Coles County, Illinois Demographics 2026

Name: Coles County, Illinois Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Coles County, Illinois has a population of 46,777, the 31st most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $56,478 and the median home value is $127,400. The poverty rate is 18.7%.

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

Coles County Quick Facts

Population 46,777

Median Household Income $56,478

Median Home Value $127,400

Poverty Rate 18.7%

Unemployment Rate 6.1%

Median Age 37.5 years

Homeownership Rate 60.4%

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 26.9%

High School Graduation 91.1%

Cities/Places 8

Population 46,777 31st of 102

Median Income $56,478 32% lower than state

Poverty Rate 18.7%

Unemployment 6.1%

How Coles 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	46,689	46,777	+0.2%
Median household income	$56,040	$56,478	+0.8%
Median home value	$121,900	$127,400	+4.5%

Median Household Income

Coles

$56,478

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Coles

$127,400

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 21.7%

$25K-$50K 22.2%

$50K-$100K 31.2%

$100K+ 24.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.3%

$10K-$15K

5.3%

$15K-$20K

4.2%

$20K-$25K

5.9%

$25K-$30K

5.5%

$30K-$35K

4.9%

$35K-$40K

4.2%

$40K-$45K

3.5%

$45K-$50K

4.0%

$50K-$60K

9.0%

$60K-$75K

10.3%

$75K-$100K

11.9%

$100K-$125K

8.6%

$125K-$150K

4.9%

$150K-$200K

7.3%

$200K+

4.1%

Employment

6.1% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

60.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 60.4%

Renter 39.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $780/mo 16.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

18.3%

18-34

29.3%

35-54

21.8%

55-74

22.8%

75+

7.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 61 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Coles County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Charleston	17,062	$49,300	26.3%	$137,400
Mattoon	16,586	$51,597	21.3%	$97,700
Oakland	862	$50,848	12.0%	$98,100
Ashmore	721	$56,615	16.2%	$91,700
Humboldt	329	$59,063	11.6%	$81,500
Lerna	226	$67,679	14.6%	$94,400
Trilla	122	$123,125	0.0%	$95,800
Janesville	39	N/A	0.0%	N/A

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

Population Overview

Coles County is located in Illinois with a total population of 46,777. It is the 31st most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Coles County is 37.5 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Coles County is $56,478. This is 32% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 30% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.7%. This is 58% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 6.1%. This is 5% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $127,400. Housing costs are 52% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Coles County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 60.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% lower than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Coles County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 88.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (88.0% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (3.6%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.9%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

26.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% 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 91.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Coles 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 Coles County, Illinois?

Coles County has a population of 46,777, making it the 31st most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Coles County?

The median household income in Coles County is $56,478 with a poverty rate of 18.7%.

How many cities are in Coles County, Illinois?

Coles County contains 8 Census-designated places.