Malden, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 460, Malden's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Malden is a small community located in Illinois, within Bureau County. The total population is 460. It ranks as the 961st most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in Malden is 34.3 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 39.0 years. With 30.6% of the population under 18, Malden has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Malden is $79,107. This is 5% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 2% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.6%. This is 66% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 14.8%. This is 153% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $112,500. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.4x, Malden is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 86.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 29% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Malden is White (non-Hispanic), making up 83.3% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 12.6%. The Black or African American population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 13.3%.

Education

13.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 66% 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 demographic data for Malden, Illinois is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Illinois state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.