Calhoun County, Illinois Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Calhoun County is located in Illinois with a total population of 4,330. It is the 100th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Calhoun County is 48.8 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 11.3% 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 Calhoun County is $93,203. This is 12% higher than the state median of $83,390. It is also 15% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.3%. This is 47% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.2%. This is 45% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $190,900. Housing costs are 27% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Calhoun County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 88.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 32% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Calhoun County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.3% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.3% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 18.8%.

Education

20.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 47% 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 94.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Calhoun 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.