Hamilton County, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Hamilton County, IL Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around average
-
C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Hamilton County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 7,916 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 18.2 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.52% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.0 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 3,387 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Hamilton County declined by 3.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 7,916 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Hamilton County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 22.2% of residents. That is 5.3 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 1,486 18.8% -2.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,454 18.4% -3.5 pts
- Gen X 45–60 1,605 20.3% -0.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 1,757 22.2% +5.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Illinois, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.4% of the people living in Hamilton County and men 49.6%.
- Women 50.4% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 49.6% Illinois 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Hamilton County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Hamilton County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Hamilton County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,899 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.81% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Hamilton County is about 23% lower than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | Hamilton County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $77,631 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $567 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.4% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Hamilton County is about 11.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $567 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Hamilton County spend about 52 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 215 hours, about 9.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Hamilton County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 25.8 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 51.6 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 215 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $6,667 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 2.4% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,095 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 582 | 1,547 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Illinois:
Edgar County (12.0 min), Brown County (12.7 min), Morgan County (13.1 min).
Slowest:
Calhoun County (43.8 min), Pulaski County (31.2 min), Pope County (31.0 min).
The average commute time in Hamilton County is 26 minutes, longer than the 24 minutes in Illinois.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Hamilton County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Hamilton County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.30 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Illinois:
DuPage County (0.4), Champaign County (0.4), Lake County (0.4).
Lowest:
Hardin County (0.2), Fayette County (0.2), Perry County (0.2).
Health
Hamilton County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Hamilton County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.5 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.6% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 19.0% | 19.2% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Illinois:
DuPage County (0.8), Champaign County (0.8), Monroe County (0.8).
Lowest:
Alexander County (0.8), Pulaski County (0.8), Gallatin County (0.8).
Hamilton County, IL Compared With Nearby Counties
Hamilton County, IL is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 7,916 residents against a local median of 36,549. Hamilton County, IL's commute, at 25.8 min, runs 49% above the 17.4 min typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median home price tells the same story from another angle: $77,631 against a local median of $57,217, 36% above it. The counties themselves spread 6.3 min on commute, so Hamilton County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hamilton County, IL has the 4th lowest commute of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County, IL | 7,916 | $64,899 #1/4 | $77,631 #2/4 | 25.8 min #4/4 |
| Saline County, IL | 23,213 | $53,513 | $57,217 | 17.4 min |
| Franklin County, IL | 37,318 | $57,264 | $48,166 | 23.0 min |
| Jefferson County, IL | 36,549 | $62,660 | $225,000 | 16.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Hamilton County, Illinois.
How many people live in Hamilton County, Illinois?
About 7,916 people live in Hamilton County, Illinois, in 3,387 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 42.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
How densely populated is Hamilton County, Illinois?
Averaged over its land area, Hamilton County, Illinois has 18 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 21% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Hamilton County, Illinois?
The median home costs 1.2 times the median household income ($77,631 against $64,899), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $567 a month takes about 10% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How common is a college degree in Hamilton County, Illinois?
16.0% of adults in Hamilton County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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