Downers Grove, DuPage County, Illinois Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Downers Grove, 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 Downers Grove, Illinois. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Downers Grove, Illinois. The estimated population of Downers Grove, Illinois is 50,209 people, with a median age of 42.8.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
50,209
+1.92%
+1.13%
2020
49,263
-0.42% -
2019
49,470
-0.35% -
2018
49,644
-0.01% -
2017
49,649
- -

Population of Downers Grove, 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
82.8%
84.6%
-2.13%
Black/African American
3.3%
3.2%
+3.12%
Native
0%
0%
0.00%
Hispanic
5.7%
4.7%
+21.28%
Asian
5.7%
6%
-5.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.4%
1.3%
+84.62%
Other
0.1%
0.1%
0.00%

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 Downers Grove, 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 42.8 -0.7% 41.7 +1.71% 44.1 -2.22%
2020 43.1 +0.94% 41 -0.49% 45.1 +2.04%
2019 42.7 -0.23% 41.2 -0.24% 44.2 -0.23%
2018 42.8 -0.7% 41.3 +2.23% 44.3 -1.77%
2017 43.1 - 40.4 - 45.1 -

The median age of Downers Grove, 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 3,024 +12.54% 2,579 +20.1% 3,408 3,110
10 to 19 3,272 -10.93% 2,975 -5.17% 2,927 2,761
20 to 29 3,070 -30.82% 2,678 +4.81% 2,221 2,798
30 to 39 2,664 +14.26% 2,874 +10.68% 3,060 3,192
40 to 49 3,279 -10.72% 3,547 -14.95% 2,936 3,033
50 to 59 3,683 +4.19% 4,052 -12.59% 3,831 3,565
60 to 69 3,059 +6.19% 3,447 +8.8% 3,248 3,754
70+ 2,184 +16.07% 3,262 +16.16% 2,549 3,816

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Downers Grove, Illinois is $105,217.00.

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 Downers Grove.

  • Under 25
    $43,073.00
  • 25 to 44
    $127,848.00
  • 45 to 64
    $122,422.00
  • 65 and over
    $57,309.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Downers Grove, 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 Downers Grove, Illinois is currently $139,423.00.

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.

20.68% of households in Downers Grove 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 Downers Grove against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    13.52%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    11.97%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    13.08%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    9.67%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    18.85%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    12.23%
  • $200,000 or more
    20.68%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Downers Grove is $57,209.00.

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

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

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Downers Grove 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
    24.27%
  • Bachelor's degree
    48.92%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    8.36%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    17.05%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.40%

Employment

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

The total population of Downers Grove over the age of 16 is 40,018.

Of those people, a total of 66.10% 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 Downers Grove is 63.00%.

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 2,015 43.50% 18.60%
20 to 24 years 2,458 71.30% 8.60%
25 to 29 years 2,561 86.60% 6.30%
30 to 34 years 3,199 89.20% 1.80%
35 to 44 years 5,897 89.30% 2.70%
45 to 54 years 6,592 89.10% 2.10%
55 to 59 years 3,929 84.40% 7.80%
60 to 64 years 3,477 69.00% 3.00%
65 to 74 years 6,148 26.60% 4.30%
75 years and over 3,742 6.50% 5.80%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Downers Grove. 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 34,733 65.60% 4.20%
Black or African American 1,214 79.10% 14.60%
American Indian and Alaska Native 41 75.60% 0.00%
Asian 2,518 62.80% 4.80%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 453 74.00% 2.10%
Two or more races 1,059 69.80% 0.30%
Hispanic or Latino 2,131 69.50% 0.60%
Not Hispanic or Latino 33,546 65.50% 4.30%

Occupations

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

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Downers Grove is 25,213, with median earnings of $65,433.00.

Women in Downers Grove, Illinois earning approximately 59.10% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 25,213 $65,433.00
Male 13,576 $86,644.00
Female 11,637 $51,193.00

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 3,563 $105,911.00
Business and Financial 2,690 $93,642.00
Computer and Mathematical 1,227 $110,724.00
Architecture and Engineering 627 $99,403.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 367 $64,583.00
Community and Social Service 428 $42,604.00
Legal 629 $156,406.00
Educational and Library 2,115 $56,691.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 827 $56,771.00
Healthcare Practitioners 1,950 $59,659.00
Healthcare Support 280 $27,756.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 254 $38,333.00
Law Enforcement 74 $95,625.00
Food Preparation and Serving 815 $17,782.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 464 $34,479.00
Personal Care and Service 476 $13,788.00
Sales 3,301 $71,793.00
Office and Administrative Support 2,378 $40,041.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 36 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 699 $63,836.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 464 $75,333.00
Production 473 $65,509.00
Transportation and Material Moving 572 $40,000.00

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 2,291 $110,331.00 1,272 $89,293.00
Business and Financial 1,566 $107,574.00 1,124 $71,343.00
Computer and Mathematical 918 $110,938.00 309 $110,640.00
Architecture and Engineering 569 $100,536.00 58 $81,500.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 197 $59,821.00 170 $75,833.00
Community and Social Service 63 $46,406.00 365 $40,313.00
Legal 466 $180,417.00 163 $73,304.00
Educational and Library 582 $83,919.00 1,533 $54,049.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 426 $79,318.00 401 $17,161.00
Healthcare Practitioners 486 $101,250.00 1,464 $53,801.00
Healthcare Support 72 $47,125.00 208 $25,000.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 207 $42,574.00 47 $38,281.00
Law Enforcement 57 $110,446.00 17 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 386 $8,608.00 429 $28,892.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 401 $34,870.00 63 $7,337.00
Personal Care and Service 87 $6,932.00 389 $13,977.00
Sales 1,813 $88,899.00 1,488 $51,520.00
Office and Administrative Support 573 $58,688.00 1,805 $35,913.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 36 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 699 $63,836.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 444 $77,000.00 20 $0.00
Production 342 $70,227.00 131 $53,594.00
Transportation and Material Moving 469 $32,216.00 103 $40,625.00

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 20,382 households in Downers Grove, with an average household size of 2.44 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 13,343 families in Downers Grove with an average family size of 3.06 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 11,290 919 1,134 7,039
Average Household Size 3.15 2.77 2.94 1.16
Total Families 11,290 919 1,134 0
Average Household Size 3.13 2.51 2.83 0

Poverty

Of the 13,343 families in Downers Grove, 3.30% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Downers Grove:

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 21,388 housing units in Downers Grove, Illinois.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 20,382 95.30%
Vacant 1,006 4.70%

22.17% of the total 21,388 housing units in Downers Grove are rental units. This is approximately 4,741 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 15,431 are occupied by the owner - or 72.15% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Downers Grove is $1,502.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Downers Grove 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
    210
  • Less than $500
    389
  • $500 to $999
    658
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    1,318
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    1,574
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    467
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    105
  • $3,000 or more
    230

Property Value

The median value of a property in Downers Grove is $374,500.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    113
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    459
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    1,239
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    734
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    2,146
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    6,779
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    3,596
  • $1,000,000 or more
    365

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    1,981
  • 1940 to 1949
    586
  • 1950 to 1959
    2,601
  • 1960 to 1969
    3,735
  • 1970 to 1979
    5,087
  • 1980 to 1989
    3,033
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,864
  • 2000 to 2009
    1,449
  • 2010 to 2013
    1,024
  • 2014 or later
    28

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 Downers Grove that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    783
  • 1 vehicle available
    7,403
  • 2 vehicles available
    8,761
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    3,435

Commuting to Work

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

29.6 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Downers Grove.

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
    301
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,492
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    2,191
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    2,829
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    2,392
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    1,304
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    3,220
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    779
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    961
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    1,961
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    2,134
  • 90 or more minutes
    401

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Downers Grove, 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.