Royal Lakes, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 301, Royal Lakes'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

Royal Lakes is a small community located in Illinois, within Macoupin County. The total population is 301. It ranks as the 1077th most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in Royal Lakes is 37.4 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The poverty rate stands at 24.3%. This is 105% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Royal Lakes, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $54,300. Housing costs are 79% lower than the state median of $263,300. 58.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% lower than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Royal Lakes is Black or African American, making up 74.8% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 24.6%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (24.6%) is well below the state average of 58.1%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (74.8% vs 13.3%). The Asian population (0.7%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

3.3% 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 91% 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 71.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Royal Lakes, 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.