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Demographic Analysis of Zip Code 61488: Predominantly White with Slow Diversification
CATEGORY
Demographics
DATA
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
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Demographics
Population
Median Income
Racial Distributions
Zip code 61488 in Wataga, Illinois, is classified as a Low Diversity area as of 2022. The population is predominantly white, comprising 89% of the total. The current median income is $49,058, showing a slight decrease from 2021, indicating a minor economic downturn.
Over the past decade, Wataga has maintained its Low Diversity status. The white population has consistently remained the majority, never falling below 89%. However, there are indications of a gradual shift towards increased diversity. The Hispanic population increased from 1% in 2013 to 5% in 2022, while the Black population grew from less than 1% to 2% during the same period. The population identifying as two or more races also increased from 2% to 3% between 2013 and 2022.
The median income in Wataga has fluctuated over the past decade. From 2013 to 2018, there was a generally increasing trend, peaking at $54,672 in 2018. In 2019, there was a sharp decline to $44,799, followed by a recovery and stabilization around $49,000-$50,000 from 2020 to 2022. These economic changes do not appear to directly correlate with the gradual increase in diversity, suggesting that broader economic factors have a more significant influence on the community's economic wellbeing than demographic changes.
The population of Wataga has shown a general decline, decreasing from 1,099 in 2010 to 872 in 2022, a reduction of approximately 20%. This decline does not seem to have significantly altered the racial composition, indicating that outmigration has been relatively proportional across racial groups.
Wataga's demographic trends differ from national patterns, where many areas have experienced more rapid diversification over the past decade. The slow pace of change in Wataga suggests it may be a more traditional, stable community less affected by broader demographic shifts. The median income of around $50,000 is below the national median (which was about $67,000 in 2020), indicating that Wataga is a relatively lower-income area.
In conclusion, Wataga remains a Low Diversity community, but subtle signs of increased diversity are evident. The economic situation has been variable but generally stable over the past decade, with changes seemingly more tied to broader economic factors than to local demographic shifts. The community appears to be in the early stages of a potential long-term transition towards greater diversity, though this process is occurring at a much slower rate than in many other parts of the country.
