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Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Illinois had a total population of 12,694,798, with a median household income of $83,390, which is 3% higher than the national average. The poverty rate is 11.8%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Illinois Quick Facts

Population 12,694,798
Median Household Income $83,390
Median Home Value $263,300
Poverty Rate 11.8%
Unemployment Rate 5.8%
Median Age 39.0 years
Homeownership Rate 67.1%
Affordability Ratio 3.2x
Bachelor's Degree+ 37.9%
High School Graduation 90.5%
Counties 102
Cities/Places 1,445
Population 12,694,798
Median Income $83,390 3% higher than national
Poverty Rate 11.8%
Unemployment 5.8%

How Illinois Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population12,692,65312,694,798+0.0%
Median household income$81,702$83,390+2.1%
Median home value$250,500$263,300+5.1%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 14.6%
$25K-$50K 16.0%
$50K-$100K 27.5%
$100K+ 41.9%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
5.4%
$10K-$15K
3.3%
$15K-$20K
2.8%
$20K-$25K
3.1%
$25K-$30K
3.1%
$30K-$35K
3.2%
$35K-$40K
3.2%
$40K-$45K
3.3%
$45K-$50K
3.2%
$50K-$60K
6.0%
$60K-$75K
8.8%
$75K-$100K
12.6%
$100K-$125K
10.3%
$125K-$150K
7.7%
$150K-$200K
10.1%
$200K+
13.8%

Employment

5.8% Unemployment Rate National: 5.2%
65.0% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 67.1%
Renter 32.9%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.2x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,274/mo 18.3% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

61out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 61 | National average: 61

Education

Largest Cities in Illinois

#CityPopulationMedian IncomePoverty
1Chicago2,711,226$77,90216.8%
2Aurora179,898$93,6339.5%
3Naperville150,692$155,1054.5%
4Joliet150,445$92,20111.1%
5Rockford147,521$54,75221.3%
6Elgin114,934$90,2829.8%
7Springfield113,330$66,06416.8%
8Peoria112,169$59,41021.0%
9Champaign89,996$56,11825.9%
10Waukegan89,076$71,91915.3%

Richest Cities in Illinois

#CityMedian IncomeHome ValueBachelor's+
1Hinsdale$250,000+$1,053,70080.8%
2Winnetka$250,000+$1,337,80086.7%
3Long Grove$250,000+$804,60075.7%
4Kildeer$250,000+$770,70080.9%
5Kenilworth$250,000+$1,560,30091.0%
6Riverwoods$249,205$800,70076.5%
7Glencoe$248,933$1,432,50088.2%
8Lake Forest$235,081$938,30080.5%
9Western Springs$230,255$739,40083.8%
10North Barrington$226,055$765,90077.1%

Most Affordable Cities in Illinois

By home-value-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable). Min. population 1,000.

#CityRatioHome ValueIncome
1Hodgkins0.7x$45,800$62,417
2Cairo0.8x$32,000$41,912
3Sumner0.8x$46,000$55,625
4Park City1.0x$57,400$60,171
5Washington Park1.0x$37,500$38,750
6De Pue1.0x$59,300$58,417
7Central City1.1x$47,600$44,896
8Bushnell1.1x$71,900$67,518
9Gillespie1.1x$91,000$82,772
10Martinsville1.1x$69,100$61,833

Explore Illinois Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

All Counties in Illinois (102)

102 results
Cook County5,182,090$83,49813.5%$324,500
DuPage County930,024$112,0966.6%$391,400
Lake County714,223$110,4168.3%$345,700
Will County701,462$109,9847.3%$319,600
Kane County517,255$103,1637.9%$327,000
McHenry County312,591$104,8026.2%$308,100
Winnebago County283,292$65,83715.6%$164,500
Madison County264,238$75,79311.1%$173,000
St. Clair County253,694$73,85413.6%$180,300
Champaign County208,741$63,68319.1%$211,500
Sangamon County194,947$75,35713.1%$176,300
Peoria County179,645$65,10815.7%$158,500
McLean County171,556$79,90512.9%$208,400
Rock Island County142,757$67,15915.5%$150,400
Kendall County137,675$111,6015.4%$322,400
Tazewell County130,290$77,9829.0%$167,500
LaSalle County108,714$73,04513.9%$161,900
Kankakee County106,635$71,28112.2%$192,600
Macon County101,849$62,66615.0%$127,300
DeKalb County100,703$70,72414.8%$243,600
Vermilion County72,386$56,87717.7%$97,200
Williamson County66,876$65,60413.8%$156,400
Adams County64,754$66,22012.8%$162,600
Whiteside County54,947$67,50012.0%$127,100
Boone County53,230$84,5719.9%$216,900
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All Cities & Places in Illinois (1,445)

1445 results
Chicago2,711,226$77,90216.8%$334,100
Aurora179,898$93,6339.5%$274,800
Naperville150,692$155,1054.5%$540,200
Joliet150,445$92,20111.1%$265,800
Rockford147,521$54,75221.3%$129,000
Elgin114,934$90,2829.8%$273,000
Springfield113,330$66,06416.8%$162,100
Peoria112,169$59,41021.0%$156,200
Champaign89,996$56,11825.9%$210,900
Waukegan89,076$71,91915.3%$190,900
Cicero82,797$70,84214.6%$249,400
Bloomington78,907$77,38411.0%$203,300
Schaumburg76,868$97,5145.7%$330,400
Evanston76,340$96,43411.8%$481,200
Arlington Heights76,005$116,7236.0%$414,500
Bolingbrook74,096$108,4009.2%$314,700
Decatur69,815$51,59219.4%$99,600
Palatine66,293$97,8198.2%$355,600
Skokie66,219$95,3379.7%$387,200
Des Plaines59,156$97,8756.0%$335,600
Orland Park57,916$98,9107.3%$367,200
Oak Lawn56,861$83,9119.6%$281,200
Berwyn55,595$78,40810.9%$299,800
Mount Prospect55,472$101,7206.6%$397,400
Tinley Park54,842$105,1895.0%$299,900
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Download Illinois Data

Free CSV downloads of Illinois demographic data — no account or payment required. Files use official Census place names (e.g. "Springfield city", "Oakdale CDP"), so they match Census Bureau sources exactly.

📊
Cities Data (CSV) All cities: population, income, housing, race, education
📋
Counties Data (CSV) All counties: population, income, housing, race, education

Population Overview

Illinois has a total population of 12,694,798, making it one of the most populous states in the nation. The median age is 39.0 years, about the same as the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in Illinois is 39.0 years. This is about the same as the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Illinois is $83,390. This is 3% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.8%. This is 5% lower than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 5.8%. This is 12% higher than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $263,300. Housing costs are 21% lower than the national median of $332,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.2x. 67.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Illinois is White (non-Hispanic), making up 58.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 18.8%.

Education

37.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 6% higher than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.5%. Notably, 15.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Illinois come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Illinois?

Illinois has a total population of 12,694,798 according to the U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median income in Illinois?

The median household income in Illinois is $83,390, which is 3% higher than the national median of $80,734.

How many cities are in Illinois?

Illinois has 1,445 Census-designated places (cities, towns, and CDPs) and 102 counties.

What is the poverty rate in Illinois?

The poverty rate in Illinois is 11.8%, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

What is the largest city in Illinois?

The largest city in Illinois is Chicago with a population of 2,711,226.