Menard County, Illinois Demographics 2026

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

Menard County, Illinois has a population of 12,095, the 83rd most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $82,176 and the median home value is $185,500. The poverty rate is 10.1%.

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

Menard County Quick Facts

Population 12,095

Median Household Income $82,176

Median Home Value $185,500

Poverty Rate 10.1%

Unemployment Rate 3.5%

Median Age 42.8 years

Homeownership Rate 79.5%

Affordability Ratio 2.3x

Bachelor's Degree+ 28.3%

High School Graduation 95.0%

Cities/Places 6

Population 12,095 83rd of 102

Median Income $82,176 1% lower than state

Poverty Rate 10.1%

Unemployment 3.5%

How Menard 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	12,169	12,095	-0.6%
Median household income	$81,334	$82,176	+1.0%
Median home value	$179,300	$185,500	+3.5%

Median Household Income

Menard

$82,176

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Menard

$185,500

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 12.0%

$25K-$50K 18.6%

$50K-$100K 28.2%

$100K+ 41.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

4.4%

$10K-$15K

4.2%

$15K-$20K

2.1%

$20K-$25K

1.3%

$25K-$30K

3.5%

$30K-$35K

5.7%

$35K-$40K

1.7%

$40K-$45K

4.0%

$45K-$50K

3.7%

$50K-$60K

5.0%

$60K-$75K

8.7%

$75K-$100K

14.5%

$100K-$125K

14.0%

$125K-$150K

12.2%

$150K-$200K

9.4%

$200K+

5.6%

Employment

3.5% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

59.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 79.5%

Renter 20.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.3x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $885/mo 12.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.9%

18-34

17.5%

35-54

24.6%

55-74

27.7%

75+

8.3%

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 Menard County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Petersburg	2,341	$56,458	15.7%	$177,700
Athens	2,102	$81,192	9.5%	$164,000
Lake Petersburg	928	$144,375	2.7%	$338,700
Greenview	912	$63,594	9.0%	$93,700
Tallula	494	$69,167	11.7%	$94,500
Oakford	191	$65,000	7.4%	$100,600

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

Menard County is located in Illinois with a total population of 12,095. It is the 83rd most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Menard County is 42.8 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Menard County is $82,176. This is 1% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 2% higher than 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 3.5%. This is 40% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $185,500. Housing costs are 30% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Menard County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Menard County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.8% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

28.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 25% 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 95.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Menard 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 Menard County, Illinois?

Menard County has a population of 12,095, making it the 83rd most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Menard County?

The median household income in Menard County is $82,176 with a poverty rate of 10.1%.

How many cities are in Menard County, Illinois?

Menard County contains 6 Census-designated places.