Population 3,739 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Pope County: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Pope County
Household size in Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.31 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.41 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.65 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.34 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
At 2.65 people per household, Pope County sits right at the national average. Household size has climbed from 2.31 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Of Illinois' 102 counties, only nine 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 Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 47.0 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.7 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 53.3 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.5 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.5 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Pope County skews older: half of its residents are older than 53.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Pope County has the oldest population of any Illinois county.
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 Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 6.5% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.3% of households in Pope County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Only one other Illinois county has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Pope County
Renters in Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.0% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.7% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −8.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 13.7% of households in Pope County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. About six in ten owners (60.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Only one other Illinois county has a lower share of renters.
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 Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.0% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.3% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 39.2% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 38.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +12.2 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 38.2% of the housing in Pope 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 one other Illinois county has 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 Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +12 | +4 | +6 |
Homes in Pope County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1983, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in Illinois as a whole, where the median home dates to 1970. Only six of Illinois' 102 counties have newer homes.
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 Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $868 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $521 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $364 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $475 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | −$393 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Pope County costs $475 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 22.0% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only one 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 Pope County
Bachelor's degrees in Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.1% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.0% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.9 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Pope County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 15.0%, against 35.6% nationally. Only nine of Illinois' 102 counties have 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 Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.7% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.3% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.5% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.6% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Pope County is above the national rate: 93.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. Pope County has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five 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 Pope County
| Period | Pope County | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Pope County has been strong: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Few Illinois counties have lower unemployment: only six 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).
Pope 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pope County | 2.65 | 53.5 | 6.3% | 13.7% | 38.2% | 1983 | $475 | 15.0% | 93.6% | 2.6% |
| Hardin County | 2.27 | 53.4 | 9.3% | 20.5% | 33.7% | 1974 | $444 | 13.1% | 91.8% | 2.8% |
| Johnson County | 2.75 | 41.6 | 10.5% | 18.0% | 30.2% | 1978 | $896 | 21.8% | 86.9% | 10.2% |
| Crittenden County | 2.56 | 43.5 | 11.4% | 21.8% | 16.4% | 1976 | $788 | 15.1% | 83.6% | 3.2% |
| Union County | 2.43 | 43.5 | 10.2% | 22.6% | 13.1% | 1977 | $747 | 20.4% | 86.8% | 4.2% |
| 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% |
| Cape Girardeau County | 2.53 | 39.4 | 9.0% | 33.2% | 11.4% | 1982 | $983 | 33.3% | 92.5% | 2.6% |
| McLean County | 2.49 | 42.6 | 6.6% | 17.2% | 13.8% | 1978 | $635 | 16.7% | 91.4% | 5.0% |
| Bollinger County | 2.68 | 43.7 | 10.0% | 17.7% | 20.8% | 1982 | $776 | 13.1% | 90.6% | 3.5% |
| Ohio County | 2.61 | 39.9 | 11.6% | 22.8% | 10.8% | 1984 | $809 | 14.0% | 85.2% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: East Carroll Parish, LA · Stonewall County, TX · Stewart County, GA · Stevens County, KS · Ellsworth County, KS · Ellis County, OK · Elliott County, KY · Elk County, KS · Edwards County, TX · Edwards County, IL
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 Pope 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.