PlainZIP

Waterman, IL · standard

ZIP Code 60556

DeKalb County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

2,007
15/sq mi
$100,186
Median income
$234,800
Median home value
29.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Waterman pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 19%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 46%
home value, US ZIPs
15
people per sq mi
81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 60556 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 60556 covers 135.6 square miles in Waterman, DeKalb County, Illinois (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,007 residents on file, a density of 15 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 60556 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $100,186 (25% above the Illinois average), while per-capita income is $38,261. Local economic indicators show a 4.8% poverty rate alongside 3.1% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $234,800 (22% above the state average) with median rent at $885 per month, and 81.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30, and the average commute is 37 minutes. We also surface 6 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing DeKalb County, so you can benchmark 60556 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 60556

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waterman, IL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 60556.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 60556, Waterman, IL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

2,007

Population

135.6

Area (sq mi)

15

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 60556?

30.0

Median Age

47.6%

Male

52.4%

Female

2.7%

Foreign-Born

White 85.3%
African American 1.4%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.4%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$100,186

Median Household Income

+25% vs state

$38,261

Per Capita Income

4.8%

Poverty Rate

3.1%

Unemployment Rate

36.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 60556 ranks nationally

Waterman, IL household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$100,186 Top 19% higher than 81% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 60.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

742

Total Housing Units

719

Occupied Units

23

Vacant Units

2.97

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.1%
Renter 18.9%

$234,800

Median Home Value

+22% vs state

$885

Median Rent

1957

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+5.6%

YoY Change (2024)

156

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+56%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 60556 have increased 5.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +56% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.1% 111
2021 +8.8% 121
2022 +9.3% 132
2023 +12.2% 148
2024 +5.6% 156

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 40 business establishments in ZIP 60556, employing approximately 375 people with a combined annual payroll of $24,423,000.

40

Businesses

375

Employees

$24.4M

Annual Payroll

8

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Transportation and warehousing 5 12.5%
Other services (except public administration) 5 12.5%
Construction 4 10.0%
Wholesale trade 4 10.0%
Finance and insurance 4 10.0%
Manufacturing 3 7.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 3 7.5%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 3 7.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 60556 vs 60550 →

ZIP 60556 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 60556 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 60556 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 60556 ranks #2 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
60550 Shabbona, IL 1,440 5.4 mi
60520 Hinckley, IL 2,886 6.1 mi
60115 Dekalb, IL 46,272 9.6 mi
60531 Leland, IL 1,902 10.2 mi
60552 Somonauk, IL 4,448 8.0 mi
60548 Sandwich, IL 12,218 10.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in DeKalb County

60115 standard
Dekalb, IL
Pop: 46,272
60178 standard
Sycamore, IL
Pop: 21,840
60548 standard
Sandwich, IL
Pop: 12,218
60135 standard
Genoa, IL
Pop: 7,248
60112 standard
Cortland, IL
Pop: 4,560
60520 standard
Hinckley, IL
Pop: 2,886

Related Areas

DeKalb County Waterman, IL Illinois

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 60556 in? ▼
ZIP code 60556 (Waterman) is located in DeKalb County, Illinois. DeKalb County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/dekalb-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 60556? ▼
ZIP code 60556 in Waterman, IL has a population of 2,007 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 60556? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 60556 is $100,186, which is 31% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 60556? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 60556 is $234,800, which is 16% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 60556? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 60556 is White at 85.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 60556? ▼
ZIP code 60556 has 40 business establishments employing approximately 375 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 60556? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 60556 are: Transportation and warehousing (5), Other services (except public administration) (5), Construction (4). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 60556? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 60556 increased by 5.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 56%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 60556? ▼
In ZIP code 60556, 60.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 60556? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 60556 is 36.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 60556? ▼
In ZIP code 60556, approximately 81.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 60556? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 60556 is 4.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.