Fulton County, IL Demographics

Population 33,020 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Fulton County, IL map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Fulton County

Household size in Fulton County

Household size, people per household
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–102.372.692.68
2010–142.382.712.73
2015–192.352.662.71
2020–242.332.582.65
Change−0.04−0.11−0.03
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Households in Fulton County are small: just 2.33 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has edged down from 2.37 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.

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 Fulton County

Median age, years
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–1043.037.637.7
2010–1443.138.538.6
2015–1944.039.639.6
2020–2444.140.240.1
Change+1.2+2.6+2.3
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Fulton County skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.1, 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 43.0, as it has nationally.

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 Fulton County

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–1011.3%11.7%12.3%
2010–1410.6%11.7%12.3%
2015–1911.7%11.1%11.6%
2020–2410.5%11.3%11.6%
Change−0.7 pts−0.4 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are a bit less common in Fulton County than nationally: 10.5%, against 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Illinois. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.7 points, mirroring the country.

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 Fulton County

Renters in Fulton County

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–1021.6%30.8%33.3%
2010–1424.6%33.1%35.6%
2015–1921.7%33.9%36.0%
2020–2423.4%32.9%34.8%
Change+1.9 pts+2.1 pts+1.5 pts
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Fulton County is largely a place of homeowners: only 23.4% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About half of owners (50.7%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.

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 Fulton County

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–1010.7%10.0%11.4%
2010–1410.8%10.1%11.4%
2015–1914.8%9.8%11.1%
2020–2413.0%8.1%9.6%
Change+2.2 pts−1.9 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy runs high in Fulton County: 13.0% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has risen 2.2 points since 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 Fulton County

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–10195319661974
2010–14195219671975
2015–19195619681977
2020–24195919701980
Change+6+4+6
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Fulton County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1959, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the northwest has the oldest housing. Few Illinois counties have older homes: only nine of 102.

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 Fulton County

Rent, per month
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–10$581$953$965
2010–14$667$1,028$1,040
2015–19$670$1,165$1,213
2020–24$854$1,428$1,571
Change+$273+$475+$606
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The median renter in Fulton County pays $854 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $273 a month since 2006–10, up 47%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 28.7% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the south.

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 Fulton County

Bachelor's degrees in Fulton County

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–1013.7%31.2%28.4%
2010–1416.1%32.4%29.6%
2015–1917.8%34.7%32.1%
2020–2418.6%37.7%35.6%
Change+4.9 pts+6.5 pts+7.2 pts
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Fewer adults in Fulton County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.6%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 4.9 points, mirroring the country.

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 Fulton County

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–1084.5%86.3%84.9%
2010–1487.8%87.5%86.1%
2015–1989.2%89.1%87.7%
2020–2491.2%90.3%89.3%
Change+6.7 pts+4.0 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion in Fulton County is a bit above the national rate: 91.2% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Illinois. The share with a diploma is up 6.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.

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 Fulton County

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodFulton CountyIllinoisU.S.
2006–108.1%8.7%8.1%
2010–149.1%10.2%9.4%
2015–196.2%6.1%5.6%
2020–246.3%6.0%5.4%
Change−1.8 pts−2.7 pts−2.7 pts
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Unemployment runs a little high in Fulton County: 6.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).

Fulton County compared with nearby counties

CountyHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Fulton County2.3344.110.5%23.4%13.0%1959$85418.6%91.2%6.3%
McDonough County2.1038.68.6%36.5%15.4%1964$73031.1%94.8%7.3%
Tazewell County2.4042.18.9%21.6%8.6%1968$1,00729.0%94.2%3.6%
Hancock County2.3046.67.9%18.7%14.3%1963$77725.1%93.5%4.2%
McLean County2.3937.18.1%34.9%8.2%1980$1,09347.3%96.2%2.9%
Lee County2.2543.713.9%23.7%9.7%1962$83421.3%92.5%4.2%
Clark County2.6944.75.4%21.7%24.1%1970$63915.2%91.2%5.5%
Ford County2.2641.413.8%27.7%6.7%1954$92319.3%91.6%5.2%
Scotland County3.0435.04.5%17.6%27.8%1974$49114.6%73.3%0.2%
Schuyler County3.1239.85.2%20.1%30.1%1965$41112.3%92.8%3.3%
Benton County2.5239.311.2%20.2%8.8%1955$77819.9%88.5%4.1%

All figures 2020–24.

Counties with similar populations: McCurtain County, OK · Otsego County, MI · Orleans County, VT · Orleans County, NY · Orange County, VT · Oneida County, WI · Okmulgee County, OK · Okanogan County, WA · Ohio County, WV · Muscatine County, IA

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 Fulton 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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