Pulaski County, Illinois Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Pulaski County is located in Illinois with a total population of 5,015. It is the 96th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 7 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pulaski County is 43.0 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Pulaski County is $42,463. This is 49% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 47% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 25.0%. This is 112% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 4.3%. This is 27% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $85,100. Housing costs are 68% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Pulaski County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 68.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Pulaski County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 61.9% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 33.6%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (33.6% vs 13.3%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

13.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 66% 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 87.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Pulaski 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.