Boone County, Illinois Demographics 2026
Boone County, Illinois has a population of 53,230, the 25th most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $84,571 and the median home value is $216,900. The poverty rate is 9.9%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Boone County Quick Facts
How Boone County Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,316 | 53,230 | -0.2% |
| Median household income | $81,638 | $84,571 | +3.6% |
| Median home value | $198,600 | $216,900 | +9.2% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
Moderate diversity with one or two groups making up the majority.
State average: 61 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Boone County
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belvidere | 24,752 | $64,528 | 14.6% | $158,900 |
| Candlewick Lake | 5,448 | $86,146 | 10.0% | $172,300 |
| Poplar Grove | 3,923 | $120,278 | 3.7% | $270,700 |
| Capron | 1,311 | $90,192 | 8.9% | $160,100 |
| Timberlane | 1,278 | $147,308 | 0.8% | $351,000 |
| Garden Prairie | 403 | $68,319 | 0.0% | $186,400 |
| Caledonia | 226 | $88,571 | 8.4% | $163,200 |
Explore Illinois Rankings
Population Overview
Boone County is located in Illinois with a total population of 53,230. It is the 25th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Boone County is 39.7 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Boone County is $84,571. This is 1% higher than the state median of $83,390. It is also 5% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 9.9%. This is 16% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 7.4%. This is 26% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $216,900. Housing costs are 18% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.6x, Boone County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 81.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% higher than the state average of 67.1%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Boone County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 68.0% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 25.7%. The Black or African American population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Asian population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.
Education
23.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 38% 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 86.2%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Boone 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Boone County, Illinois?
Boone County has a population of 53,230, making it the 25th most populous county in Illinois.
What is the median income in Boone County?
The median household income in Boone County is $84,571 with a poverty rate of 9.9%.
How many cities are in Boone County, Illinois?
Boone County contains 7 Census-designated places.