Census tract · Cook County
Census Tract 8259, Cook County, Illinois
Census Tract 8259, GEOID 17031825900, in Cook County, Illinois, entirely within Calumet City and Thornton Township. 3,055 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±820); the 2020 Census counted 3,296.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,055
±820 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 3,296
Median household income
$46,705
±$20,834 (90% margin)
Cook County: $83,498
Median home value
$136,700
±$39,803 (90% margin)
Cook County: $324,500
Median gross rent
$1,510
±$257 (90% margin)
Cook County: $1,435
Where is Census Tract 8259?
Census Tract 8259 is one of 1,332 census tracts in Cook County, Illinois. It covers 0.62 square miles of land, 5,291 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 17031825900, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Calumet City | 100% |
| Thornton Township | 100% |
5 census tracts border Census Tract 8259: Tract 8257 ($57,790), Tract 8258.02 ($70,696), Tract 8258.03 ($66,051), Tract 8260 ($77,825) and Tract 8261 ($51,316). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 8259?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 8259's population at 3,055 (±820) in 1,023 households; the 2020 Census counted 3,296 residents and 1,263 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 8259 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,055±820 | 35,100 |
| Households | 1,023±197 | 14,332 |
| Average household size | 2.99±0.44 | 2.45 |
| Housing units | 1,260±159 | 16,556 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 8259?
The median resident of Census Tract 8259 is 30.8 years old; 32.6% are under 18 and 9.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 57.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 36.3%. 15.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 8259 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 30.8±5.4 | 38.6 |
| Under 18 years | 32.6%±12.8 pts | 24.8% |
| 65 years and over | 9.8%±5.6 pts | 15.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 36.3%±13.7 pts | 16.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 3.9%±3.0 pts | 5.6% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 57.6%±13.6 pts | 75.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.2%±3.0 pts | 2.6% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.2 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 15.8%±7.3 pts | 10.3% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 30.1%±10.9 pts | 17.8% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.5%±3.1 pts | 3.9% |
| With a disability | 16.6%±5.9 pts | 11.8% |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.0%±6.2 pts | 8.8% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 83.2%±6.6 pts | 88.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.8%±5.2 pts | 21.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.7%±1.7 pts | 7.1% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.6%±4.6 pts | 87.5% |
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 Census Tract 8259 earn?
Half of the 1,023 households in Census Tract 8259 earn less than $46,705 a year (±$20,834), against $83,498 across Cook County: 1,114th highest of the county's 1,258 tracts with a reliable estimate. 34.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 8259 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,705±$20,834 | $55,369 |
| Mean household income | $59,900±$11,983 | $67,055 |
| Per capita income | $20,468±$5,356 | $28,113 |
| People below the poverty line | 34.9%±18.2 pts | 23.4% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 54.6%±31.7 pts | 35.8% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 33.5%±11.6 pts | 24.7% |
| Households with a computer | 88.4%±12.5 pts | 93.3% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.3%±7.7 pts | 89.4% |
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 Census Tract 8259?
Owners occupy 62.7% of Census Tract 8259's occupied homes and renters 37.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $136,700 by its owner (±$39,803). The median renter pays $1,510 a month including utilities, and 73.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 8259 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $136,700±$39,803 | $145,200 |
| Median gross rent | $1,510±$257 | $1,177 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 73.9%±17.1 pts | 56.9% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,455±$274 | $1,655 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 62.7%±11.3 pts | 55.7% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 37.3%±11.3 pts | 44.3% |
| Housing units | 1,260±159 | 16,556 |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.2%±11.3 pts | 53.9% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±2.9 pts | 3.1% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±2.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0%±2.9 pts | 0.6% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 16.0%±10.3 pts | 11.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.2%±8.9 pts | 15.6% |
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 do people in Census Tract 8259 get to work?
59.7% of Census Tract 8259's workers drive alone and 11.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 32.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 20.8%.
| Measure | Tract 8259 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.8%±9.5 pts | 63.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 20.8%±10.3 pts | 10.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 59.7%±10.2 pts | 69.0% |
| Carpooled | 17.0%±9.2 pts | 9.1% |
| Public transportation | 5.9%±5.2 pts | 9.4% |
| Walked | 3.2%±3.6 pts | 2.4% |
| Worked from home | 11.7%±6.8 pts | 9.8% |
| Mean travel time to work | 32.4 min±2.2 | 34.4 min |
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
How does Census Tract 8259 compare with the other tracts in Cook County?
Among Cook County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 8259 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Cook County | In Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 866th of 1,328 | 7th of 8 |
| Residents per square mile | 982nd of 1,331 | 4th of 8 |
| Median household income | 1,114th of 1,258 | 6th of 8 |
| Per capita income | 1,236th of 1,325 | 8th of 8 |
| Median home value | 1,234th of 1,279 | 4th of 6 |
| Median gross rent | 488th of 1,254 | 3rd of 8 |
| Poverty rate | 94th of 905 | 2nd of 8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,172nd of 1,264 | 7th of 7 |
| Median age | 1,207th of 1,327 | 7th of 8 |
| Owner-occupied share | 590th of 1,300 | 4th of 8 |
The tracts next to it on Cook County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2516 | 1,111th | $46,869±$22,067 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 5201 | 1,112th | $46,786±$13,273 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 7104 | 1,113th | $46,727±$13,168 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8259 | 1,114th | $46,705±$20,834 |
| Tract 8093 | 1,115th | $46,458±$22,991 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 3812 | 1,116th | $46,407±$24,153 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8244 | 1,117th | $46,336±$13,199 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 8259?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 8259 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections