Village · Illinois

Chatham, Illinois

Chatham, village, in Sangamon County, Illinois. Chatham had 14,579 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 14,377 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 14,639 (±489). GEOID 1712684.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

14,579

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 14,377 · ACS 2020-2024: 14,639 ±489

Median household income

$106,773

±$8,322 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390

Median home value

$243,200

±$18,805 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300

Median gross rent

$1,256

±$112 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274

Where is Chatham and what county is it in?

Chatham is a village in Sangamon County, Illinois. It covers 7.4 square miles of land, 1,941 residents per square mile in 2020.

Chatham is in the Springfield, IL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Chatham lies mostly within Chatham Township and reaches into Ball Township, towns or townships with their own local government (2020 census blocks).

Chatham (marked with a dot) in Sangamon County, Illinois. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Chatham, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 14,579 people lived in Chatham on July 1, 2025, up 1.3% since 2020, while Illinois shrank 0.8%. The 2020 Census counted 14,377 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 14,639 (±489).

  • July 2020→2021 +52 (14,477)
  • 2021→2022 −15 (14,462)
  • 2022→2023 +90 (14,552)
  • 2023→2024 +40 (14,592)
  • 2024→2025 −13 (14,579)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure ChathamSangamon CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
Total population 14,639 ±489 194,947 12,694,798 +1,567
Households 5,624 ±283 84,762 5,036,449 +775
Average household size 2.60 ±0.14 2.25 2.46 no clear change
Housing units 5,833 ±275 93,382 5,457,452 +768

Chatham's population since 2000

From 8,583 in 2000 to 14,579 in 2025: up 69.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Chatham as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.

  • 2000 Census 8,583
  • 2005 (estimate) 10,076
  • 2010 Census 11,500
  • 2015 (estimate) 12,471
  • 2020 Census 14,377
  • 2025 (estimate) 14,579

Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Chatham?

The median resident of Chatham is 35.4 years old; 31.5% are under 18 and 11.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 88.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 3.9%. 3.2% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure ChathamSangamon CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
Median age 35.4 ±2.2 41.0 39.0 no clear change
Under 18 years 31.5% ±2.8 pts 21.9% 21.8% –
65 years and over 11.9% ±1.8 pts 19.4% 17.0% –
Male 44.3% ±2.4 pts 48.3% 49.4% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.9% ±2.0 pts 2.9% 18.8% no clear change
White alone, not Hispanic 88.2% ±3.6 pts 77.3% 58.1% −5.5 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 2.0% ±1.3 pts 12.5% 13.3% no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic 3.1% ±1.9 pts 2.3% 5.9% +2.0 pts
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.3 pts 0.1% 0.1% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.3 pts 0.0% 0.0% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 2.8% ±2.0 pts 4.3% 3.4% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.3 pts 0.5% 0.4% –
Born outside the United States 3.2% ±1.9 pts 3.6% 14.7% no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 5.7% ±2.6 pts 4.8% 24.0% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 5.6% ±1.6 pts 6.6% 4.8% –
With a disability 7.9% ±1.8 pts 13.6% 12.1% –
No health insurance coverage 3.2% ±1.6 pts 3.6% 6.9% +2.3 pts
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 98.8% ±0.7 pts 94.1% 90.5% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 53.2% ±5.2 pts 36.6% 37.8% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 21.9% ±3.8 pts 14.8% 15.3% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 93.1% ±2.7 pts 89.4% 88.9% –
Moved from another state in the past year 1.0% ±0.8 pts 1.2% 1.6% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov

What do households in Chatham earn?

Half of Chatham's 5,624 households earn less than $106,773 a year (±$8,322), against $75,357 in Sangamon County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $109,313 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 3.3% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
Measure ChathamSangamon CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $106,773 ±$8,322 $75,357 $83,390 no clear change
Mean household income $123,068 ±$9,021 $100,226 $115,638 –
Per capita income $47,647 ±$3,526 $44,151 $46,406 no clear change
People below the poverty line 3.3% ±1.4 pts 13.1% 11.8% no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line 1.0% ±1.2 pts 17.8% 15.1% –
Households receiving SNAP 3.8% ±1.8 pts 15.5% 13.8% –
Households with a computer 98.3% ±0.9 pts 95.4% 95.2% –
Households with a broadband subscription 92.3% ±3.3 pts 90.6% 90.8% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What does housing cost in Chatham?

Owners occupy 80.6% of Chatham's occupied homes and renters 19.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $243,200 by its owner (±$18,805). The median renter pays $1,256 a month including utilities, and 17.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
Measure ChathamSangamon CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $243,200 ±$18,805 $176,300 $263,300 no clear change
Median gross rent $1,256 ±$112 $983 $1,274 no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 17.5% ±9.8 pts 37.1% 39.0% no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $1,781 ±$128 $1,494 $1,987 –
Owner-occupied homes 80.6% ±4.4 pts 71.3% 67.1% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 19.4% ±4.4 pts 28.7% 32.9% –
Housing units 5,833 ±275 93,382 5,457,452 +768
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.7% ±1.2 pts 1.0% 1.0% –
Rental vacancy rate 13.1% ±8.4 pts 10.9% 5.0% –
Single-family detached homes 73.2% ±4.5 pts 72.5% 58.2% –
Mobile homes 1.4% ±1.2 pts 3.9% 2.3% –
Built 2020 or later 1.1% ±0.8 pts 0.4% 0.7% –
Built 2010 to 2019 20.0% ±4.0 pts 5.9% 5.0% –
Built 1939 or earlier 2.0% ±1.1 pts 15.5% 20.2% –
Households with no vehicle 0.9% ±0.9 pts 7.6% 11.0% –

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov

How many new homes is Chatham building?

Builders took permits for 25 new housing units in Chatham in 2025 (25 in single-family houses), 1.7 per 1,000 residents against 1.5 across Illinois.

  • 2019 100 units
  • 2020 64 units
  • 2021 47 units
  • 2022 67 units
  • 2023 (8 months) 36 units
  • 2024 0 units
  • 2025 25 units

Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Chatham work and get to work?

77.0% of Chatham's workers drive alone and 15.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.6%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure ChathamSangamon CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 73.6% ±2.9 pts 61.2% 65.0% –
Unemployment rate 3.6% ±2.2 pts 5.4% 5.8% no clear change
Drove alone to work 77.0% ±5.2 pts 77.1% 65.9% –
Carpooled 5.7% ±2.0 pts 5.6% 7.8% –
Public transportation 0.2% ±0.4 pts 0.9% 5.8% –
Walked 0.5% ±0.6 pts 1.4% 2.8% –
Worked from home 15.3% ±4.6 pts 13.7% 15.9% +9.2 pts
Mean travel time to work 23.0 min ±3.7 19.7 min 27.8 min no clear change

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov

What census tracts are in Chatham?

1 census tract lies mostly in Chatham, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).

Census tracts in Chatham, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Chatham
Tract 32.03Sangamon County6,930 $127,721 $309,10047%
Tract 32.02Sangamon County5,185 $89,312 $191,60060%
Tract 32.01Sangamon County4,494 $119,231 $252,40046%
Tract 31Sangamon County7,742 $117,950 $267,5001%
Tract 36.03Sangamon County5,846 $151,212 $366,7000%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Chatham) · Census block assignment files

How does Chatham compare with other places in Illinois?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chatham is the 2,453rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 168th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.

Chatham ranks 266th of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Chatham's rank in Illinois (1 = highest): by population among the state's incorporated places with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate168th1,294
Growth 2020-2025 (PEP)168th1,347
Residents per square mile291st1,383
Median household income266th1,380
Per capita income321st1,383
Median home value405th1,379
Median gross rent334th1,280
Poverty rate1,069th1,119
Bachelor's degree or higher114th1,369
Median age1,238th1,383
Owner-occupied share555th1,382
Work from home281st1,015
Travel time to work921st1,382

Chatham's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)

Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Chatham with other places

Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed

How reliable are the figures for Chatham?

12 of the 57 figures for Chatham on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.

The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation

How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections

Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Chatham are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Chatham.