Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety83#162/924
Economy55#420/925
Housing80#189/925
Health60#369/925
Healthcare34#613/923
Environment17#758/917
Education44#520/925
Infrastructure32#630/925
Community63#344/925
Leisure & amenities82#170/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Ottawa, IL micropolitan area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Public libraries · high2.2 /10k
97/100Illinois 0.6 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesAggregated from counties
Restaurants and bars · high17.6 /10k
97/100Illinois 10.3 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Home price to income ratio · low2.2×
95/100Illinois 3.2×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077
Uninsured residents (under 65) · low5.3%
91/100Illinois 8.1%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010
Violent crime rate · low127 /100k
84/100Illinois 251 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Homicide rate · low1.6 /100k
84/100Illinois 6.2 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Effective property tax rate · high1.84%
3/100Illinois 1.88%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Unemployment rate · high5.4%
12/100Illinois 4.6%United States 4.3%2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsPartial year
New homes permitted · low0.7 /1k
14/100Illinois 1.5 /1kUnited States 4.2 /1kSep 2025–Aug 2026U.S. Census BureauProvisional data
Primary care physicians · low38 /100k
14/100Illinois 82 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · high8.7 µg/m³
15/100Illinois 8.8 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Mental health providers · low129 /100k
17/100Illinois 355 /100kUnited States 348 /100k2025University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
3% (2021) → 39% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+36 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Voter turnoutWorsening
85.8% (2020) → 63.8% (2024)
−22 pts4 yearsUS 68.5% → 65.2%
New business applicationsImproving
4.6 /1k (2020) → 9.2 /1k (2025)
+102%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Homicide rateImproving
4.7 /100k (2021) → 1.6 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−65%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Drug overdose deathsImproving
29.4 /100k (2021) → 15.8 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−46%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Preventable hospital staysImproving
3,658 /100k (2019) → 1,996 /100k (2023)
−45%4 yearsUS 3,767 /100k → 2,769 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Ottawa, IL micropolitan area improved on 13 of 30 measures with a comparison and declined on 6. 7 moved within the margin of error and 4 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved13

New businesses+102%4.6 /1k → 9.2 /1k
Grocery stores+13%1.8 /10k → 2.1 /10k
High school++2.6 points89.3% → 91.8%
Restaurants+7%16.5 /10k → 17.6 /10k
Overdose deaths−33%23.6 /100k → 15.8 /100k

Declined6

Homicides+127%0.7 /100k → 1.6 /100k
Firearm deaths+69%6.6 /100k → 11.2 /100k
Suicides+37%12.5 /100k → 17.2 /100k
Commute+2.1 min22.8 min → 24.9 min
Traffic deaths+27%17.0 /100k → 21.5 /100k

All 30 measures

Change of every measure of Ottawa, IL micropolitan area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	4.3 /10k2020	4.7 /10k2025	+9.5%	Improved	52%
Average commute time	22.8 min2015-2019	24.9 min2020-2024	+2.1 min	Declined	11%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.4%2015-2019	20.8%2020-2024	+2.4 points	Improved	42%
Broadband subscriptions	81.3%2015-2019	87.1%2020-2024	+5.8 points	Improved	13%
Child poverty rate	21.4%2015-2019	19.0%2020-2024	−2.4 points	Improved	50%
Distance to an airport	72 mi2020	72 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	84%
Drug overdose deaths	23.6 /100k2020	15.8 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−33%	Improved	60%
Effective property tax rate	2.02%2015-2019	1.84%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	68%
Firearm deaths	6.6 /100k2020	11.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+69%	Declined	6%
Grocery stores	1.8 /10k2020	2.1 /10k2025	+13%	Improved	81%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.7 /10k2020	0.7 /10k2025	+1.6%	Little change	47%
High school diploma or higher	89.3%2015-2019	91.8%2020-2024	+2.6 points	Improved	72%
Home price to income ratio	2.1×2015-2019	2.2×2020-2024	+0.0×	Within the margin of error	94%
Homicide rate	0.7 /100k2020	1.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+127%	Declined	1%
Income adjusted for local prices	$49,9852019	$65,7542024	+32%	Improved	50%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4282015-2019	0.4382020-2024	+0.010	Within the margin of error	29%
Median household income	$58,1602015-2019	$72,2302020-2024	+24%	Improved	34%
New business applications	4.6 /1k2020	9.2 /1k2025	+102%	Improved	95%
Pharmacies	1.6 /10k2020	1.3 /10k2025	−16%	Declined	30%
Poverty rate	12.9%2015-2019	13.0%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	26%
Public libraries	2.2 /10k2019	2.2 /10k2024	+0.6%	Little change	68%
Public transit commuters	0.2%2015-2019	0.2%2020-2024	−0 points	Within the margin of error	80%
Rent as share of income	27.4%2015-2019	26.1%2020-2024	−1.3 points	Within the margin of error	80%
Rent-burdened households	44.4%2015-2019	40.7%2020-2024	−3.7 points	Within the margin of error	84%
Restaurants and bars	16.5 /10k2020	17.6 /10k2025	+7%	Improved	72%
Suicide rate	12.5 /100k2020	17.2 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+37%	Declined	12%
Traffic deaths	17.0 /100k2015-2019	21.5 /100k2020-2024	+27%	Declined	21%
Unemployment rate	8.7%2020	5.4%2025	−3.3 points	Improved	57%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	5.2%2015-2019	5.4%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	39%
Violent crime rate	159 /100k2020	127 /100k2025	−20%	Improved	57%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Ottawa, IL micropolitan area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Ottawa, IL micropolitan area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Ottawa, IL micropolitan area itself moved −2.5 points in standing on average over the same 29 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

147,181 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

61,866 households (±693)

Ottawa, IL micropolitan area
United States share

Under $25k15%9,459
$25k–50k20%12,078
$50k–75k17%10,378

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

61,866 households (±693)

Ottawa, IL micropolitan area
United States share

Own75%46,455
Rent25%15,411

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (+1.9 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

68,672 workers (±921)

Ottawa, IL micropolitan area
United States share

Drive alone82%56,640
Carpool8.6%5,909
Public transit0.2%†135

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes no occupation wages for Ottawa, IL micropolitan area.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Ottawa, IL has 3,355 employer establishments, 229 for every 10,000 residents (0.92× the US rate of 248), with 44,039 paid employees at an average annual pay of $52,687. The Census Bureau also counts 8,510 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 3,355; 8,510 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 229; US 248
Paid employees: 44,039
Average annual pay: $52,687; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Ottawa, IL by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	279	19.1	1.04×About typical	3,743	$18,237	60
Specialty trade contractors	204	14	0.90×About typical	1,214	$85,047	629
Ambulatory health care services	201	13.7	0.66×Fewer than typical	1,444	$63,015	261
Truck transportation	159	10.9	2.15×More than typical	1,428	$73,098	314
Full-service restaurants	148	10.1	1.32×More than typical	1,643	$18,803	29
Religious organizations	118	8.1	1.46×More than typical	566	$17,389	—
Limited-service restaurants	103	7	0.88×About typical	1,862	$17,859	16
Automotive repair and maintenance	99	6.8	1.34×More than typical	514	$47,903	142
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)	90	6.2	5.08×More than typical	410	$17,680	50
Construction of buildings	88	6	0.80×Fewer than typical	340	$62,915	210
Banks and credit unions	87	6	1.84×More than typical	1,104	$61,830	5
Offices of other health practitioners	78	5.3	0.88×About typical	326	$44,702	143

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 146,200 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $3M on contracts performed in Ottawa, IL micropolitan area: $20.60 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $3M; −73% vs FY2025
Per resident: $20.60; US $1,994
Sole-source: 0.0%; US 30%
Single offer: 82%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Defense Logistics Agency$1.9M65%
Environmental Protection Agency$876.9K29%
Department of the Navy$107.8K3.6%
Department of the Army$77.8K2.6%

Top recipients

AMERICAN WATER OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, LLC$1.9M65%
ARDL INC$1.5M51%
JACOBS ENGINEERING GROUP INC.$479.8K16%
S.S. PAPADOPULOS & ASSOCIATES, INC.$226.6K7.5%
LEISNOI DIVERSIFIED-KEMRON 8A JV, LLC$170.5K5.7%

Spending by fiscal year

7.4MFY2017
23.3MFY2018
27.8MFY2019
12.2MFY2020
19MFY2021
4.7MFY2022
23.6MFY2023
72.5M

Top industries (NAICS)

Water, sewage and other systems · 2213$1.9M65%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$1.6M55%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$194.6K6.5%
Nonscheduled air transportation · 4812$107.8K3.6%
Other food manufacturing · 3119$47.2K1.6%
Special food services · 7223

Largest awards

OTTAWA RADIATION NPL 8, OTTAWA, IL DOL MEGAPROJECT$66.9M
LEISNOI DIVERSIFIED-KEMRON 8A JV, LLC· LaSalle County, IL· Facilities & utilities· Sep 30, 2024 – Aug 27, 2026· 68HE0524C0005
UTILITY PRIVATIZATION OF THE POTABLE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AT SCOTT AFB, IL.$55.1M
AMERICAN WATER OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, LLC· Bureau County, IL· Facilities & utilities· Nov 29, 2016 – May 22, 2026· SP060007C8253
M&H ZINC RESIDENTIAL REMEDIATION$12.1M
PE AYUDA JOINT VENTURE LLC· LaSalle County, IL· Professional services· May 11, 2023 – Mar 3, 2026· W912P923F0129
MATTHIESSEN AND HEGELER ZINC COMPANY SUPERFUND SITE (B568): R5, SUPERFUND & GREAT LAKES ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING SERVICES (SFGLAES), SEMD, JACOBS (68HE0523D0003), REMEDIAL DESIGN (RD) TASK ORDER

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $997.9M in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Ottawa, IL micropolitan area: $6,840 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $997.9M; −8.3% vs FY2025
Per resident: $6,840; US $12,955
Loan face value: $21.1M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 2.8%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$676.1M68%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$75.4M7.6%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$66.2M6.6%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$55.9M5.6%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$19.4M1.9%
20.287 · Surface Transportation Block Grant Program$17.6M1.8%
10.990 · Farmer Bridge Assistance Program$16.7M1.7%
10.988 · Supplemental Disaster Relief Program$7.7M0.8%

Top recipients (organizations)

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$25.8M2.6%
SPRINGFIELD, IL
HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR LA SALLE COUNTY$10.4M1.0%
OTTAWA, IL
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS' AFFAIRS$6.5M0.7%
MANTENO, IL
ILLINOIS VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE$3.2M0.3%
OGLESBY, IL
DEPUE COMMUNITY UNIT SCHOOL DISTRICT #103

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$837.1M84%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$63.9M6.4%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$25.8M2.6%
Department of Transportation
Farm Service Agency$24.5M2.5%
Department of Agriculture
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing

Assistance by fiscal year

913.1MFY2021
896.6MFY2022
953.3MFY2023
959.7MFY2024
1.1BFY2025
997.9MFY2026

County aggregates

91%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Ottawa, IL

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

OttawaPrincipal city18,447

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Illinois

Areas based in Illinois, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/M36837

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved13

Declined6

Metro and micro areas like Ottawa, IL micropolitan area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Ottawa, IL

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Illinois

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved13

Declined6

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought