According to 2010 US Census data, 25- to 34-year olds accounted for 13.4% of the nation’s population and 17.97% of the City of Chicago’s. That translates to over 41 million in the age group across the US and over 519,000 in Chicago.
The aggregate numbers mask wide variations in the percentage of 25- to 34-year olds within Chicago ZIP Codes. We looked at downtown and North Lakefront ZIPs to determine where this cohort has its strongest and weakest presence.
Only two ZIP Codes in the area lagged the citywide percentage of 25- to 34-year olds: 60601, at 16.61% and 60616, at 16.99%. ZIP 60601 spans the northern stretches of the Loop and the New East Side. ZIP 60616 includes part of the South Loop and part of the Near South Side.
Two ZIP Codes are clear outliers: 60657 (Lakeview), at 40.06%, and 60661, at 42.89%. ZIP 60661 includes the Fulton River District and a part of the West Loop.
A number of new apartment towers have opened in 60601 and 60661 since the Census data was gathered, likely increasing the 25- to 34-year old percentages in both of those ZIP Codes. Spend some time hanging around any of the new high-rises and you’re likely to see few residents outside that age range.
According to the Census data, ZIP Codes 60660 (Edgewater, 20.32%), 60626 (Rogers Park, 20.16%) and 60622 (24.72%) have 123, 121 and 120 males, respectively, for every 100 females in the 25- to 34-year age range. ZIP 60622 includes parts of Bucktown, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, East Village and Humboldt Park.
ZIP Code 60610 had only 83 males for every 100 females in the age group. The ZIP covers Old Town and part of the Gold Coast and Near North Side.