Saline County, Illinois Demographics 2026

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

Saline County, Illinois has a population of 23,213, the 52nd most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $53,117 and the median home value is $94,300. The poverty rate is 18.9%.

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

Saline County Quick Facts

Population 23,213

Median Household Income $53,117

Median Home Value $94,300

Poverty Rate 18.9%

Unemployment Rate 7.7%

Median Age 43.8 years

Homeownership Rate 72.5%

Affordability Ratio 1.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 19.6%

High School Graduation 89.7%

Cities/Places 6

Population 23,213 52nd of 102

Median Income $53,117 36% lower than state

Poverty Rate 18.9%

Unemployment 7.7%

How Saline 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	23,387	23,213	-0.7%
Median household income	$54,945	$53,117	-3.3%
Median home value	$92,900	$94,300	+1.5%

Median Household Income

Saline

$53,117

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Saline

$94,300

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.9%

$25K-$50K 24.1%

$50K-$100K 27.2%

$100K+ 25.8%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.7%

$10K-$15K

6.5%

$15K-$20K

4.2%

$20K-$25K

5.5%

$25K-$30K

5.8%

$30K-$35K

5.3%

$35K-$40K

5.9%

$40K-$45K

4.9%

$45K-$50K

2.2%

$50K-$60K

8.5%

$60K-$75K

8.6%

$75K-$100K

10.1%

$100K-$125K

8.4%

$125K-$150K

6.3%

$150K-$200K

5.8%

$200K+

5.3%

Employment

7.7% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

54.6% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 72.5%

Renter 27.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $726/mo 16.4% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.7%

18-34

18.5%

35-54

24.1%

55-74

27.5%

75+

9.2%

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 Saline County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Harrisburg	8,372	$43,415	29.0%	$84,100
Eldorado	3,771	$37,154	22.4%	$66,200
Carrier Mills	1,634	$50,729	25.4%	$60,100
Galatia	913	$48,258	7.3%	$70,200
Raleigh	235	$49,167	17.4%	$80,000
Muddy	67	N/A	29.0%	N/A

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

Saline County is located in Illinois with a total population of 23,213. It is the 52nd most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Saline County is 43.8 years. This is 12% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Saline County is $53,117. This is 36% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 34% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.9%. This is 60% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 7.7%. This is 32% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $94,300. Housing costs are 64% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Saline County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Saline County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.3% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 3.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (91.3% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (3.1%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.2%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

19.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 48% 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 89.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Saline 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 Saline County, Illinois?

Saline County has a population of 23,213, making it the 52nd most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Saline County?

The median household income in Saline County is $53,117 with a poverty rate of 18.9%.

How many cities are in Saline County, Illinois?

Saline County contains 6 Census-designated places.