Population 4,330 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Calhoun County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Calhoun County
Household size in Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.52 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.43 | 2.53 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.88 | 2.49 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.58 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +1.11 | −0.06 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Calhoun County is a place of big households: 3.58 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.47, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. No other Illinois county has larger households.
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 Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.7 | 38.5 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.8 | 39.5 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 45.7 | 40.7 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 47.6 | 40.8 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +2.3 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Calhoun County skews older: half of its residents are older than 47.6, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Few Illinois counties are older: only six of 102.
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 Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.5% | 11.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 11.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 11.0% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 11.1% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.8% of households in Calhoun County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Calhoun County has the lowest share of single-parent households of any Illinois county.
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 Calhoun County
Renters in Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 28.3% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.6% | 30.1% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 31.1% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 29.6% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −10.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 11.3% of households in Calhoun County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About six in ten owners (59.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. No other Illinois county has a lower share of renters.
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 Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.7% | 9.6% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.9% | 10.1% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 41.1% | 10.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +16.0 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 42.7% of the housing in Calhoun County, 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. No other Illinois county has 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 Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1972 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1972 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1968 | 1973 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1971 | 1975 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Calhoun County is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1971, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The picture is much the same across the St. Louis area.
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 Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $577 | $825 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $593 | $920 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $565 | $1,010 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $607 | $1,239 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$29 | +$414 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in Calhoun County runs $607 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 20.5% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Of Illinois' 102 counties, only two have lower rents.
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 Calhoun County
Bachelor's degrees in Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 30.3% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 32.1% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 34.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.9% | 38.5% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.2 pts | +8.3 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Calhoun County: 19.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.8% | 88.8% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.7% | 90.5% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.7% | 92.1% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.3% | 93.6% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.4 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Calhoun County is above the national rate: 94.3% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the St. Louis area. Only seven of Illinois' 102 counties have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Calhoun County
| Period | Calhoun County | St. Louis area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.0% | 7.7% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 8.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.9% | 4.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 4.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Calhoun County runs below the national rate: 3.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. The picture is much the same across the St. Louis area. 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).
Calhoun 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County | 3.58 | 47.6 | 5.8% | 11.3% | 42.7% | 1971 | $607 | 19.9% | 94.3% | 3.8% |
| Jersey County | 2.54 | 43.5 | 9.8% | 19.5% | 19.6% | 1973 | $921 | 22.6% | 93.8% | 3.0% |
| Macoupin County | 2.53 | 44.2 | 10.9% | 21.5% | 16.6% | 1964 | $851 | 20.9% | 91.6% | 3.6% |
| Montgomery County | 2.29 | 43.9 | 7.2% | 22.6% | 9.7% | 1962 | $739 | 19.0% | 90.8% | 4.9% |
| Audrain County | 2.65 | 40.2 | 8.9% | 28.2% | 13.0% | 1970 | $718 | 18.0% | 88.1% | 4.4% |
| Effingham County | 2.46 | 40.7 | 7.9% | 21.8% | 9.9% | 1979 | $730 | 27.6% | 93.3% | 2.0% |
| Howard County | 2.62 | 39.0 | 9.2% | 21.3% | 18.1% | 1974 | $816 | 27.9% | 90.9% | 3.6% |
| Cumberland County | 2.48 | 44.5 | 7.0% | 15.8% | 10.2% | 1970 | $847 | 19.1% | 94.2% | 1.4% |
| Jasper County | 2.44 | 45.1 | 8.8% | 14.8% | 11.6% | 1976 | $758 | 21.0% | 92.1% | 5.1% |
| Saline County | 2.69 | 35.7 | 10.6% | 30.2% | 18.0% | 1969 | $818 | 24.5% | 86.4% | 3.2% |
| Crawford County | 2.34 | 42.2 | 10.4% | 18.1% | 11.3% | 1966 | $802 | 21.3% | 90.7% | 3.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Martin County, IN · Lewis County, KY · Lexington City, VA · Linn County, MO · Madison County, MO · Madison Parish, LA · Magoffin County, KY · Maries County, MO · Marion County, GA · Marion County, TX
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 Calhoun 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.