Elmhurst D-205 To See Rising Enrollment: Study

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst School District 205 will see a 4.6 percent increase in enrollment over the next decade, reversing the decreases of the last couple of years during the pandemic, a study shows.

As of this school year, the district's enrollment is 8,227, a drop of 3.5 percent from 8,522 in the 2019-20 school year. The district's enrollment increased in the two years before the pandemic.

In the next decade, enrollment is projected to jump to 8,606.

On Tuesday, the school board plans to review the results of the demographic study by Ohio-based Cropper GIS Consulting.

Last year, the school board changed the plans for the replacement of Field Elementary School to accommodate 600 students, compared to about 400 currently. The decision was guided by information that more young families were moving to Field's area.

According to the study, Field's enrollment is expected to increase to 419, from 382 — an increase of 9.7 percent. That's lower than the overall 11.7 percent increase in elementary enrollment during that same period.

The study reports a 7.6 percent increase in middle school enrollment over the next decade, while York High School's number is expected to drop 5.1 percent.

According to the study, most of the in-migration in Elmhurst continues to occur in the 9-and-younger and 25- to 44-year-old age groups. The biggest out-migration is among 18- to 24-year-olds, who are going to college or moving to other cities, according to the study. The second largest out-migration group consists of those 70 or older.

The biggest reasons for the enrollment hike are the slowing of the increase in empty next households and the relatively large number of elderly housing units turning over to younger families, the study said.

At the same time, the median age of the district's population is expected to edge up to 41.5 in the next decade, up from 41.2 currently.

The demographic study is based on a number of assumptions, including that the economy does not go into a deep recession at any time during the next 10 years.