Edwards County, Illinois Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Edwards County is located in Illinois with a total population of 6,075. It is the 93rd most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Edwards County is 44.7 years. This is 15% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Edwards County is $60,519. This is 27% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.5%. This is 40% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.6%. This is 5% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $100,000. Housing costs are 62% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Edwards County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Edwards County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.7% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.7% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

14.0% 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 63% 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 92.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Edwards 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.