Prairie State Wire

Illinois' population leaned heavily towards the 25 to 29 years demographic, according to U.S. Census Bureau data obtained by Prairie State Wire.

There were 880,487 individuals or 6.9% of the population falling within this age bracket.

The state registered a median age of 39, outpacing the national average of 38 in 2021.

Governor JB Pritzker Illinois | Office of the Governor JB Pritzker

Data also showed that women had a longer life expectancy than men, with 1.3% of women population over the age of 84 in comparison to 0.7% of men. To provide a broader perspective, the U.S. recorded 1.2% of women in the same age bracket nationwide.

According to the 2021 census, the median age varied across different ethnicities in the state. The average white resident in Illinois is 43 years old, while African Americans have a median age of 35 years old. The Asian population averages 37 years old, and Hispanics had an average of 30 years old.

Illinois' total population stood at 12,821,813 individuals in 2021.

OurWorldinData.org, an online project tracking global data and trends, says cities, states, countries and continents with higher median ages typically do better economically and residents earn higher wages than developing countries.

The median age of a United States resident has risen from 29.5-years-old in 1960 to 38.4-years-old in 2019. It has risen fairly consistently by two years every decade since the 1970’s.

An agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, the Census Bureau is responsible for compiling statistical facts about the American people, places and economy. Data for this story was compiled from the bureau’s American Community Survey. Information from the survey helps to determine how federal and state funds are distributed. These funds significantly influence community services, education, and infrastructure in areas like Illinois.

Age	Estimated Number	% of Overall Population
Under 5 years	745,681	5.8%
5 to 9 years	781,334	6.1%
10 to 14 years	846,355	6.6%
15 to 17 years	513,981	4%
18 and 19 years	336,123	2.6%
20 years	166,926	1.3%
21 years	166,547	1.3%
22 to 24 years	499,988	3.9%
25 to 29 years	880,487	6.9%
30 to 34 years	871,055	6.8%
35 to 39 years	863,527	6.7%
40 to 44 years	813,194	6.3%
45 to 49 years	813,111	6.3%
50 to 54 years	827,372	6.5%
55 to 59 years	869,497	6.8%
60 and 61 years	346,700	2.7%
62 to 64 years	467,200	3.6%
65 and 66 years	288,817	2.3%
67 to 69 years	382,679	3%
70 to 74 years	518,791	4%
75 to 79 years	339,908	2.7%
80 to 84 years	227,343	1.8%
85 years and over	255,197	2%

Source: US Census Bureau