West Frankfort, Illinois Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

West Frankfort is a small city located in Illinois, within Franklin County. The total population is 7,118. It ranks as the 280th most populous out of 1,445 Census-designated places in Illinois.

Age Demographics

The median age in West Frankfort is 39.0 years. This is about the same as the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in West Frankfort is $47,898. This is 43% lower than the state median of $83,390. It is also 41% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 29.0%. This is 145% 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 15.2%. This is 160% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $81,200. Housing costs are 69% lower than the state median of $263,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.7x, West Frankfort is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 61.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% lower than the state average of 67.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

West Frankfort has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.4%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (95.9% vs 58.1%). The Black or African American population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 13.3%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.4%) is well below the state average of 18.8%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 5.9%.

Education

8.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 76% 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 86.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for West Frankfort, 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.