Pleasant Plains, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 886, Pleasant Plains'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

Pleasant Plains is a small community located in Illinois, within Sangamon County. The total population is 886. It ranks as the 737th most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pleasant Plains is 33.8 years. This is 13% lower than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Pleasant Plains is $89,643. This is 7% higher than the state median of $83,390. It is also 11% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.2%. This is 73% lower than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 4.2%. This is 28% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $169,000. Housing costs are 36% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Pleasant Plains is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 83.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 24% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Pleasant Plains has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.8% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (89.8% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.8%) is well below the state average of 18.8%.

Education

25.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 33% 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 98.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Pleasant Plains, 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.