Pearl City, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 745, Pearl City'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

Pearl City is a small community located in Illinois, within Stephenson County. The total population is 745. It ranks as the 791st most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pearl City is 32.3 years. This is 17% lower than the state median of 39.0 years. With 37.2% of the population under 18, Pearl City has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Pearl City is $63,295. This is 24% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 22% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.6%. This is 44% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 1.5%. This is 75% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $128,200. Housing costs are 51% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Pearl City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 69.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Pearl City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.1% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 2.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.1% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 18.8%.

Education

18.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 51% 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 95.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Pearl City, 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.