Cook County, Illinois Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Cook County, Illinois, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Cook County, Illinois. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Cook County, Illinois. The estimated population of Cook County, Illinois is 5,265,398 people, with a median age of 37.3.

We can look at the total population in Cook County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
5,265,398
+1.85%
+0.51%
2020
5,169,517
 -0.55% -
2019
5,198,275
 -0.49% -
2018
5,223,719
 -0.28% -
2017
5,238,541
 - -

Population of Cook County, Illinois by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
41.6%
42.7%
 -2.58%
Black/African American
22.6%
23.4%
 -3.42%
Native
0.1%
0.1%
 0.00%
Hispanic
25.6%
25.1%
 +1.99%
Asian
7.5%
6.9%
 +8.70%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.2%
1.6%
 +37.50%
Other
0.3%
0.2%
 +50.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Cook County, Illinois by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 37.3 +0.81% 36.3 +1.4% 38.3 +0.26%
2020 37 +0.54% 35.8 +0.56% 38.2 +0.53%
2019 36.8 +0.55% 35.6 +0.56% 38 +0.8%
2018 36.6 +0.55% 35.4 +0.57% 37.7 +0.27%
2017 36.4 - 35.2 - 37.6 -

The median age of Cook County, Illinois gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 331,977 -4.53% 322,597 -5.4% 317,066 305,453
10 to 19 329,010 +1.12% 317,877 +1.23% 332,487 321,629
20 to 29 395,006 -5.08% 400,162 -4.06% 375,304 384,140
30 to 39 388,027 +3.02% 394,230 +1.1% 399,749 398,483
40 to 49 334,576 +0.52% 341,986 -0.64% 336,123 339,718
50 to 59 326,689 +0.36% 351,358 -4.53% 327,639 335,663
60 to 69 243,845 +9.76% 281,731 +8.36% 268,362 306,011
70+ 191,574 +11.11% 287,896 +5.43% 213,748 303,823

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Cook County, Illinois is $72,121.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Cook County.

  • Under 25
    $39,282.00
  • 25 to 44
    $81,309.00
  • 45 to 64
    $83,610.00
  • 65 and over
    $48,403.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Cook County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Cook County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Cook County, Illinois is currently $104,880.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

11.35% of households in Cook County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Cook County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    18.12%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    18.04%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    15.52%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.36%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    16.14%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    8.46%
  • $200,000 or more
    11.35%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Cook County is $41,706.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Cook County by the total population of Cook County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Cook County, Illinois, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Cook County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    19.11%
  • Bachelor's degree
    37.88%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    8.30%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    31.18%
  • Less than high school diploma
    3.53%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Cook County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Cook County over the age of 16 is 4,244,259.

Of those people, a total of 66.20% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Cook County is 61.30%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 255,496 32.20% 23.30%
20 to 24 years 332,370 73.70% 13.80%
25 to 29 years 427,074 85.20% 7.80%
30 to 34 years 417,287 86.30% 6.10%
35 to 44 years 724,182 85.30% 5.70%
45 to 54 years 661,001 82.50% 5.60%
55 to 59 years 334,905 75.00% 6.20%
60 to 64 years 317,665 60.40% 5.90%
65 to 74 years 455,547 28.80% 5.10%
75 years and over 318,732 6.70% 4.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Cook County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 2,281,094 67.50% 5.00%
Black or African American 962,356 60.70% 14.70%
American Indian and Alaska Native 17,536 67.80% 6.70%
Asian 332,958 67.10% 4.60%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 1,758 75.40% 2.90%
Other 393,446 69.50% 6.30%
Two or more races 255,111 69.20% 7.70%
Hispanic or Latino 992,701 68.90% 6.80%
Not Hispanic or Latino 1,879,287 67.30% 4.60%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Cook County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Cook County is 2,603,767, with median earnings of $45,976.00.

Women in Cook County, Illinois earning approximately 77.30% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 2,603,767 $45,976.00
Male 1,354,703 $52,782.00
Female 1,249,064 $40,809.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 292,164 $87,506.00
Business and Financial 194,656 $77,039.00
Computer and Mathematical 101,514 $88,998.00
Architecture and Engineering 42,064 $83,263.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 25,078 $65,034.00
Community and Social Service 50,007 $46,314.00
Legal 48,946 $107,298.00
Educational and Library 160,371 $47,958.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 64,942 $50,896.00
Healthcare Practitioners 155,758 $68,279.00
Healthcare Support 87,514 $24,938.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 38,210 $33,324.00
Law Enforcement 27,382 $86,656.00
Food Preparation and Serving 129,297 $20,975.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 84,570 $26,397.00
Personal Care and Service 73,426 $20,528.00
Sales 246,813 $38,544.00
Office and Administrative Support 281,017 $38,384.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 2,320 $27,428.00
Construction and Extraction 93,316 $45,129.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 56,430 $48,422.00
Production 132,892 $36,191.00
Transportation and Material Moving 117,449 $40,588.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 163,228 $99,857.00 128,936 $75,467.00
Business and Financial 92,908 $85,156.00 101,748 $69,274.00
Computer and Mathematical 75,671 $92,504.00 25,843 $79,267.00
Architecture and Engineering 34,015 $84,705.00 8,049 $74,251.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 12,205 $66,567.00 12,873 $63,377.00
Community and Social Service 16,008 $44,420.00 33,999 $47,145.00
Legal 25,023 $135,625.00 23,923 $84,474.00
Educational and Library 48,305 $53,458.00 112,066 $45,279.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 32,831 $53,950.00 32,111 $47,255.00
Healthcare Practitioners 40,856 $78,396.00 114,902 $65,548.00
Healthcare Support 13,345 $25,105.00 74,169 $24,906.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 26,690 $37,036.00 11,520 $26,585.00
Law Enforcement 21,212 $88,221.00 6,170 $81,431.00
Food Preparation and Serving 68,788 $23,067.00 60,509 $18,538.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 48,243 $30,055.00 36,327 $22,430.00
Personal Care and Service 19,258 $25,533.00 54,168 $19,440.00
Sales 124,672 $53,326.00 122,141 $26,620.00
Office and Administrative Support 82,452 $40,319.00 198,565 $37,590.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 1,583 $32,146.00 737 $25,898.00
Construction and Extraction 90,325 $45,081.00 2,991 $49,702.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 54,053 $48,823.00 2,377 $40,334.00
Production 92,120 $41,335.00 40,772 $27,347.00
Transportation and Material Moving 98,765 $42,630.00 18,684 $30,618.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 2,044,658 households in Cook County, with an average household size of 2.53 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 1,207,289 families in Cook County with an average family size of 3.33 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 821,322 102,786 283,181 837,369
Average Household Size 3.39 3.43 3.5 1.25
Total Families 821,322 102,786 283,181 0
Average Household Size 3.36 3.09 3.34 0

Poverty

Of the 1,207,289 families in Cook County, 9.90% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Cook County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 2,253,936 housing units in Cook County, Illinois.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 2,044,658 90.71%
Vacant 209,278 9.29%

37.36% of the total 2,253,936 housing units in Cook County are rental units. This is approximately 842,164 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 1,175,143 are occupied by the owner - or 52.14% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Cook County is $1,214.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Cook County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    27,351
  • Less than $500
    61,913
  • $500 to $999
    207,529
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    299,060
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    152,553
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    68,874
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    28,945
  • $3,000 or more
    23,290

Property Value

The median value of a property in Cook County is $266,800.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Cook County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    40,140
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    66,065
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    114,072
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    165,584
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    296,189
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    302,952
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    149,455
  • $1,000,000 or more
    40,686

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Cook County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Cook County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    640,970
  • 1940 to 1949
    166,667
  • 1950 to 1959
    333,984
  • 1960 to 1969
    283,035
  • 1970 to 1979
    278,170
  • 1980 to 1989
    163,179
  • 1990 to 1999
    148,038
  • 2000 to 2009
    169,466
  • 2010 to 2013
    69,562
  • 2014 or later
    865

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Cook County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    357,375
  • 1 vehicle available
    832,535
  • 2 vehicles available
    606,249
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    248,499

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Cook County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Cook County that commute to work in a particular way.

32.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Cook County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    31,062
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    115,299
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    193,416
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    245,687
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    276,692
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    144,083
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    398,102
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    92,945
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    141,158
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    308,013
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    249,827
  • 90 or more minutes
    66,737

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Cook County, Illinois in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Cook County, Illinois

We have data for 144 places in Cook County, Illinois. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.