Village · Illinois
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette, village, in Cook County, Illinois. Wilmette had 27,459 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 2.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 28,170 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 27,503 (±109). GEOID 1782075.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
27,459
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 28,170 · ACS 2020-2024: 27,503 ±109
Median household income
$190,662
±$19,517 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$810,600
±$43,969 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$1,978
±$282 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Wilmette and what county is it in?
Wilmette is a village in Cook County, Illinois. It covers 5.4 square miles of land, 5,216 residents per square mile in 2020.
Wilmette is in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 13 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Wilmette lies entirely within New Trier 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 Wilmette, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 27,459 people lived in Wilmette on July 1, 2025, down 2.5% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 28,170 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 27,503 (±109).
| Measure | Wilmette | Cook County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 27,503 ±109 | 5,182,090 | +256 |
| Households | 10,287 ±385 | 2,100,230 | +570 |
| Average household size | 2.66 ±0.10 | 2.43 | −0.13 |
| Housing units | 10,679 ±385 | 2,276,493 | no clear change |
Wilmette's population since 2000
From 27,651 in 2000 to 27,459 in 2025: down 0.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Wilmette 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 Wilmette?
The median resident of Wilmette is 45.3 years old; 30.5% are under 18 and 21.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.3%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 12.3%. 14.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Wilmette | Cook County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 ±1.2 | 38.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 30.5% ±1.9 pts | 21.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.7% ±1.7 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±1.4 pts | 48.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.9% ±1.5 pts | 26.8% | +2.2 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 76.3% ±2.8 pts | 40.1% | −4.5 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 21.8% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 12.3% ±1.8 pts | 7.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.8% ±1.0 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 14.6% ±1.8 pts | 21.7% | −2.4 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 18.9% ±2.4 pts | 35.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.6% ±0.9 pts | 3.2% | – |
| With a disability | 8.8% ±1.3 pts | 11.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.7% ±0.6 pts | 8.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.8% ±0.5 pts | 88.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 83.6% ±2.0 pts | 42.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 49.5% ±2.6 pts | 18.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.7% ±2.3 pts | 88.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.6% ±0.8 pts | 1.8% | – |
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 Wilmette earn?
Half of Wilmette's 10,287 households earn less than $190,662 a year (±$19,517), against $83,498 in Cook County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $202,672 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 3.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Wilmette | Cook County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $190,662 ±$19,517 | $83,498 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $300,005 ±$25,237 | $120,717 | – |
| Per capita income | $112,774 ±$9,452 | $49,329 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 3.2% ±1.3 pts | 13.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.2% ±2.5 pts | 17.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 2.6% ±1.3 pts | 15.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.6% ±1.7 pts | 95.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.7% ±2.1 pts | 90.6% | – |
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 Wilmette?
Owners occupy 87.9% of Wilmette's occupied homes and renters 12.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $810,600 by its owner (±$43,969). The median renter pays $1,978 a month including utilities, and 38.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Wilmette | Cook County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $810,600 ±$43,969 | $324,500 | −$60,485 |
| Median gross rent | $1,978 ±$282 | $1,435 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.1% ±10.2 pts | 39.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $4,000 or more | $2,270 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.9% ±2.3 pts | 57.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.1% ±2.3 pts | 42.3% | – |
| Housing units | 10,679 ±385 | 2,276,493 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.9% ±4.7 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 76.3% ±2.0 pts | 39.6% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5% ±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.6% ±1.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 28.6% ±2.8 pts | 27.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.3% ±1.9 pts | 18.0% | – |
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 Wilmette building?
Builders took permits for 22 new housing units in Wilmette in 2025 (22 in single-family houses), 0.8 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 Wilmette work and get to work?
41.0% of Wilmette's workers drive alone and 36.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 34.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.2%.
| Measure | Wilmette | Cook County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 60.9% ±2.7 pts | 66.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% ±1.0 pts | 7.0% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 41.0% ±3.3 pts | 54.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.4% ±1.1 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 13.5% ±2.9 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Walked | 3.1% ±1.1 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 36.1% ±3.9 pts | 18.9% | +24.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 34.6 min ±4.1 | 31.5 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 Wilmette?
6 census tracts lie mostly in Wilmette, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $145,208 (Tract 8009) to $250,000 or more (Tract 8007).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8010Cook County | 5,091 | $163,542 |
| Tract 8011Cook County | 4,961 | $235,511 |
| Tract 8013Cook County | 4,461 | $190,313 |
| Tract 8009Cook County | 4,371 | $145,208 |
| Tract 8007Cook County | 4,984 | $250,000 or more |
| Tract 8012Cook County | 3,509 | $203,750 |
| Tract 8008Cook County | 2,322 | $121,111 |
| Tract 8019.02Cook County | 3,747 | $203,646 |
| Tract 8014Cook County | 2,886 | $169,318 |
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 Wilmette) · Census block assignment files
How does Wilmette compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Wilmette is the 1,463rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 77th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Wilmette ranks 22nd 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 | 77th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 835th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 43rd | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 22nd | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 7th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 12th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 44th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 1,073rd | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 287th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 260th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 6th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 64th | 1,382 |
Wilmette's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Wilmette 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 Wilmette?
7 of the 57 figures for Wilmette 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 Wilmette 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 Wilmette.