Monroe County, Illinois Demographics 2026

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

Monroe County, Illinois has a population of 35,036, the 40th most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $102,880 and the median home value is $282,100. The poverty rate is 5.0%.

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

Monroe County Quick Facts

Population 35,036

Median Household Income $102,880

Median Home Value $282,100

Poverty Rate 5.0%

Unemployment Rate 1.9%

Median Age 43.2 years

Homeownership Rate 84.7%

Affordability Ratio 2.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 38.7%

High School Graduation 96.0%

Cities/Places 4

Population 35,036 40th of 102

Median Income $102,880 23% higher than state

Poverty Rate 5.0%

Unemployment 1.9%

How Monroe 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	34,969	35,036	+0.2%
Median household income	$101,635	$102,880	+1.2%
Median home value	$265,600	$282,100	+6.2%

Median Household Income

Monroe

$102,880

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Monroe

$282,100

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 10.7%

$25K-$50K 11.6%

$50K-$100K 26.0%

$100K+ 51.7%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

3.2%

$10K-$15K

1.8%

$15K-$20K

2.1%

$20K-$25K

3.6%

$25K-$30K

2.0%

$30K-$35K

2.2%

$35K-$40K

1.4%

$40K-$45K

2.8%

$45K-$50K

3.3%

$50K-$60K

4.1%

$60K-$75K

9.6%

$75K-$100K

12.3%

$100K-$125K

12.6%

$125K-$150K

9.4%

$150K-$200K

13.0%

$200K+

16.7%

Employment

1.9% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

68.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 84.7%

Renter 15.3%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,042/mo 12.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.8%

18-34

17.1%

35-54

26.1%

55-74

27.3%

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 Monroe County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Waterloo	11,129	$98,711	5.9%	$249,500
Valmeyer	1,090	$94,821	4.8%	$223,200
Maeystown	65	$98,750	20.0%	$159,700
Fults	12	$101,250	0.0%	$68,300

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

Monroe County is located in Illinois with a total population of 35,036. It is the 40th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 4 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Monroe County is 43.2 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Monroe County is $102,880. This is 23% higher than the state median of $83,390. It is also 27% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.0%. This is 57% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 1.9%. This is 67% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $282,100. Housing costs are 7% higher than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Monroe County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 84.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Monroe County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.0% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.9%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

38.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Monroe County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 2% higher 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 96.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Monroe 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 Monroe County, Illinois?

Monroe County has a population of 35,036, making it the 40th most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Monroe County?

The median household income in Monroe County is $102,880 with a poverty rate of 5.0%.

How many cities are in Monroe County, Illinois?

Monroe County contains 4 Census-designated places.