Ottawa, IL Micro Area

Metro Area

Population: 147,676 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Ottawa, IL Micro Area

What is the median household income in Ottawa, IL Micro Area?: The median household income in Ottawa, IL Micro Area is $70,941 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Ottawa, IL Micro Area?: The poverty rate in Ottawa, IL Micro Area is 9.6% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Ottawa, IL Micro Area?: $148,600 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Ottawa, IL Micro Area?: The median gross rent in Ottawa, IL Micro Area is $893 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Ottawa, IL Micro Area residents have a college degree?: 19.6% of adults in Ottawa, IL Micro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

147,676

Median Income

$70,941

Median Home Value

$148,600

Poverty Rate

9.6%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

5.4%

Median Age

42.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$12,781 (+22%) Home Value: +$25,400 (+20.6%) Poverty Rate: +0.4 pp (+4.3%) Bachelor's+: +1.2 pp (+6.5%) Unemployment: -0.1 pp (-1.8%)

Demographics

Total Population 147,676

Median Age 42.0

Female 49.4%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 10.4% White (non-Hisp.) 83.8% Black 2.2% Asian 0.9% Two or More 5.4% Other 3.9%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Indian

0.3%

Filipino

0.2%

Chinese

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

9.2%

Puerto Rican

0.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $70,941 ±$1,750

Per Capita Income $88,862

Median Family Income $87,238

Poverty Rate 9.6%

Child Poverty Rate 18.1%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 14.0%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 29.5%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

4.4%

$10–15k

4.1%

$15–25k

7.1%

$25–35k

7.6%

$35–50k

12.3%

$50–75k

17.2%

$75–100k

15.4%

$100–150k

17.5%

$150–200k

8.2%

$200k+

6.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 68,553

Owner-Occupied 74.7%

Renter-Occupied 25.3%

Vacancy Rate 10.2%

Median Home Value $148,600

Median Gross Rent $893

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 14.1%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 32.9%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

7.4%

$50–100k

20.8%

$100–200k

22.4%

$200–300k

20.0%

$300–500k

9.6%

$500k–$1M

2.2%

$1M+

0.5%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

12.2%

$500–1k

51.3%

$1–1.5k

27.6%

$1.5–2k

5.1%

$2–2.5k

2.9%

$2.5–3.5k

0.4%

$3.5k+

0.4%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

5.7%

1 vehicle

32.6%

2 vehicles

39.0%

22.7%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

81.2%

Single-fam. att.

2.2%

2–4 units

3.1%

5–19 units

2.3%

20+ units

2.4%

Mobile home

3.5%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

26.9%

1940–1969

7.4%

1970–1999

14.4%

2000–2009

8.6%

2010+

2.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 91.4%

Bachelor's or Higher 19.6%

Graduate Degree 6.3%

Some College / Associate 24.8%

Less Than High School 2.6%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 62.3%

Unemployment Rate 5.4%

Work from Home 4.6%

Self-Employed 5.5%

Government Workers 12.7%

Private For-Profit 81.8%

Industry

Edu/Health

21.1%

Manufacturing

15.5%

Retail

13.4%

Transportation

8.7%

Arts/Entmt.

7.2%

Construction

6.8%

Prof. Services

6.2%

Finance

4.4%

Agriculture

4.3%

Public Admin

3.5%

Wholesale

2.9%

Information

1.7%

Occupation

Management

29.6%

Production

22.7%

Sales

18.8%

Food Prep

17.4%

Construction

11.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 24.9 min

Drove Alone 83.6%

Carpool 8.4%

Public Transit 0.1%

Work from Home 4.6%

Walked 1.9%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 61,576

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 48.6%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 16.0%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.2%

5–9

5.9%

10–14

6.0%

15–19

6.1%

20–24

5.7%

25–34

11.8%

35–44

12.2%

45–54

11.9%

55–64

7.6%

65–74

7.3%

75–84

11.8%

85+

5.9%

Under 18: 21.2% Working age (18–64): 78.8% 65 and over: 20.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 3.5%

Naturalized Citizen 47.7%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 2.9%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

66.0%

Asia

16.3%

Europe

14.6%

Africa

1.8%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 7.5%

With a Disability 14.1%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 95.6%

Uninsured 4.4%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 85.7%

Has a Computer 92.0%

Same House 1 Year Ago 90.0%

Moved from Abroad 0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023