Population 26,920 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in McDonough County
Household size in McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.09 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.17 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.10 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in McDonough County are small: just 2.10 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. Only one other Illinois county has smaller 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 McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.4 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.5 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.6 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.2 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 38.6, the median age in McDonough County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is younger than in Illinois overall, where the median age is 40.2. Only four of Illinois' 102 counties are younger.
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 McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.4% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.0% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.6% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in McDonough County (8.6%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 4.0 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. McDonough County has a lower share of single-parent households than the great majority of Illinois counties.
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 McDonough County
Renters in McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.2% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.7% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in McDonough County is about as common as it is nationally: 36.5% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Illinois as a whole (32.9%). Nearly half of owners (47.4%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.0 points, even as the national share rose.
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 McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.4% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 24.4% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in McDonough County: 15.4% of homes are empty, 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 2.0 points, 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 McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1960 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1962 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1964 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1964 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
McDonough County is a place of older homes: half were built before 1964, 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 1960 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southwest, while the northeast 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 McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $654 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $687 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $684 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $730 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$77 | +$475 | +$606 |
Rent in McDonough County runs $730 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $77 a month from 2006–10, a 12% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the southwest.
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 McDonough County
Bachelor's degrees in McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.6% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.4% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.0% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 31.1% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over three in ten adults 25 and older in McDonough County (31.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. College graduates are most concentrated in the south 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 McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.2% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.2% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.9% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.8% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in McDonough County: 94.8% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.5 points, in line with the national trend. Of Illinois' 102 counties, only six 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 McDonough County
| Period | McDonough County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.5% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in McDonough County than nationally: unemployment was 7.3%, against 5.4%. Few Illinois counties have higher unemployment: only eight of 102. 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).
McDonough 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonough County | 2.10 | 38.6 | 8.6% | 36.5% | 15.4% | 1964 | $730 | 31.1% | 94.8% | 7.3% |
| Hancock County | 2.30 | 46.6 | 7.9% | 18.7% | 14.3% | 1963 | $777 | 25.1% | 93.5% | 4.2% |
| Fulton County | 2.33 | 44.1 | 10.5% | 23.4% | 13.0% | 1959 | $854 | 18.6% | 91.2% | 6.3% |
| Lee County | 2.25 | 43.7 | 13.9% | 23.7% | 9.7% | 1962 | $834 | 21.3% | 92.5% | 4.2% |
| Clark County | 2.69 | 44.7 | 5.4% | 21.7% | 24.1% | 1970 | $639 | 15.2% | 91.2% | 5.5% |
| Scotland County | 3.04 | 35.0 | 4.5% | 17.6% | 27.8% | 1974 | $491 | 14.6% | 73.3% | 0.2% |
| McLean County | 2.39 | 37.1 | 8.1% | 34.9% | 8.2% | 1980 | $1,093 | 47.3% | 96.2% | 2.9% |
| Schuyler County | 3.12 | 39.8 | 5.2% | 20.1% | 30.1% | 1965 | $411 | 12.3% | 92.8% | 3.3% |
| Putnam County | 2.69 | 44.8 | 7.4% | 17.0% | 31.0% | 1980 | $513 | 23.8% | 95.5% | 3.7% |
| Ford County | 2.26 | 41.4 | 13.8% | 27.7% | 6.7% | 1954 | $923 | 19.3% | 91.6% | 5.2% |
| Mercer County | 2.64 | 42.9 | 11.2% | 19.0% | 27.5% | 1971 | $641 | 18.1% | 90.9% | 3.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Perry County, MO · Marshall County, KY · Marshall County, WV · Martin County, NC · Patrick County, VA · Paulding County, OH · Peach County, GA · Penuelas Municipio, PR · Perry County, IL · Perry County, IN
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 McDonough 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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