Effingham County, Illinois Demographics 2026

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

Effingham County, Illinois has a population of 34,522, the 41st most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $80,404 and the median home value is $189,500. The poverty rate is 10.1%.

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

Effingham County Quick Facts

Population 34,522

Median Household Income $80,404

Median Home Value $189,500

Poverty Rate 10.1%

Unemployment Rate 2.1%

Median Age 40.0 years

Homeownership Rate 78.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 26.9%

High School Graduation 93.0%

Cities/Places 10

Population 34,522 41st of 102

Median Income $80,404 4% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.1%

Unemployment 2.1%

How Effingham 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	34,505	34,522	+0.0%
Median household income	$75,380	$80,404	+6.7%
Median home value	$179,800	$189,500	+5.4%

Median Household Income

Effingham

$80,404

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Effingham

$189,500

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.7%

$25K-$50K 16.4%

$50K-$100K 31.8%

$100K+ 38.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.0%

$10K-$15K

2.7%

$15K-$20K

3.1%

$20K-$25K

4.9%

$25K-$30K

2.5%

$30K-$35K

3.0%

$35K-$40K

3.5%

$40K-$45K

3.5%

$45K-$50K

3.9%

$50K-$60K

7.5%

$60K-$75K

8.6%

$75K-$100K

15.7%

$100K-$125K

12.2%

$125K-$150K

8.4%

$150K-$200K

9.2%

$200K+

8.4%

Employment

2.1% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

65.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.3%

Renter 21.8%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $733/mo 10.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.9%

18-34

19.6%

35-54

23.7%

55-74

25.0%

75+

7.7%

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 Effingham County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Effingham	12,342	$72,377	14.6%	$177,500
Altamont	2,282	$75,510	15.1%	$129,800
Teutopolis	1,729	$115,938	2.8%	$247,700
Dieterich	1,169	$74,500	10.6%	$201,300
Watson	620	$74,167	14.8%	$100,000
Mason	467	$65,455	35.5%	$82,900
Beecher City	414	$43,750	25.8%	$90,800
Edgewood	351	$47,604	18.2%	$85,500
Shumway	260	$82,159	20.7%	$102,500
Montrose	255	$60,625	12.9%	$125,000

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

Effingham County is located in Illinois with a total population of 34,522. It is the 41st most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Effingham County is 40.0 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Effingham County is $80,404. This is 4% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 10.1%. This is 14% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 2.1%. This is 64% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $189,500. Housing costs are 28% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Effingham County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 78.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Effingham County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.2% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.8%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.8%) 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 93.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Effingham 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 Effingham County, Illinois?

Effingham County has a population of 34,522, making it the 41st most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Effingham County?

The median household income in Effingham County is $80,404 with a poverty rate of 10.1%.

How many cities are in Effingham County, Illinois?

Effingham County contains 10 Census-designated places.