021), University of Illinois Chicago (8,910 degrees), and University of Chicago (6,805 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Cook County, IL was $266,800, and the homeownership rate was 57.5%.

Most people in Cook County, IL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 32.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Cook County, IL was 2 cars per household.

Cook County, IL borders DuPage County, IL, Kane County, IL, Lake County, IL, McHenry County, IL, Will County, IL, Lake County, IN, Porter County, IN, and Berrien County, MI.

About the photo: Seen from an open window on the 92nd floor of the John Hancock Center in Chicago.

Photo by Roman Boed

United States Illinois Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI

Population & Diversity

Cook County, IL is home to a population of 5.27M people, from which 90.1% are citizens. As of 2021, 20.9% of Cook County, IL residents were born outside of the country (1.1M people).

In 2021, there were 1.84 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.19M people) in Cook County, IL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.19M Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 548k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

90.1%

2021 Citizenship

90%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 90.1% of Cook County, IL residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Cook County, IL was 90%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Cook County, IL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Cook County, IL

White (Non-Hispanic)
2.19M ± 1.83k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.19M ± 2.78k
White (Hispanic)
548k ± 8.24k

25.6%

Hispanic Population

1.35M people

25.6% of the people in Cook County, IL are hispanic (1.35M people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Cook County, IL as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Illinois.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
630,004 ± 19,002 people
India
162,094 ± 9,822 people
Poland
126,931 ± 8,704 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Illinois was Mexico, the natal country of 630,004 Illinois residents, followed by India with 162,094 and Poland with 126,931.

Foreign-Born Population

20.9%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

1.1M people

20.9%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

1.08M people

As of 2021, 20.9% of Cook County, IL residents (1.1M people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Cook County, IL was 20.9%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Cook County, IL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
51,240 ± 1,248
Gulf War (2001-)
25,968 ± 1,521
Gulf War (1990s)
18,062 ± 1,145

Cook County, IL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.97 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Cook County, IL employs 2.6M people. The largest industries in Cook County, IL are Health Care & Social Assistance (365,461 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (278,012 people), and Manufacturing (244,952 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($86,405), Finance & Insurance ($82,016), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($80,988).

Males in Illinois have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $61,278. The income inequality in Illinois (measured using the Gini index) is 0.478, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

2.6M

2021 Value

± 13,559

1.67%

1 Year growth

± 0.723%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Cook County, IL grew at a rate of 1.67%, from 2.56M employees to 2.6M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Cook County, IL, are Management Occupations (292,164 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (281,017 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (246,813 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Cook County, IL.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Illinois (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

2.6M

2021 Value

± 13,559

1.67%

1 Year growth

± 0.723%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Cook County, IL grew at a rate of 1.67%, from 2.56M employees to 2.6M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Cook County, IL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (365,461 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (278,012 people), and Manufacturing (244,952 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Cook County, IL, though some of these residents may live in Cook County, IL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$52,782

Median earning men ± $313

$40,809

Median earning women ± $317

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($90,138), Public Administration ($86,745), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($74,124).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($63,304), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,336), and Information ($55,788).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Illinois. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Illinois.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

60,941
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
33,560
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
33,064
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$67.4M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$66.4M
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$45.3M
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Illinois to other states, or from other states to Illinois.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Illinois product (by dollars) was Electronics with $134B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($110B) and Mixed freight ($86.9B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Illinois products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Illinois.

$1T

2020 Value in Illinois

$1.94T

Projected 2050 Value in Illinois

93.1% growth

In 2020, total outbound Illinois trade was $1T. This is expected to increase 93.1% to $1.94T by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Illinois trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Illinois to other states, or from other states to Illinois.

Most Common Trade Partners

Indiana
$79.7B
Wisconsin
$55.8B
Michigan
$41.4B

In 2020, the top outbound Illinois domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Indiana with $79.7B, followed by Wisconsin with $55.8B and Michigan and $41.4B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Illinois shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Cook County, IL went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 74.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (24%), followed by Other (0.844%).

Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are the senators currently representing the state of Illinois. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Illinois is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (74.3%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (24%)
Republican Party
Other (0.844%)
Green and Other Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Cook County, IL went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 74.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (24%), followed by Other (0.844%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Cook County, IL for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Illinois

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Illinois.

Dick Durbin

Senator from Illinois

Assumed office on January 3, 1997

Tammy Duckworth

Senator from Illinois

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are the senators currently representing Illinois.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Illinois over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Illinois

Illinois is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Illinois have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Cook County, IL awarded 81,319 degrees. The student population of Cook County, IL in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 111,766 male students and 161,008 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Cook County, IL are White (32,020 and 43.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17,787 and 24.3%), Black or African American (9,677 and 13.2%), and Asian (8,075 and 11%).

The largest universities in Cook County, IL by number of degrees awarded are Northwestern University (9,290 and 11.4%), University of Illinois Chicago (8,910 and 11%), and University of Chicago (6,805 and 8.37%).

The most popular majors in Cook County, IL are Liberal Arts & Sciences (8,451 and 10.4%), Management Science (3,472 and 4.27%), and General Business Administration & Management (2,794 and 3.44%).

The median tuition costs in Cook County, IL are $30,661 for private four year colleges, and $10,091 and $20,182 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Cook County, IL, the percentage of applicants admitted was 50.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 272,774 (41% men and 59% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 272,774 students enrolled in Cook County, IL, 41% men and 59% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 95,324 records, of which 57.7% were women and 42.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
1,628 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
1,293 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
1,112 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Cook County, IL was General Psychology with 1,628 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Cook County, IL according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Northwestern University
9,290 degrees awarded
University of Illinois Chicago
8,910 degrees awarded
University of Chicago
6,805 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Northwestern University with 9,290 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 33,323 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Cook County, IL, which is 0.694 times less than the 47,996 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 32,020 degrees mean that there were 1.8 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 17,787 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($30,661) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,350) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,920) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Illinois.

Measure

In 2021, 0.977% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.946% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Illinois.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (2.61M), Some college (2.19M), and Bachelors Degree (2.07M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Cook County, IL was $266,800 in 2021, which is 1.09 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $255,500 to $266,800, a 4.42% increase. The homeownership rate in Cook County, IL is 57.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Cook County, IL have an average commute time of 32.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Cook County, IL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Cook County, IL is $72,121. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Cook County, IL was Census Tract 706 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 8004 and Census Tract 8005, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

In 2022, 21% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Cook County, IL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.79%.

Housing

Property

$266,800

Median Property Value 2021

±$1,257

$1.18M

Median Property Taxes

±$7,793

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Cook County, IL the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Cook County, IL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

57.5%

Homeownership

2021

62.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 57.5% of the housing units in Cook County, IL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 57.2%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Cook County, IL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 706
Census Tract 8004
Census Tract 8005

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Cook County, IL was Census Tract 706 with a value of $250,001, followed by Census Tract 8004 and Census Tract 8005, with respective values of $250,001 and $250,001.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Cook County, IL colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$72,121

Median Household Income

± $523

2.04M

Number of Households

± 12,318

In 2021, the median household income of the 2.04M households in Cook County, IL grew to $72,121 from the previous year's value of $67,886.

The following chart displays the households in Cook County, IL distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Cook County, IL is from Illinois.

0.478

2021 Wage GINI in Illinois

0.479

2020 Wage GINI in Illinois

In 2021, the income inequality in Illinois was 0.478 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0522% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Illinois was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in Illinois in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Illinois across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (58.5%)
Public Transit (15.8%)
Worked At Home (11.3%)

In 2021, 58.5% of workers in Cook County, IL drove alone to work, followed by those who used public transit to get to work (15.8%) and those who worked at home (11.3%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

32.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Cook County, IL have a longer commute time (32.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.95% of the workforce in Cook County, IL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Cook County, IL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Cook County, IL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Cook County, IL have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 21% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Cook County, IL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.79%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Cook County, IL (698k out of 5.18M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Cook County, IL is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 16.6% of the children was living in poverty in Cook County, IL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 9.4%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 620 in Cook County, IL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 77.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

91% of the population of Cook County, IL has health coverage, with 51.1% on employee plans, 19.2% on Medicaid, 11.1% on Medicare, 9.07% on non-group plans, and 0.595% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Cook County, IL see 1046 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.853% decrease from the previous year (1055 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1046 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 314 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,046 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Cook County, IL

Primary care physicians in Cook County, IL see an average of 1,046 patients per year. This represents a 0.853% decrease from the previous year (1,055 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Cook County, IL in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.3% under 18 years, 23.5% between 18 and 34 years, 38.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.8% were men and 52.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

8.97%

Uninsured

51.1%

Employer Coverage

19.2%

Medicaid

11.1%

Medicare

9.07%

Non-Group

0.595%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Cook County, IL grew by 2.53% from 8.75% to 8.97%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Cook County, IL changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 52.9 in Cook County, IL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Cook County, IL.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 29.2% in Cook County, IL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Cook County, IL.

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