Census place 1756926

Ottawa

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Ottawa city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Ottawa.

According to the 2025 estimate, Ottawa has a population of 18,684 and 1,256 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 225 covered Illinois places are: population density is 1,256/sq mi, below the comparison median of 2,707/sq mi; median home value is $154,000, below the comparison median of $274,000; and median gross rent is $920, below the comparison median of $1,347. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

population density
1,256/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 2,707/sq mi
median home value
$154,000
Below the comparison median of $274,000
median gross rent
$920
Below the comparison median of $1,347

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Ottawa's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
18,684
2025 estimate
Annual change
-0.2%
Population estimate
Density
1,256/sq mi
14.9 sq mi land area
Median age
39.8 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$71,413
Median home value
$154,000
Median gross rent
$920
Bachelor’s degree or higher
23.3%
Typical commute
22.7 min
Drive-alone commute
82.2%
Public transit commute
0.2%
Walked to work
0.6%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
30.3%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
48.8%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
57.3%
Unemployed residents 16+
4.2%
Working from home
5.2%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
84.3%
Homes built 2020+
0.7%
Households without a vehicle
7.1%
Households with children
33%
Residents with a disability
14.7%
Residents without insurance
5%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for LaSalle County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
9
Severe Storm declarations
3
Snowstorm declarations
3
Flood declarations
1

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: CHICAGO AURORA MUNI AP (34 mi from place center)
Average high
59.7°F
Average low
39.1°F
Annual rainfall
33.8"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in Ottawa.

Typical high and low °F
0°F20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

West Mifflin, PA

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
18,707
Median home
$151,600

Kirksville, MO

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
17,863
Median home
$153,900

Defiance, OH

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
17,009
Median home
$139,900

Keep exploring

Compare Ottawa with West Mifflin