Census: Wheaton Above State Average in Homeownership, Income, Education
American Community Survey offers detailed demographic on the Wheaton community and others throughout the U.S.
The U.S. Census Bureau Thursday released estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS), with local information for the combined years of 2007-2011 on stats from housing to education and marital status.
The survey shows a 73.4 percent homeownership rate in the City of Wheaton, topping the Illinois data of 68.7 percent, and a median household income of $84,980, topping the state average of $56,576.
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Wheaton’s estimated population in 2011 is 53,238, a .7 percent increase from the 2010 estimate.
More than half the city's population, or about 42,000 people, are ages 16 and older. More than 28,000 of the residents make up the city's civilian labor force, of whom 62.9 percent—26,626—are employed.
About a third of residents reported they are not in the labor force, and 4.4 percent said they are unemployed.
“By telling the story of our towns and neighborhoods, the American Community Survey helps planners locate schools and firehouses,” said Thomas Mesenbourg, the Census Bureau’s acting director. “Thanks to the cooperation of the public, the Census Bureau produces reliable, quality statistical information for even small communities in the U.S. That’s why it’s so important for households that are selected to participate in the ACS to respond.”
Here is more information on Wheaton homeownership and income from the American Community Survey:
| Wheaton | State | |
| Homeownership rate | 73.4% | 68.7% |
| Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2007-2011 | 28.9% | 32.9% |
| Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2007-2011 | $354,000 | $198,500 |
| Households, 2007-2011 | 18,995 | 4,773,002 |
| Persons per household, 2007-2011 | 2.57 | 2.62 |
| Per capita money income in the past 12 months (2011 dollars), 2007-2011 | $42,179 | $29,376 |
| Median household income, 2007-2011 | $84,980 | $56,576 |
| Persons below poverty level, percent, 2007-2011 | 5.2% | 13.1% |
Demographic facts about the Wheaton community:
| Wheaton | State | |
| White persons, percent, 2010 (a) | 87.3% | 71.5% |
| Black persons, percent, 2010 (a) | 4.5% | 14.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2010 (a) | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Asian persons, percent, 2010 (a) | 5.1% | 4.6% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2010 (a) | Z* | 0.0% |
| Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2010 | 2.0% | 2.3% |
| Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2010 (b) | 4.9% | 15.8% |
| White persons not Hispanic, percent, 2010 | 83.6% | 63.7% |
| Living in same house 1 year & over, percent, 2007-2011 | 84.7% | 86.7% |
| Foreign born persons, percent, 2007-2011 | 11.1% | 13.7% |
| Language other than English spoken at home, percent age 5+, 2007-2011 | 15% | 22.0% |
| High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2007-2011 | 95.3% | 86.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher, percent of persons age 25+, 2007-2011 | 59.5% | 30.7% |
| Veterans, 2007-2011 | 2,483 | 770,388 |
| Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2007-2011 | 27.3 | 28.1 |
*Z: Value greater than zero but less than half unit of measure shown
What else do the statistics show?
The data also shows that 13,502, or 71.1 percent, of the 18,995 households are families. About a third of the families have children under age 18, and 59.2 percent are married-couple families.
The average household size is 2.57 people.
The the 34,445 people older than 25, statistics for the highest level of education completed are as follows:
- Less than 9th grade: 850 (2.5%)
- 9th to 12th grade, no diploma: 777 (2.3%)
- High school graduate: 4,007 (11.6%)
- Some college, no degree: 6,029 (17.5%)
- Associate's degree: 2,271 (6.6%)
- Bachelor's degree: 11,713 (34%)
- Graduate or professional degree: 8,798 (25.5%)
