Census tract · Cook County
Census Tract 8261, Cook County, Illinois
Census Tract 8261, GEOID 17031826100, in Cook County, Illinois, entirely within Calumet City and Thornton Township. 5,316 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±908); the 2020 Census counted 5,931.
Residents, 2020-2024
5,316
±908 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 5,931
Median household income
$51,316
±$9,604 (90% margin)
Cook County: $83,498
Median home value
$133,700
±$38,259 (90% margin)
Cook County: $324,500
Median gross rent
$1,304
±$129 (90% margin)
Cook County: $1,435
Where is Census Tract 8261?
Census Tract 8261 is one of 1,332 census tracts in Cook County, Illinois. It covers 1.36 square miles of land, 4,351 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 17031826100, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Calumet City | 100% |
| Thornton Township | 100% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 8261: Tract 8259 ($46,705), Tract 8260 ($77,825), Tract 8262.01 ($44,409) and Tract 8262.02 ($68,878). 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 8261?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 8261's population at 5,316 (±908) in 2,119 households; the 2020 Census counted 5,931 residents and 2,441 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 8261 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,316±908 | 35,100 |
| Households | 2,119±303 | 14,332 |
| Average household size | 2.50±0.29 | 2.45 |
| Housing units | 2,691±246 | 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 8261?
The median resident of Census Tract 8261 is 35.1 years old; 21.0% are under 18 and 11.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 74.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 13.8%. 7.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 8261 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1±5.7 | 38.6 |
| Under 18 years | 21.0%±5.0 pts | 24.8% |
| 65 years and over | 11.7%±3.4 pts | 15.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 13.8%±7.8 pts | 16.3% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 9.0%±3.2 pts | 5.6% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 74.7%±8.3 pts | 75.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 0.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.5%±2.8 pts | 2.6% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.7 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 7.3%±2.8 pts | 10.3% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.7%±6.9 pts | 17.8% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 1.1%±1.2 pts | 3.9% |
| With a disability | 12.2%±4.7 pts | 11.8% |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.9%±5.9 pts | 8.8% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 92.7%±3.7 pts | 88.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 15.9%±7.2 pts | 21.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.6%±3.6 pts | 7.1% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.7%±10.4 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 8261 earn?
Half of the 2,119 households in Census Tract 8261 earn less than $51,316 a year (±$9,604), against $83,498 across Cook County: 1,058th highest of the county's 1,258 tracts with a reliable estimate. 13.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 8261 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,316±$9,604 | $55,369 |
| Mean household income | $65,034±$10,365 | $67,055 |
| Per capita income | $27,309±$4,157 | $28,113 |
| People below the poverty line | 13.8%±7.7 pts | 23.4% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.1%±12.3 pts | 35.8% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 21.6%±10.8 pts | 24.7% |
| Households with a computer | 94.2%±3.9 pts | 93.3% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.8%±3.3 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 8261?
Owners occupy 45.4% of Census Tract 8261's occupied homes and renters 54.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $133,700 by its owner (±$38,259). The median renter pays $1,304 a month including utilities, and 40.7% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 8261 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $133,700±$38,259 | $145,200 |
| Median gross rent | $1,304±$129 | $1,177 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.7%±17.7 pts | 56.9% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,613±$398 | $1,655 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 45.4%±10.8 pts | 55.7% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 54.6%±10.8 pts | 44.3% |
| Housing units | 2,691±246 | 16,556 |
| Single-family detached homes | 62.9%±9.7 pts | 53.9% |
| Mobile homes | 2.0%±3.1 pts | 3.1% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0%±1.4 pts | 0.0% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0%±1.4 pts | 0.6% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 34.4%±7.9 pts | 11.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 16.4%±10.7 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 8261 get to work?
56.8% of Census Tract 8261's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 38.0 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 8261 | Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 66.7%±8.4 pts | 63.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.5%±6.6 pts | 10.6% |
| Drove alone to work | 56.8%±12.2 pts | 69.0% |
| Carpooled | 17.1%±11.3 pts | 9.1% |
| Public transportation | 19.0%±11.1 pts | 9.4% |
| Walked | 0.0%±1.4 pts | 2.4% |
| Worked from home | 7.2%±5.6 pts | 9.8% |
| Mean travel time to work | 38.0 min±8.4 | 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 8261 compare with the other tracts in Cook County?
Among Cook County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 8261 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Cook County | In Calumet City |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 279th of 1,328 | 4th of 8 |
| Residents per square mile | 1,066th of 1,331 | 5th of 8 |
| Median household income | 1,058th of 1,258 | 5th of 8 |
| Per capita income | 1,020th of 1,325 | 5th of 8 |
| Median home value | 1,235th of 1,279 | 5th of 6 |
| Median gross rent | 755th of 1,254 | 4th of 8 |
| Poverty rate | 491st of 905 | 8th of 8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,088th of 1,264 | 6th of 7 |
| Median age | 891st of 1,327 | 6th of 8 |
| Owner-occupied share | 883rd of 1,300 | 7th of 8 |
The tracts next to it on Cook County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8233.04 | 1,055th | $51,662±$10,028 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 1912 | 1,056th | $51,449±$9,496 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8293.02 | 1,057th | $51,363±$10,703 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8261 | 1,058th | $51,316±$9,604 |
| Tract 2521.01 | 1,059th | $51,250±$9,949 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 3018.01 | 1,060th | $51,235±$21,643 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 8206.04 | 1,061st | $51,224±$12,408 · 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 8261?
2 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 8261 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