Village · Illinois

Crete, Illinois

Crete, village, in Will County, Illinois. Crete had 8,345 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 8,465 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,386 (±29). GEOID 1717523.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

8,345

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 8,465 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,386 ±29

Median household income

$97,147

±$15,381 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390

Median home value

$228,500

±$13,650 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300

Median gross rent

$1,309

±$351 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274

Where is Crete and what county is it in?

Crete is a village in Will County, Illinois. It covers 9.4 square miles of land, 896 residents per square mile in 2020.

Crete is in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 13 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

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

Crete's 2020 Census population by county (Census place-by-county parts)
County2020 residentsShare
Will County8,465100.0%
Cook Countyland only, no residents–
Crete (marked with a dot) in Will 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 Crete, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 8,345 people lived in Crete on July 1, 2025, down 1.3% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 8,465 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,386 (±29).

  • July 2020→2021 −21 (8,416)
  • 2021→2022 −66 (8,350)
  • 2022→2023 +2 (8,352)
  • 2023→2024 +17 (8,369)
  • 2024→2025 −24 (8,345)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
Measure CreteWill CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
Total population 8,386 ±29 701,462 12,694,798 +268
Households 3,323 ±210 244,273 5,036,449 +409
Average household size 2.49 ±0.16 2.84 2.46 no clear change
Housing units 3,481 ±212 254,278 5,457,452 no clear change

Crete's population since 2000

From 7,346 in 2000 to 8,345 in 2025: up 13.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Crete 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 7,346
  • 2005 (estimate) 8,461
  • 2010 Census 8,259
  • 2015 (estimate) 8,171
  • 2020 Census 8,465
  • 2025 (estimate) 8,345

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 Crete?

The median resident of Crete is 48.9 years old; 19.7% are under 18 and 24.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 47.2%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 38.9%. 3.0% 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 CreteWill CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
Median age 48.9 ±3.7 39.1 39.0 no clear change
Under 18 years 19.7% ±2.5 pts 23.6% 21.8% –
65 years and over 24.6% ±4.2 pts 14.6% 17.0% –
Male 47.9% ±3.0 pts 49.9% 49.4% –
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.6% ±3.5 pts 19.8% 18.8% no clear change
White alone, not Hispanic 47.2% ±5.9 pts 58.6% 58.1% no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic 38.9% ±6.7 pts 11.6% 13.3% no clear change
Asian alone, not Hispanic 1.0% ±0.7 pts 6.3% 5.9% –
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.4 pts 0.1% 0.1% –
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic 0.1% ±0.2 pts 0.0% 0.0% –
Two or more races, not Hispanic 5.2% ±2.5 pts 3.4% 3.4% –
Some other race alone, not Hispanic 0.0% ±0.4 pts 0.4% 0.4% –
Born outside the United States 3.0% ±1.0 pts 13.5% 14.7% no clear change
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) 8.1% ±3.0 pts 22.4% 24.0% –
Civilian veterans (age 18+) 6.6% ±1.7 pts 4.8% 4.8% –
With a disability 13.9% ±2.6 pts 10.0% 12.1% –
No health insurance coverage 1.8% ±0.7 pts 5.2% 6.9% −3.3 pts
High school graduate or higher (age 25+) 95.1% ±2.2 pts 91.8% 90.5% –
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) 32.3% ±4.7 pts 37.5% 37.8% no clear change
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) 15.3% ±4.0 pts 14.9% 15.3% –
Lived in the same house a year earlier 93.2% ±2.8 pts 92.1% 88.9% –
Moved from another state in the past year 1.4% ±1.2 pts 0.8% 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 Crete earn?

Half of Crete's 3,323 households earn less than $97,147 a year (±$15,381), against $109,984 in Will County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $97,686 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 3.9% 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 CreteWill CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
Median household income $97,147 ±$15,381 $109,984 $83,390 no clear change
Mean household income $144,916 ±$57,651 $134,181 $115,638 –
Per capita income $58,086 ±$24,661 $47,516 $46,406 no clear change
People below the poverty line 3.9% ±2.5 pts 7.3% 11.8% no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line 6.4% ±7.0 pts 9.9% 15.1% –
Households receiving SNAP 11.1% ±3.6 pts 10.1% 13.8% –
Households with a computer 97.7% ±1.4 pts 97.0% 95.2% –
Households with a broadband subscription 93.7% ±3.9 pts 94.1% 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 Crete?

Owners occupy 90.0% of Crete's occupied homes and renters 10.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $228,500 by its owner (±$13,650). The median renter pays $1,309 a month including utilities, and 44.1% 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 CreteWill CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied) $228,500 ±$13,650 $319,600 $263,300 +$17,805
Median gross rent $1,309 ±$351 $1,462 $1,274 no clear change
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent 44.1% ±22.7 pts 43.4% 39.0% no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage $1,935 ±$157 $2,255 $1,987 –
Owner-occupied homes 90.0% ±3.7 pts 82.8% 67.1% no clear change
Renter-occupied homes 10.0% ±3.7 pts 17.2% 32.9% –
Housing units 3,481 ±212 254,278 5,457,452 no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate 0.8% ±1.3 pts 0.5% 1.0% –
Rental vacancy rate 0.0% ±10.6 pts 3.7% 5.0% –
Single-family detached homes 83.8% ±3.9 pts 74.4% 58.2% –
Mobile homes 3.6% ±2.4 pts 1.3% 2.3% –
Built 2020 or later 0.0% ±1.1 pts 1.2% 0.7% –
Built 2010 to 2019 0.6% ±0.7 pts 6.3% 5.0% –
Built 1939 or earlier 9.4% ±3.2 pts 6.9% 20.2% –
Households with no vehicle 1.9% ±1.3 pts 3.9% 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 Crete building?

Builders took permits for 8 new housing units in Crete in 2025 (8 in single-family houses), 1.0 per 1,000 residents against 1.5 across Illinois.

  • 2019 0 units
  • 2020 4 units
  • 2021 5 units
  • 2022 2 units
  • 2023 4 units
  • 2024 6 units
  • 2025 8 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 Crete work and get to work?

78.1% of Crete's workers drive alone and 10.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 38.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.0%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
Measure CreteWill CountyIllinois Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+) 62.0% ±5.3 pts 68.3% 65.0% –
Unemployment rate 6.0% ±2.6 pts 4.9% 5.8% no clear change
Drove alone to work 78.1% ±4.3 pts 72.9% 65.9% –
Carpooled 5.5% ±2.4 pts 8.0% 7.8% –
Public transportation 1.5% ±1.0 pts 2.0% 5.8% –
Walked 1.5% ±1.7 pts 0.7% 2.8% –
Worked from home 10.7% ±3.1 pts 14.7% 15.9% +6.1 pts
Mean travel time to work 38.2 min ±4.5 31.4 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 Crete?

2 census tracts lie mostly in Crete, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $83,229 (Tract 8838.11) to $114,125 (Tract 8838.10).

Census tracts in Crete, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Crete
Tract 8838.10Will County3,756 $114,125 $247,10093%
Tract 8838.11Will County2,999 $83,229 $220,60073%
Tract 8838.09Will County3,531 $71,378 $139,00032%
Tract 8838.04Will County2,366 $83,567 $172,60047%
Tract 8838.06Will County3,433 $100,361 $316,3006%
Tract 8837Will County3,559 $65,037 $160,9005%
Tract 8297Cook County2,778 $60,680 $200,1004%

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 Crete) · Census block assignment files

How does Crete compare with other places in Illinois?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Crete is the 3,639th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 256th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.

Crete ranks 384th of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Crete'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 estimate256th1,294
Growth 2020-2025 (PEP)511th1,347
Residents per square mile662nd1,383
Median household income384th1,380
Per capita income128th1,383
Median home value470th1,379
Median gross rent300th1,280
Poverty rate1,039th1,119
Bachelor's degree or higher413th1,369
Median age119th1,383
Owner-occupied share201st1,382
Work from home529th1,015
Travel time to work18th1,382

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

Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Crete 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 Crete?

14 of the 57 figures for Crete 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 Crete 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 Crete.