Population 25,802 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Alton
Household size in Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.44 | 2.52 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.53 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.29 | 2.49 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.35 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.06 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Alton is a place of small households, averaging 2.35 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has edged down from 2.44 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the southwest.
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 Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.3 | 38.5 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.6 | 39.5 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.9 | 40.7 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.7 | 40.8 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +2.3 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Alton are younger than 39.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.3, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the northeast.
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 Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 11.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.7% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.4% | 11.0% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 11.1% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Alton: 15.2% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 0.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Alton has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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 Alton
Renters in Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.1% | 28.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.3% | 30.1% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.9% | 31.1% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.6% | 29.6% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +1.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Alton is about as common as it is nationally: 35.6% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in the wider St. Louis area (29.6%). More than four in ten owners (43.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.5% | 9.6% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 10.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 10.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.0% | 8.8% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Alton: 14.0% 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. Vacancy is up 0.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1972 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1950 | 1972 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1951 | 1973 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1954 | 1975 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
Alton is a place of older homes: half were built before 1954, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 16 have older homes.
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 Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $681 | $825 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $746 | $920 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $832 | $1,010 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,007 | $1,239 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$326 | +$414 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Alton costs $1,007 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $326 a month since 2006–10, up 48%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 33.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the southeast.
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 Alton
Bachelor's degrees in Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.2% | 30.3% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 32.1% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 34.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 23.5% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +8.3 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Alton have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 23.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the southeast.
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 Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.4% | 88.8% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.9% | 90.5% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.6% | 92.1% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 93.6% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Alton is a bit above the national rate: 92.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the St. Louis area. The share with a diploma has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Alton
| Period | Alton | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 8.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 4.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.9 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.5%, unemployment in Alton is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in the St. Louis area overall (4.3%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.9 points, as it has nationally.
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).
Alton compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alton | 2.35 | 39.7 | 15.2% | 35.6% | 14.0% | 1954 | $1,007 | 23.5% | 92.3% | 5.5% |
| Godfrey | 2.39 | 47.9 | 7.6% | 17.3% | 7.2% | 1976 | $1,147 | 31.6% | 95.1% | 4.2% |
| Rosewood Heights | 2.16 | 55.5 | 11.0% | 29.6% | 4.3% | 1970 | $816 | 23.8% | 88.4% | 2.8% |
| Cottage Hills | 2.57 | 37.1 | 19.2% | 30.7% | 10.6% | 1978 | $964 | 15.0% | 85.0% | 8.5% |
| East Alton | 2.24 | 40.4 | 16.8% | 31.9% | 9.7% | 1959 | $865 | 17.3% | 89.0% | 3.4% |
| West Alton | 3.03 | 36.5 | 4.5% | 14.3% | 29.4% | 1960 | $1,375 | 22.5% | 92.8% | 5.0% |
| Wood River | 2.25 | 41.8 | 11.0% | 29.4% | 8.9% | 1955 | $999 | 18.5% | 94.3% | 2.6% |
| Bethalto | 2.36 | 39.5 | 9.4% | 17.1% | 8.2% | 1976 | $990 | 28.6% | 93.7% | 4.0% |
| Hartford | 2.08 | 45.2 | 10.7% | 15.9% | 11.0% | 1951 | $1,006 | 5.1% | 92.4% | 6.7% |
| Roxana | 2.31 | 39.6 | 12.9% | 25.6% | 7.0% | 1956 | $1,008 | 22.7% | 93.7% | 4.7% |
| Fosterburg | 2.90 | 38.6 | 11.5% | 2.8% | 5.0% | 1995 | $1,394 | 36.3% | 98.4% | 1.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Golden Gate, FL · Imperial Beach, CA · Franklin, NC · Gibsonia, PA · Grayson, GA · South Laurel, MD · Harvest, AL · Hazelwood, MO · Plum, PA · Brawley, CA
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 Alton. 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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