Village · Illinois
Malta, Illinois
Malta, village, in DeKalb County, Illinois. Malta had 1,140 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,143 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,274 (±278). GEOID 1746279.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,140
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,143 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,274 ±278
Median household income
$80,625
±$23,015 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$180,300
±$18,299 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$1,063
±$214 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Malta and what county is it in?
Malta is a village in DeKalb County, Illinois. It covers 0.6 square miles of land, 1,859 residents per square mile in 2020.
Malta is in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 13 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Malta lies entirely within Malta Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Malta, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,140 people lived in Malta on July 1, 2025, down 0.4% since 2020, in line with Illinois (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,143 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,274 (±278).
| Measure | Malta | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,274 ±278 | 100,703 | no clear change |
| Households | 435 ±85 | 39,550 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.93 ±0.51 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 448 ±83 | 41,678 | no clear change |
Malta's population since 2000
From 969 in 2000 to 1,140 in 2025: up 17.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Malta 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.
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 Malta?
The median resident of Malta is 33.2 years old; 27.9% are under 18 and 11.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 69.2%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 23.3%.
| Measure | Malta | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.2 ±5.5 | 32.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.9% ±9.0 pts | 21.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.1% ±5.8 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Male | 50.2% ±4.0 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 23.3% ±16.5 pts | 14.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 69.2% ±15.1 pts | 71.0% | −22.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.5% ±4.0 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 2.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.9% ±3.2 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.9 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.5% ±6.7 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 16.2% ±12.4 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.0% ±5.1 pts | 5.2% | – |
| With a disability | 14.0% ±6.3 pts | 11.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.8% ±6.6 pts | 5.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 84.2% ±7.3 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 19.8% ±7.6 pts | 33.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.1% ±7.0 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.4% ±7.2 pts | 82.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 1.9% | – |
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 Malta earn?
Half of Malta's 435 households earn less than $80,625 a year (±$23,015), against $70,724 in DeKalb County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $89,935 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Malta | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $80,625 ±$23,015 | $70,724 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $86,081 ±$11,839 | $90,834 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,355 ±$6,437 | $36,298 | −$11,776 |
| People below the poverty line | 24.0% ±16.9 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 37.2% ±30.9 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.2% ±10.7 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.6% ±2.6 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.3% ±5.8 pts | 92.7% | – |
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 Malta?
Owners occupy 74.5% of Malta's occupied homes and renters 25.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $180,300 by its owner (±$18,299). The median renter pays $1,063 a month including utilities, and 24.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Malta | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $180,300 ±$18,299 | $243,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,063 ±$214 | $1,049 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 24.5% ±15.3 pts | 46.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,579 ±$181 | $1,866 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 74.5% ±7.3 pts | 61.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 25.5% ±7.3 pts | 38.6% | – |
| Housing units | 448 ±83 | 41,678 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±10.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±28.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.2% ±7.0 pts | 58.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±8.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±8.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.3% ±1.5 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 21.2% ±8.3 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.6% ±6.1 pts | 6.4% | – |
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 Malta building?
Builders took permits for 39 new housing units in Malta in 2025 (39 in single-family houses), 34.2 per 1,000 residents against 1.5 across Illinois.
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 Malta work and get to work?
66.9% of Malta's workers drive alone and 11.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.6 minutes.
| Measure | Malta | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 69.0% ±7.1 pts | 68.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% ±3.0 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 66.9% ±8.0 pts | 74.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 15.4% ±6.1 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Walked | 2.2% ±2.2 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.8% ±5.0 pts | 9.3% | +7.3 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.6 min ±2.9 | 26.7 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 Malta?
No census tract lies mostly in Malta; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 3DeKalb County | 2,789 | $92,212 |
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 Malta) · Census block assignment files
How does Malta compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Malta is the 9,769th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 608th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Malta ranks 637th of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 608th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 342nd | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 320th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 637th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,206th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 643rd | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 500th | 1,280 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 893rd | 1,369 |
| Median age | 1,314th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 856th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 456th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 692nd | 1,382 |
Malta's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Malta 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 Malta?
21 of the 57 figures for Malta 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 Malta 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 Malta.