Wayne City, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

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

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Wayne City, Illinois had a total population of 920, the 724th largest village in Illinois, with a median household income of $54,643, which is 34% lower than the state average. The poverty rate is 14.5%.

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

Key Takeaways

Household income is 34% below the state average, indicating significant economic challenges.
Housing is very affordable with a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x.
Near full employment with an unemployment rate of just 1.5%.

Wayne City Quick Facts

Population 920

Median Household Income $54,643

Median Home Value $98,300

Poverty Rate 14.5%

Unemployment Rate 1.5%

Median Age 45.2 years

Homeownership Rate 79.6%

Affordability Ratio 1.8x

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.7%

High School Graduation Rate 94.7%

Diversity Index 5/100

Population 920 724th of 1,445

Median Income $54,643 bottom 30%

Poverty Rate 14.5% 16% higher than national

Median Home Value $98,300 below average

How Wayne City 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	1,050	920	-12.4%
Median household income	$58,208	$54,643	-6.1%
Median home value	$108,600	$98,300	-9.5%

How Wayne City Compares

Median Household Income

Wayne City

$54,643

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Wayne City

$98,300

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.7%

$25K-$50K 27.3%

$50K-$100K 32.7%

$100K+ 20.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.9%

$10K-$15K

5.5%

$15K-$20K

2.1%

$20K-$25K

6.2%

$25K-$30K

7.6%

$30K-$35K

2.1%

$35K-$40K

6.4%

$40K-$45K

5.0%

$45K-$50K

6.2%

$50K-$60K

10.2%

$60K-$75K

13.5%

$75K-$100K

9.0%

$100K-$125K

10.2%

$125K-$150K

4.0%

$150K-$200K

5.2%

$200K+

0.9%

Employment

1.5% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

52.8% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 79.6%

Renter 20.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $829/mo 18.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

19.6%

18-34

22.0%

35-54

25.9%

55-74

21.0%

75+

11.6%

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+)

Wayne City Rankings in Illinois

#724 Population of 1,445

#1062 Median Income of 1,374

#644 Education of 1,444

#892 Home Value of 1,372

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

Other Cities in Wayne County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Fairfield	4,561	$41,989	17.7%	$88,800
Cisne	627	$59,926	6.5%	$76,600
Jeffersonville	263	$49,583	15.3%	$56,400
Mount Erie	135	N/A	30.5%	$94,300
Mill Shoals	126	$58,875	13.5%	$65,800
Sims	123	$48,194	11.4%	$44,200
Golden Gate	87	$16,020	27.6%	N/A
Johnsonville	72	$55,313	48.6%	N/A
Keenes	58	$59,375	20.7%	N/A

Cities Similar to Wayne City

These cities in the same state have comparable population and economic profiles.

City	Population	Median Income	Home Value	Bachelor's+	Poverty
Cissna Park	903	$56,667	$130,300	28.9%	14.6%
Meredosia	871	$54,485	$65,300	6.2%	18.0%
Galatia	913	$48,258	$70,200	13.6%	7.3%
Witt	875	$52,500	$50,700	11.1%	22.3%
Stronghurst	949	$59,375	$124,600	20.4%	14.9%

A note before these figures: with a population of 920, Wayne 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

Wayne City is a small community located in Illinois, within Wayne County. The total population is 920. It ranks as the 724th most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wayne City is 45.2 years. This is 16% higher than the state median of 39.0 years. 11.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wayne City is $54,643. This is 34% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 32% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 14.5%. This is 22% higher 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 $98,300. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Wayne City is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 19% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wayne City has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 97.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (97.5% vs 58.1%). The Hispanic or Latino population (1.0%) is well below the state average of 18.8%.

Education

19.7% 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 94.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wayne 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.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Wayne City, Illinois?

Wayne City, Illinois has a population of 920 according to the most recent U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median household income in Wayne City, IL?

The median household income in Wayne City is $54,643, which is 32% lower than the national median of $80,734.

What is the poverty rate in Wayne City, IL?

The poverty rate in Wayne City is 14.5%. This means approximately 133 residents live below the federal poverty line.

What is the racial makeup of Wayne City, Illinois?

Wayne City's population is 97.5% White, 0.0% Black, 1.0% Hispanic/Latino, and 0.0% Asian.

What is the median home value in Wayne City, IL?

The median home value in Wayne City is $98,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 1.8x.

How educated is Wayne City, Illinois?

19.7% of adults (25+) in Wayne City hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 9.8% hold a graduate or professional degree.