Population 312,591 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in McHenry County
Household size in McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.85 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.83 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.75 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.71 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.14 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in McHenry County average 2.71 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has dropped from 2.85 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of Illinois' 102 counties, only seven have larger 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 McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.6 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.8 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.4 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in McHenry County are younger than 41.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in the wider Chicago area, where the median age is 39.7. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 38.1, in line with the national trend.
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 McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.9% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in ten households in McHenry County (9.3%), below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged up 0.7 points since 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 McHenry County
Renters in McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.9% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.4% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.6% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 17.3% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 17.3% of households in McHenry County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 31.5% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.4 points, 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 McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.2% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.3% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.3% of homes in McHenry County are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Illinois county has a lower 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 McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in McHenry County are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the north. Few Illinois counties have newer homes: only four 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 McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,208 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,250 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,383 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,557 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$350 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in McHenry County costs $1,557 a month with utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $350 a month since 2006–10, up 29%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.2% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest in the northwest.
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 McHenry County
Bachelor's degrees in McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.5% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 32.4% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.7% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.3% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a third of adults 25 and older in McHenry County (35.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Chicago area as a whole (40.9%). The share with a degree is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, 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 McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.2% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.2% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.6% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in McHenry County is above the national rate: 93.6% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 1.9 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. McHenry County has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of Illinois counties.
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 McHenry County
| Period | McHenry County | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.6% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in McHenry County runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.0 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
McHenry 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McHenry County | 2.71 | 41.4 | 9.3% | 17.3% | 4.3% | 1985 | $1,557 | 35.3% | 93.6% | 4.6% |
| Lake County | 2.77 | 39.5 | 10.0% | 25.2% | 5.8% | 1980 | $1,746 | 45.6% | 90.5% | 4.9% |
| Boone County | 2.78 | 41.0 | 12.1% | 18.2% | 5.2% | 1984 | $1,234 | 24.0% | 86.8% | 6.7% |
| Winnebago County | 2.49 | 40.4 | 13.9% | 34.1% | 8.2% | 1972 | $1,110 | 25.1% | 88.5% | 7.6% |
| Stephenson County | 2.26 | 46.2 | 11.4% | 29.1% | 9.7% | 1960 | $779 | 21.2% | 92.3% | 4.4% |
| Jackson County | 2.39 | 45.4 | 6.3% | 19.3% | 11.0% | 1965 | $853 | 19.1% | 94.3% | 5.5% |
| Van Buren County | 2.48 | 42.5 | 11.8% | 19.4% | 15.2% | 1977 | $958 | 22.7% | 89.8% | 4.3% |
| Kalamazoo County | 2.47 | 37.5 | 10.8% | 35.5% | 7.6% | 1975 | $1,167 | 40.8% | 94.3% | 5.3% |
| Jones County | 2.43 | 42.9 | 13.3% | 19.4% | 7.8% | 1968 | $846 | 22.0% | 95.3% | 4.4% |
| Calhoun County | 2.51 | 41.0 | 12.4% | 27.3% | 11.0% | 1963 | $1,006 | 22.7% | 91.3% | 6.5% |
| Jackson County | 2.49 | 41.4 | 10.7% | 25.0% | 9.8% | 1968 | $1,032 | 23.7% | 92.5% | 5.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: York County, ME · Yolo County, CA · Yavapai County, AZ · Arlington County, VA · Baldwin County, AL · Barnstable County, MA · Berkeley County, SC · Whatcom County, WA · Okaloosa County, FL · Montgomery 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 McHenry 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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