Alexander County, Illinois Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Alexander County is located in Illinois with a total population of 4,875. It is the 98th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Alexander County is 48.0 years. This is 23% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 10.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Alexander County is $47,043. This is 44% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 42% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.0%. This is 61% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 6.5%. This is 11% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $59,800. Housing costs are 77% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.3x, Alexander County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Alexander County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 62.9% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 32.9%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (32.9% vs 13.3%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

12.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 67% lower than the state rate of 37.9%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Alexander County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Illinois and 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.