McDonough County, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
McDonough 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.
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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 81% of counties in Illinois
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Illinois
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B
Education Around averageBetter educated than 89% of counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | McDonough County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,917 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 45.6 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -2.01% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 33.9 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 11,855 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in McDonough County declined by 18.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 26,917 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in McDonough County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 34.9% of residents. That is 13.7 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 9,397 34.9% +13.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,301 16.0% -5.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,359 16.2% -4.2 pts
- Boomers 61–79 4,401 16.3% -0.6 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 50.6% of the people living in McDonough County and men 49.4%.
- Women 50.6% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 49.4% Illinois 49.4%
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Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in McDonough County
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Economy
McDonough County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | McDonough County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,356 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.40% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.9% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in McDonough County is about 35% lower than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | McDonough County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $90,788 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $761 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.5% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in McDonough County is about 9.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $761 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in McDonough County spend about 26 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 109 hours, about 4.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | McDonough County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.1 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 26.2 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 109 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,390 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,534 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 373 | 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 McDonough County is 13 minutes, shorter 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
McDonough County has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | McDonough County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.04 | 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
McDonough County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | McDonough County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 78.6 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 15.3% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.0% | 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).
McDonough County, IL Compared With Nearby Counties
How McDonough County, IL compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonough County, IL | 26,917 | $54,356 #2/2 | $90,788 #1/2 | 13.1 min #1/2 |
| Fulton County, IL | 33,018 | $60,876 | $74,502 | 18.8 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about McDonough County, Illinois.
How many people live in McDonough County, Illinois?
About 26,917 people live in McDonough County, Illinois, in 11,855 households of 2.0 people on average. The median age is 33.9, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 3 years.
Is McDonough County, Illinois urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, McDonough County, Illinois has 46 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 53% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in McDonough County, Illinois?
The median home costs 1.7 times the median household income ($90,788 against $54,356), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $761 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in McDonough County, Illinois?
Unemployment in McDonough County, Illinois is 7.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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