Population 3,605 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hardin County
Household size in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.26 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.81 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Hardin County is a place of small households, averaging 2.27 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Hardin County has smaller households than at least four in five Illinois counties.
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 Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.7 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.9 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.2 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.4 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.6 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Hardin County skews older: half of its residents are older than 53.4, 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 44.7, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Only one other Illinois county is 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 Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in Hardin County (9.3%), below the national share of 11.6%. Compared with other Illinois counties, Hardin County has a lower share of single-parent households than most.
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 Hardin County
Renters in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.0% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.3% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.0% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 20.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Hardin County is largely a place of homeowners: only 20.5% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly two-thirds of owners (64.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
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 Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.7% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.3% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 35.2% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.7% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +9.0 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 33.7% of the housing in Hardin 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. Only three 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 Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1968 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Hardin County run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1974 against 1980. Still, homes here are newer than in Illinois as a whole, where the median home dates to 1970.
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 Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $333 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $358 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $421 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $444 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$111 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Hardin County costs $444 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 17.2% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. No other Illinois county has 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 Hardin County
Bachelor's degrees in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.4% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 10.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Hardin County: 13.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Only one 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 Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.7% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 82.0% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 78.6% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +14.0 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Hardin County have finished high school (91.8%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Illinois.
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 Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.8% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 16.1% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.7% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Hardin County has been low: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Hardin County has lower unemployment than the great majority of Illinois counties. 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).
Hardin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County | 2.27 | 53.4 | 9.3% | 20.5% | 33.7% | 1974 | $444 | 13.1% | 91.8% | 2.8% |
| Crittenden County | 2.56 | 43.5 | 11.4% | 21.8% | 16.4% | 1976 | $788 | 15.1% | 83.6% | 3.2% |
| Pope County | 2.65 | 53.5 | 6.3% | 13.7% | 38.2% | 1983 | $475 | 15.0% | 93.6% | 2.6% |
| Johnson County | 2.75 | 41.6 | 10.5% | 18.0% | 30.2% | 1978 | $896 | 21.8% | 86.9% | 10.2% |
| Webster County | 2.68 | 40.2 | 11.2% | 26.2% | 13.9% | 1980 | $857 | 12.4% | 85.1% | 5.5% |
| Hopkins County | 2.44 | 40.8 | 14.6% | 29.3% | 13.1% | 1977 | $824 | 17.3% | 88.1% | 6.3% |
| Union County | 2.43 | 43.5 | 10.2% | 22.6% | 13.1% | 1977 | $747 | 20.4% | 86.8% | 4.2% |
| McLean County | 2.49 | 42.6 | 6.6% | 17.2% | 13.8% | 1978 | $635 | 16.7% | 91.4% | 5.0% |
| Cape Girardeau County | 2.53 | 39.4 | 9.0% | 33.2% | 11.4% | 1982 | $983 | 33.3% | 92.5% | 2.6% |
| Ohio County | 2.61 | 39.9 | 11.6% | 22.8% | 10.8% | 1984 | $809 | 14.0% | 85.2% | 4.9% |
| Bollinger County | 2.68 | 43.7 | 10.0% | 17.7% | 20.8% | 1982 | $776 | 13.1% | 90.6% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Benton County, MS · Wilcox County, GA · Wilcox County, AL · Wichita County, KS · Wibaux County, MT · Bleckley County, GA · Bland County, VA · Blaine County, NE · Billings County, ND · Big Stone County, MN
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 Hardin 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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