Richland County, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Richland 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 average
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Richland County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,599 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 43.1 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.37% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.3 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 6,443 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Richland County declined by 0.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 15,599 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Richland County is Boomers, aged 61–79, at 20.4% of residents. That is 3.5 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,999 19.2% -2.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,946 18.9% -3.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,132 20.1% -0.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,186 20.4% +3.5 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 50.7% of the people living in Richland County and men 49.3%.
- Women 50.7% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 49.3% Illinois 49.4%
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100% of everyone living in Richland County
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Economy
Richland County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Richland County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,325 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.27% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Richland County is about 25% lower than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | Richland County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $251,414 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $805 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 73.8% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Richland County is about 26.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $805 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Richland County spend about 27 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 111 hours, about 4.6 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Richland County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.4 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 26.7 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 111 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,455 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,284 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,154 | 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 Richland 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
Richland County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Richland County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.4% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.37 | 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
Richland County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Richland County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.8 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 16.9% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.1% | 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).
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Richland County, Illinois.
How many people live in Richland County, Illinois?
About 15,599 people live in Richland County, Illinois, in 6,443 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 43.3, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Richland County, Illinois mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Richland County, Illinois has 43 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 50% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Richland County, Illinois?
The median home costs 4.0 times the median household income ($251,414 against $63,325), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $805 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Richland County, Illinois?
Unemployment in Richland County, Illinois is only 3.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Richland County, Illinois?
17.4% of adults in Richland 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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