Population 46,777 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Coles County
Household size in Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.19 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.28 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.11 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.08 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Coles County is a place of small households, averaging 2.11 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.19, mirroring the country. Few Illinois counties have smaller households: only two of 102.
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 Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.2 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.6 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.6 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Coles County are younger than 40.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 38.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the southeast 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 Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in Coles County (11.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Coles County
Renters in Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.5% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.6% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in Coles County rent their homes (39.6%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (50.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 2.1 points, mirroring the country. Of Illinois' 102 counties, only three have a higher 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 Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Coles County as nationally: 10.2%, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in Illinois overall (8.1%). Vacancy has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1969 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +6 |
Coles County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1969, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1964 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the west has the oldest housing.
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 Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $656 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $658 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $686 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $806 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$150 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Coles County pays $806 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $150 a month since 2006–10, up 23%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Coles County
Bachelor's degrees in Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.4% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.9% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.5% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.4% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults 25 and older in Coles County (28.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.9 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the northeast.
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 Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.3% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.1% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.4% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Coles County is a bit above the national rate: 91.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of Illinois. The share with a diploma is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than 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 Coles County
| Period | Coles County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Coles County is close to the national rate: 5.7% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.8 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Coles 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coles County | 2.11 | 40.6 | 11.3% | 39.6% | 10.2% | 1969 | $806 | 28.4% | 91.4% | 5.7% |
| Clark County | 2.36 | 43.1 | 13.9% | 19.7% | 12.1% | 1970 | $886 | 25.1% | 92.6% | 3.5% |
| Shelby County | 2.34 | 44.8 | 10.4% | 21.6% | 12.3% | 1966 | $804 | 18.5% | 94.9% | 3.2% |
| Vigo County | 2.38 | 37.3 | 13.2% | 38.3% | 11.6% | 1970 | $961 | 27.4% | 90.9% | 5.8% |
| Christian County | 2.43 | 43.8 | 8.2% | 24.8% | 10.6% | 1959 | $807 | 16.7% | 90.4% | 4.7% |
| Clay County | 2.54 | 42.0 | 12.4% | 19.1% | 10.8% | 1974 | $931 | 20.2% | 90.4% | 3.4% |
| Owen County | 2.51 | 44.9 | 10.4% | 18.6% | 12.5% | 1982 | $854 | 16.7% | 87.7% | 2.9% |
| Morgan County | 2.57 | 42.4 | 10.8% | 17.9% | 6.8% | 1981 | $1,097 | 21.2% | 90.2% | 4.0% |
| Greene County | 2.62 | 43.5 | 10.1% | 21.8% | 22.8% | 1958 | $797 | 18.4% | 91.4% | 4.9% |
| Johnson County | 2.67 | 38.9 | 10.5% | 27.3% | 6.0% | 1992 | $1,460 | 35.2% | 92.2% | 3.0% |
| Shelby County | 2.46 | 42.3 | 12.3% | 27.5% | 7.1% | 1973 | $1,016 | 22.4% | 90.9% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Franklin County, NY · Duplin County, NC · Tazewell County, VA · Edgecombe County, NC · Elko County, NV · Taney County, MO · Essex County, NY · Fayette County, TN · Fayette County, WV · Tallapoosa County, AL
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 Coles 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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