White County, Illinois Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
White 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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C
Health Below averageLess healthy than 87% of counties in Illinois
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C
Income Below average
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D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 74% of counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | White County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,619 | 12,692,444 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 27.2 | 219.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.70% | -0.16% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.9 | 37.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 5,672 | 5,035,584 | 130,235,071 |
Population in White County declined by 7.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 13,619 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in White County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.0% of residents. That is 0.7 points above Illinois as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,295 16.8% -4.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,529 18.6% -3.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,866 21.0% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,810 20.6% +3.7 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 51.5% of the people living in White County and men 48.5%.
- Women 51.5% Illinois 50.6%
- Men 48.5% Illinois 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in White County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
White County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | White County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $54,539 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 2.83% | 4.46% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in White County is about 35% lower than in Illinois.
Housing
| Metric | White County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $28,954 | $149,936 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $719 | $1,274 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.1% | 67.1% | 65.2% |
The median home price in White County is about 3.4 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $719 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in White County spend about 38 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 157 hours, about 6.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | White County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.8 | 23.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.6 | 47.3 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 157 | 197 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,858 | $6,104 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,639 | 7,977 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 603 | 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 White County is 19 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
White County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | White County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 34.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.34 | 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
White County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | White County | Illinois Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.1 | 77.9 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.2% | 15.6% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 20.4% | 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).
White County, IL Compared With Nearby Counties
How White County, IL compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White County, IL | 13,619 | $54,539 #2/2 | $28,954 #2/2 | 18.8 min #1/2 |
| Posey County, IN | 25,116 | $80,859 | $38,071 | 22.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about White County, Illinois.
How many people live in White County, Illinois?
About 13,619 people live in White County, Illinois, in 5,672 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 42.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
How densely populated is White County, Illinois?
Averaged over its land area, White County, Illinois has 27 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 31% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in White County, Illinois?
The median home costs 0.5 times the median household income ($28,954 against $54,539), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $719 a month takes about 16% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in White County, Illinois?
Unemployment in White County, Illinois is only 4.0%, 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 White County, Illinois?
15.3% of adults in White County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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