Village · Illinois
Waterman, Illinois
Waterman, village, in DeKalb County, Illinois. Waterman had 1,640 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 14.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,433 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,448 (±261). GEOID 1779163.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,640
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,433 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,448 ±261
Median household income
$100,139
±$9,737 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$217,300
±$23,035 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$877
±$109 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Waterman and what county is it in?
Waterman is a village in DeKalb County, Illinois. It covers 1.5 square miles of land, 946 residents per square mile in 2020.
Waterman is in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 13 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Waterman lies entirely within Clinton 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 Waterman, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,640 people lived in Waterman on July 1, 2025, up 14.4% since 2020, while Illinois shrank 0.8%. The 2020 Census counted 1,433 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,448 (±261).
| Measure | Waterman | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,448 ±261 | 100,703 | no clear change |
| Households | 486 ±81 | 39,550 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.98 ±0.30 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 509 ±84 | 41,678 | no clear change |
Waterman's population since 2000
From 1,224 in 2000 to 1,640 in 2025: up 34.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Waterman 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 Waterman?
The median resident of Waterman is 31.0 years old; 29.4% are under 18 and 8.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 80.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 9.2%.
| Measure | Waterman | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.0 ±4.7 | 32.7 | −7.0 |
| Under 18 years | 29.4% ±5.6 pts | 21.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 8.1% ±2.4 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Male | 46.5% ±4.3 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.2% ±5.5 pts | 14.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 80.8% ±6.4 pts | 71.0% | −8.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±1.7 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 2.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.7% ±4.6 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.2% ±1.1 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.4% ±3.1 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.6% ±1.8 pts | 5.2% | – |
| With a disability | 8.5% ±3.4 pts | 11.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.4% ±4.5 pts | 5.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.4% ±3.2 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.2% ±7.0 pts | 33.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.5% ±2.2 pts | 13.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.5% ±3.0 pts | 82.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.7% ±0.6 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 Waterman earn?
Half of Waterman's 486 households earn less than $100,139 a year (±$9,737), against $70,724 in DeKalb County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $87,907 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Waterman | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,139 ±$9,737 | $70,724 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $110,738 ±$10,013 | $90,834 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,311 ±$4,933 | $36,298 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.0% ±2.8 pts | 14.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 4.8% ±5.5 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.0% ±4.0 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.0% ±1.4 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.9% ±1.7 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 Waterman?
Owners occupy 87.7% of Waterman's occupied homes and renters 12.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $217,300 by its owner (±$23,035). The median renter pays $877 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Waterman | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $217,300 ±$23,035 | $243,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $877 ±$109 | $1,049 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 21.2% ±18.3 pts | 46.3% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,596 ±$112 | $1,866 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.7% ±4.9 pts | 61.4% | +13.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.3% ±4.9 pts | 38.6% | – |
| Housing units | 509 ±84 | 41,678 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 15.5% ±19.3 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 86.1% ±5.0 pts | 58.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.9% ±3.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.4% ±1.4 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±7.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.2% ±6.8 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.1% ±2.0 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 Waterman building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Waterman in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.6 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 Waterman work and get to work?
83.9% of Waterman's workers drive alone and 9.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 39.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.1%.
| Measure | Waterman | DeKalb County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 78.5% ±4.3 pts | 68.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% ±2.1 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.9% ±4.7 pts | 74.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.9% ±3.0 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.9 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Walked | 1.6% ±2.5 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.6% ±3.9 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 39.0 min ±5.7 | 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 Waterman?
No census tract lies mostly in Waterman; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
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 Waterman) · Census block assignment files
How does Waterman compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Waterman is the 8,433rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 514th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Waterman ranks 340th 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 | 514th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 14th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 647th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 340th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 553rd | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 513th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 790th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 962nd | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 717th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 1,350th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 267th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 623rd | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 14th | 1,382 |
Waterman's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Waterman 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 Waterman?
19 of the 57 figures for Waterman 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 Waterman 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 Waterman.