Marion County, Illinois Demographics 2026

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

Marion County, Illinois has a population of 37,000, the 36th most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $61,240 and the median home value is $103,000. The poverty rate is 15.4%.

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

Marion County Quick Facts

Population 37,000

Median Household Income $61,240

Median Home Value $103,000

Poverty Rate 15.4%

Unemployment Rate 5.9%

Median Age 41.5 years

Homeownership Rate 74.7%

Affordability Ratio 1.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.8%

High School Graduation 90.7%

Cities/Places 15

Population 37,000 36th of 102

Median Income $61,240 27% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.4%

Unemployment 5.9%

How Marion 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	37,294	37,000	-0.8%
Median household income	$60,839	$61,240	+0.7%
Median home value	$100,100	$103,000	+2.9%

Median Household Income

Marion

$61,240

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Marion

$103,000

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.3%

$25K-$50K 21.3%

$50K-$100K 34.4%

$100K+ 24.9%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.0%

$10K-$15K

4.9%

$15K-$20K

4.7%

$20K-$25K

3.7%

$25K-$30K

4.5%

$30K-$35K

3.9%

$35K-$40K

3.8%

$40K-$45K

3.8%

$45K-$50K

5.3%

$50K-$60K

8.6%

$60K-$75K

10.8%

$75K-$100K

15.0%

$100K-$125K

8.4%

$125K-$150K

6.7%

$150K-$200K

5.3%

$200K+

4.6%

Employment

5.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

60.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.7%

Renter 25.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $794/mo 15.6% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.5%

18-34

18.8%

35-54

23.6%

55-74

25.7%

75+

8.4%

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 Marion County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Centralia	11,856	$47,807	24.3%	$89,600
Salem	7,236	$59,728	16.3%	$106,100
Central City	1,081	$44,896	29.1%	$47,600
Sandoval	1,004	$52,841	26.7%	$59,100
Odin	972	$46,131	18.3%	$102,600
Wamac	804	$36,500	27.7%	$20,100
Kinmundy	803	$42,303	15.8%	$95,400
Junction City	638	$56,364	14.7%	$83,500
Farina	570	$46,146	10.7%	$83,800
Iuka	534	$61,146	9.6%	$72,600
Patoka	498	$65,833	9.3%	$89,200
Alma	285	$67,500	8.1%	$61,700
Kell	145	$67,500	2.8%	$60,000
Walnut Hill	127	N/A	47.2%	$31,600
Vernon	69	$60,313	23.2%	$57,000

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

Marion County is located in Illinois with a total population of 37,000. It is the 36th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 15 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Marion County is 41.5 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Marion County is $61,240. This is 27% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.4%. This is 30% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 5.9%. The median home value is $103,000. Housing costs are 61% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, Marion County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Marion County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.1% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 2.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (89.1% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (2.9%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

16.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 56% 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 90.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Marion 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 Marion County, Illinois?

Marion County has a population of 37,000, making it the 36th most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Marion County?

The median household income in Marion County is $61,240 with a poverty rate of 15.4%.

How many cities are in Marion County, Illinois?

Marion County contains 15 Census-designated places.