Village becoming older, more diverse according to U.S. Census
LOMBARD, Illinois—The Village of Lombard received its population count relative to the 2010 Census; however, challenged the numbers and the end result was an increase in the population and number of households for the Village.
Population Count
Lombard's official population as of April 1, 2010 was 43,395, representing a gain of 1,073 residents since 2000 (+2.5%). Lombard grew at a faster rate than DuPage County, but slower than Illinois as a whole. Although larger communities such as Chicago, Schaumburg, Wheaton, and Downers Grove actually lost population during the last decade, Lombard's population total places it just behind Elmhurst.
In July 2011, Community Development Department staff noticed a discrepancy in the U. S. Census Bureau's figures and submitted an official challenge to the official 2010 Census population and housing unit count for Lombard. This challenge was accepted by the Census, and the official figures have since been revised to reflect an additional 230 residents and 149 housing units that were not reflected in the original count. (Although the Census Bureau will not be publishing corrections to information it has already made available, the new, corrected figure will be included in its errata information and will be used in future calculations.) This change is significant to the Village's bottom line because many state and federal funds are distributed to municipalities based upon the official Census population. Staff's work on this correction will result in approximately $230,000 in additional revenue to the Village over the next 10 years.
Race and Ethnicity
Lombard and DuPage County are becoming more racially diverse while the state as a whole is not. However, all areas had a significant increase in Hispanic/Latino population (+33% to +73%) when compared to the 2000 Census. Lombard experienced a significant increase in the numbers of Black/African American (+72%), Asian (+41%), “Other Race” (+105%), and Hispanic/Latino (+73%) residents. (Note: The Census considers Hispanic or Latino background as an ethnic identity, separate from race. However, many Hispanic or Latino people self-identify as “Other” in terms of race.)
Age and Households
Along with the rest of DuPage County and the State of Illinois, the average Lombard resident is getting older. The median age has increased from 36.7 to 39.1 in the past 10 years. This aging of the population can be seen by examining various age groups, with the number of residents aged 25 to 44 years decreasing by 15.1% (-1,850 residents) while residents aged 45 to 64 years increased by 23.9% (+2,819 residents).
Lombard households are also changing in terms of size and composition. The average household size has decreased from 2.49 to 2.45, but the average family size has remained constant at 3.13. There are fewer households with children under 18 years (decreasing by 1.9% since 2000) and more households with individuals 65 years and older (increasing by 12.7%). The number of households where the householder lives alone has also increased, growing by 12.9% since 2000.
Data Availability
Information on the 2010 Census can be obtained online via the Census Bureau's American Factfinder system at www.census.gov. Unlike previous censuses, the 2010 Census did not include questions on detailed social and economic information such as income and employment. This type of information is now collected as part of the American Community Survey, an ongoing statistical survey that provides detailed estimates for Lombard using rolling three-year periods.