Population 33,869 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lee County
Household size in Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.25 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.38 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Lee County is a place of small households, averaging 2.38 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.52 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.1 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.2 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Lee County skews older than the country: its median age is 43.7, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 41.3, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.3% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.7% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Lee County as they are nationally: 10.7%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Lee County
Renters in Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.9% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.7% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 26.4% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Lee County rent their homes (26.4%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among owners, 46.3% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Compared with other Illinois counties, though, Lee County has a higher share of renters than most.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Lee County: 11.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 1.3 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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1956 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1958 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1963 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +6 |
Lee County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1963, 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 1956 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $606 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $709 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $706 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $912 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$306 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Lee County costs $912 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $306 a month from 2006–10, a 51% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 24.7% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northwest; 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 Lee County
Bachelor's degrees in Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.7% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 16.5% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.6% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Lee County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 19.7%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 4.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the south.
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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.7% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 88.1% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.3% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.8% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Lee County is a bit above the national rate: 91.8% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 6.1 points from 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 Lee County
| Period | Lee County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.2% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.4% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lee County is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Illinois overall (6.0%). Unemployment has fallen 3.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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).
Lee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 2.38 | 43.7 | 10.7% | 26.4% | 11.5% | 1963 | $912 | 19.7% | 91.8% | 5.2% |
| Whiteside County | 2.38 | 43.6 | 12.5% | 23.1% | 11.5% | 1961 | $937 | 20.3% | 91.9% | 4.4% |
| DeKalb County | 2.52 | 35.4 | 12.9% | 38.6% | 6.0% | 1978 | $1,183 | 33.1% | 91.6% | 7.1% |
| Clinton County | 2.39 | 43.0 | 11.7% | 25.5% | 9.4% | 1959 | $930 | 23.2% | 93.6% | 3.5% |
| Kane County | 2.88 | 39.6 | 11.3% | 24.0% | 4.4% | 1981 | $1,711 | 37.9% | 87.3% | 4.7% |
| DuPage County | 2.69 | 41.3 | 8.0% | 26.9% | 5.6% | 1978 | $1,826 | 52.0% | 92.9% | 4.9% |
| Cook County | 2.58 | 39.4 | 12.3% | 42.3% | 8.4% | 1961 | $1,567 | 41.7% | 88.1% | 7.4% |
| Cedar County | 2.42 | 44.8 | 10.1% | 18.5% | 9.2% | 1967 | $916 | 23.7% | 95.8% | 2.2% |
| Iowa County | 2.35 | 43.5 | 9.6% | 23.4% | 5.9% | 1967 | $775 | 25.3% | 95.4% | 1.7% |
| Berrien County | 2.41 | 43.3 | 12.2% | 27.2% | 13.1% | 1967 | $1,052 | 30.8% | 92.3% | 6.2% |
| Poweshiek County | 2.19 | 41.2 | 7.2% | 28.8% | 11.7% | 1965 | $881 | 28.4% | 94.7% | 3.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Hendry County, FL · Sanpete County, UT · Sanilac County, MI · Houghton County, MI · Hot Spring County, AR · Hocking County, OH · Hill County, TX · Highland County, OH · Hickman County, TN · Henry County, TN
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 Lee 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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