Cook County, IL

County

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2024 Population

5.18M

US Senator

Dick Durbin

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tammy Duckworth

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

0.529% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

13.5%

1.14% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$83,498

2.08% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$324,500

6.32% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

2.6M

0.253% 1-year growth

About

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.

89.7% of the residents in Cook County, IL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Cook County, IL are Northwestern University (9,772 degrees awarded in 2024), University of Illinois Chicago (8,866 degrees), and University of Chicago (7,789 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Cook County, IL was $324,500, and the homeownership rate was 57.7%.

Most people in Cook County, IL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 31.5 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 5.18M people, from which 89.7% are citizens. As of 2024, 21.6% of Cook County, IL residents were born outside of the country (1.12M people).

In 2024, there were 1.84 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.08M people) in Cook County, IL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.13M Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 622k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

89.7%

2024 Citizenship

90%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 89.7% of Cook County, IL residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Cook County, IL was 90%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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)
2.08M ± 2.57k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.13M ± 3.79k
Other (Hispanic)
622k ± 10.8k

26.8%

Hispanic Population

1.39M people

26.8% of the people in Cook County, IL are hispanic (1.39M people).

The following chart shows the 8 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
637,284 ± 19,101 people
India
166,788 ± 9,961 people
Poland
117,148 ± 8,364 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Illinois was Mexico, the natal country of 637,284 Illinois residents, followed by India with 166,788 and Poland with 117,148.

Foreign-Born Population

21.6%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

1.12M people

21.3%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.1M people

As of 2024, 21.6% of Cook County, IL residents (1.12M people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Cook County, IL was 21.3%, 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
43,231 ± 1,550
Gulf War (2001-)
29,784 ± 1,702
Gulf War (1990s)
16,893 ± 1,005

Cook County, IL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.45 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Cook County, IL.

Health

91.1% of the population of Cook County, IL has health coverage, with 50.5% on employee plans, 19.3% on Medicaid, 11.8% on Medicare, 9.01% on non-group plans, and 0.554% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Cook County, IL see 1,091 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,091 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1018 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 251 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,091 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Cook County, IL

Primary care physicians in Cook County, IL see an average of 1,091 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,091 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 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.5% under 18 years, 23.3% between 18 and 34 years, 38.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.85%

Uninsured

50.5%

Employer Coverage

19.3%

Medicaid

11.8%

Medicare

9.01%

Non-Group

0.554%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Cook County, IL declined by 1.2% from 8.96% to 8.85%.

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 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.19 in Cook County, IL.

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

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, 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 32.8% in Cook County, IL.

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

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 9.72% in Cook County, IL.

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

Economy

The economy of Cook County, IL employs 2.6M people. In 2024, the largest industries in Cook County, IL were Health Care & Social Assistance (359,551 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (297,875 people), and Educational Services (253,798 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($101,647), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($99,653), and Finance & Insurance ($97,314).

Employment

Occupations

2.6M

2024 Value

± 15,077

0.253%

1 Year growth

± 0.801%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cook County, IL grew at a rate of 0.253%, from 2.59M employees to 2.6M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Cook County, IL, are Management Occupations (313,173 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (261,135 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (222,408 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 Illinois.

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

2.6M

2024 Value

± 15,077

0.253%

1 Year growth

± 0.801%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Cook County, IL grew at a rate of 0.253%, from 2.59M employees to 2.6M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Cook County, IL, are Health Care & Social Assistance (359,551 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (297,875 people), and Educational Services (253,798 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

$61,234

Median earning men ± $390

$48,757

Median earning women ± $494

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($104,272), Public Administration ($92,774), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($86,303).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,736), Information ($70,046), and Public Administration ($69,832).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.47%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 6.03M people employed in Illinois. This represents a 2.47% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13%.

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

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

13,753
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
8,467
Construction
8,283
Other Services (except Public Administration)

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

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$34.5M
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$30.2M
Finance and Insurance
$23M
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Illinois went to Kamala Harris with 54.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.43%).

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

Voting results are not available for Cook County, IL. Showing the available data for Illinois.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (54.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (43.5%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (1.43%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Illinois went to Kamala Harris with 54.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.43%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Illinois for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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.

Education

In 2024, universities in Cook County, IL awarded 81,489 degrees. The student population of Cook County, IL in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 119,732 male students and 166,369 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Cook County, IL are White (29,262 and 40.8%), Hispanic or Latino (18,922 and 26.4%), Black or African American (9,604 and 13.4%), and Asian (8,544 and 11.9%).

The largest universities in Cook County, IL by number of degrees awarded are Northwestern University (9,772 and 12%), University of Illinois Chicago (8,866 and 10.9%), and University of Chicago (7,789 and 9.56%).

The most popular majors in Cook County, IL are Liberal Arts & Sciences (7,415 and 9.1%), Management Science (3,666 and 4.5%), and General Business Administration & Management (2,044 and 2.51%).

The median tuition costs are $32,272 for private four year colleges, and $10,343 and $20,686 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Cook County, IL, the percentage of applicants admitted was 52.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 14.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 286,101 (41.8% men and 58.2% 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 2024 there were 286,101 students enrolled in Cook County, IL, 41.8% men and 58.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 84,257 records, of which 60.3% were women and 39.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
1,413 degrees awarded
General Biological Sciences
1,205 degrees awarded
Econometrics & Quantitative Economics
987 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Cook County, IL was General Psychology with 1,413 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
9,772 degrees awarded
University of Illinois Chicago
8,866 degrees awarded
University of Chicago
7,789 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Northwestern University with 9,772 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 33,692 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Cook County, IL, which is 0.705 times less than the 47,797 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 29,262 degrees mean that there were 1.55 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 18,922 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 ($32,272) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($3,160) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Housing & Living

The median property value in Cook County, IL was $324,500 in 2024, which is 0.975 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $305,200 to $324,500, a 6.32% increase. The homeownership rate in Cook County, IL is 57.7%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Cook County, IL have an average commute time of 31.5 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.

In 2025, 19.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Cook County, IL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.05%.

Housing

Property

$324,500

Median Property Value 2024

±$1,460

$1.21M

Median Property Taxes

±$9,055

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

57.7%

Homeownership

2024

62.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 57.7% of the housing units in Cook County, IL were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 57.5%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$83,498

Median Household Income

± $630

2.1M

Number of Households

± 12,863

In 2024, the median household income of the 2.1M households in Cook County, IL grew to $83,498 from the previous year's value of $81,797.

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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

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

0.471

2024 Wage GINI in Illinois

0.474

2023 Wage GINI in Illinois

In 2024, the income inequality in Illinois was 0.471 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.55% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Illinois was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more 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 2024

Drove Alone (54.8%)
Worked At Home (18.9%)
Public Transit (11.8%)

In 2024, 54.8% of workers in Cook County, IL drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (18.9%) and those who used public transit to get to work (11.8%).

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

31.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Cook County, IL have a longer commute time (31.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.75% 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 2025, 19.7% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Cook County, IL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.05%.

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 (688k out of 5.1M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 18 - 24.

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

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 2025, 17.2% of the children was living in poverty in Cook County, IL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.8%.

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

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

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.