Population 4,875 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alexander County
Household size in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.61 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.86 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.48 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
The average household in Alexander County has 2.48 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the center. Compared with other Illinois counties, though, Alexander County has larger households than most.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.2 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.4 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.0 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.3 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.1 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Alexander County skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.3, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.2, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Of Illinois' 102 counties, only three are older.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.9% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Alexander County (10.1%), a little below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Alexander County
Renters in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.3% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.3% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.4% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.4% of households in Alexander County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About seven in ten owners (70.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southeast and least common in the west.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.3% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.6% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 44.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.9% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +14.7 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Alexander County: 33.9% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Only two of Illinois' 102 counties have a higher vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1958 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +4 | +6 |
Alexander County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1971, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $512 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $537 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $554 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $638 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$126 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Alexander County costs $638 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 22.3% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the southeast. Few Illinois counties have lower rents: only four of 102.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Alexander County
Bachelor's degrees in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.8% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Alexander County: 12.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. No other Illinois county has a lower share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.3% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.9% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 88.2% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.5 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Alexander County have finished high school as nationally: 88.2%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Illinois as a whole (90.3%). Alexander County has a lower share of high school graduates than the great majority of Illinois counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Alexander County
| Period | Alexander County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 16.4% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.4%, unemployment in Alexander County is the same as the national rate. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Alexander County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander County | 2.48 | 49.3 | 10.1% | 22.4% | 33.9% | 1971 | $638 | 12.4% | 88.2% | 5.4% |
| Pulaski County | 2.49 | 44.6 | 12.8% | 31.8% | 28.1% | 1971 | $679 | 13.7% | 87.0% | 3.4% |
| Scott County | 2.53 | 39.6 | 15.4% | 28.9% | 9.0% | 1975 | $898 | 21.4% | 87.1% | 3.0% |
| Ballard County | 2.37 | 43.9 | 8.2% | 24.0% | 12.8% | 1982 | $789 | 18.4% | 93.7% | 1.5% |
| Massac County | 2.55 | 43.9 | 12.5% | 23.6% | 19.1% | 1975 | $757 | 17.1% | 90.6% | 4.4% |
| McCracken County | 2.44 | 43.2 | 10.2% | 31.1% | 14.8% | 1977 | $974 | 28.0% | 93.5% | 3.4% |
| Livingston County | 2.49 | 44.8 | 11.8% | 18.8% | 20.2% | 1980 | $830 | 14.6% | 91.4% | 4.0% |
| Lyon County | 2.16 | 47.7 | 6.0% | 19.6% | 26.4% | 1987 | $961 | 16.4% | 88.8% | 2.9% |
| Wayne County | 2.34 | 46.3 | 7.5% | 24.9% | 23.2% | 1980 | $645 | 13.2% | 81.1% | 6.4% |
| Caldwell County | 2.47 | 44.0 | 12.9% | 29.8% | 18.5% | 1974 | $770 | 17.7% | 90.9% | 3.6% |
| Shannon County | 2.48 | 46.0 | 9.9% | 20.1% | 16.7% | 1980 | $521 | 12.9% | 84.3% | 1.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Daggett County, UT · Perquimans County, NC · McIntosh County, ND · McIntosh County, GA · Chowan County, NC · Culberson County, TX · Culebra Municipio, PR · Terrell County, TX · Custer County, ID · Petroleum County, MT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Alexander County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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