Community Corner

Census: Oak Lawn Has Higher Home Values, Lower Education Rates Than State Average

Released Thursday, the five-year American Community Survey offers detailed demographic information on communities throughout the U.S.

The U.S. Census Bureau last week released estimates from its American Community Survey, which provides local statistics for the combined years from 2007 to 2011 on everything from housing to employment to marital status in communities throughout the country.

The five-year estimates are based on interviews with almost two million housing units nationwide from 2007 through 2011. By pooling several years of survey responses, the American Community Survey generates detailed statistical portraits for small areas. The groupings of five-year estimates are released annually.

Oak Lawn has a significantly higher number of home owners compared with the state as a whole, while maintaining a household income level just slightly higher than the state's number. 

Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The number of Oak Lawn residents below poverty level sits at 7.6 percent, compared with 13.1 percent state wide. One of the few categories where Oak Lawn was behind the state average was in the percentage of residents with a college degree. In Oak Lawn the number is 25.1 percent, compared to 30.7 percent statewide. 

Here's what the American Community Survey has to say about Oak Lawn when it comes to home ownership and income:

Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Oak Lawn State Homeownership rate 83.4%
68.7% Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2007-2011 33.4%
32.9% Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2007-2011 $225,800
$198,500 Households, 2007-2011 21,824
4,773,002 Persons per household, 2007-2011 2.55
2.62 Per capita money income in the past 12 months (2011 dollars), 2007-2011 $28,924
$29,376 Median household income, 2007-2011 $58,769
$56,576 Persons below poverty level, percent, 2007-2011 7.6%
13.1%

Some facts on the demographic makeup of Oak Lawn:

Oak Lawn State Language other than English spoken at home, percent age 5+, 2007-2011 26.4%
22.0% High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2007-2011 86.4%
86.6% Bachelor's degree or higher, percent of persons age 25+, 2007-2011 25.1%
30.7% Veterans, 2007-2011 3,827
770,388 Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2007-2011 30.1
28.1

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey

Compare the numbers in Evergreen Park and Chicago. 


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