Wayne County, Illinois Demographics 2026

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

Wayne County, Illinois has a population of 15,973, the 66th most populous county in Illinois. The median household income is $55,521 and the median home value is $110,700. The poverty rate is 16.1%.

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

Wayne County Quick Facts

Population 15,973

Median Household Income $55,521

Median Home Value $110,700

Poverty Rate 16.1%

Unemployment Rate 3.4%

Median Age 42.8 years

Homeownership Rate 78.4%

Affordability Ratio 2.0x

Bachelor's Degree+ 16.3%

High School Graduation 89.6%

Cities/Places 10

Population 15,973 66th of 102

Median Income $55,521 33% lower than state

Poverty Rate 16.1%

Unemployment 3.4%

How Wayne 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	15,994	15,973	-0.1%
Median household income	$53,107	$55,521	+4.5%
Median home value	$109,400	$110,700	+1.2%

Median Household Income

Wayne

$55,521

$83,390

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Wayne

$110,700

$263,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.6%

$25K-$50K 23.8%

$50K-$100K 30.3%

$100K+ 23.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.4%

$10K-$15K

4.7%

$15K-$20K

4.4%

$20K-$25K

7.2%

$25K-$30K

6.2%

$30K-$35K

2.9%

$35K-$40K

5.1%

$40K-$45K

5.3%

$45K-$50K

4.3%

$50K-$60K

6.8%

$60K-$75K

11.8%

$75K-$100K

11.8%

$100K-$125K

7.6%

$125K-$150K

5.2%

$150K-$200K

6.7%

$200K+

3.8%

Employment

3.4% Unemployment Rate State: 5.8%|National: 5.2%

57.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.4%

Renter 21.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.0x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $657/mo 14.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

22.5%

18-34

18.7%

35-54

22.9%

55-74

25.9%

75+

10.0%

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 Wayne County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Fairfield	4,561	$41,989	17.7%	$88,800
Wayne City	920	$54,643	14.5%	$98,300
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

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

Wayne County is located in Illinois with a total population of 15,973. It is the 66th most populous county out of 102 in Illinois. The county encompasses 10 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wayne County is 42.8 years. This is 10% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wayne County is $55,521. This is 33% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 31% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 16.1%. This is 36% higher than the state poverty rate of 11.8%. The unemployment rate is 3.4%. This is 41% lower than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $110,700. Housing costs are 58% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Wayne County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 78.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wayne County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.0% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.0% 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 (2.1%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

16.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 57% 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 89.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wayne 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 Wayne County, Illinois?

Wayne County has a population of 15,973, making it the 66th most populous county in Illinois.

What is the median income in Wayne County?

The median household income in Wayne County is $55,521 with a poverty rate of 16.1%.

How many cities are in Wayne County, Illinois?

Wayne County contains 10 Census-designated places.