Population 219 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Prairie
Household size in Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.71 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.73 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.18 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.44 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Prairie 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. Household size has dropped from 2.71 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.4 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 51.2 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.5 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.7 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Prairie skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.5, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.6% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.9% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +4.9 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in twelve households in Prairie (8.9%), below the national share of 11.6%.
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 Prairie
Renters in Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.7% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.1% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 10.1% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −8.7 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 10.1% of households in Prairie rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over a third of owners (35.4%) have paid off their mortgages, below 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 Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.6% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 14.2% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Prairie is close to the national rate: 9.1% of homes are empty, against 9.6%.
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 Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1972 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1974 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Housing in Prairie leans a little older: the median home dates to 1974, against 1980 nationally. Still, homes here are newer than in Illinois overall, 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 Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $507 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $576 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $623 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $923 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$416 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Prairie pays $923 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 36.1% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Prairie
Bachelor's degrees in Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.4% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.2% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Prairie: 20.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%.
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 Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.7% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.9% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.3% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Prairie have finished high school (92.3%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%.
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 Prairie
| Period | Prairie | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.4% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.6% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 0.9% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.7% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Prairie has been low: just 0.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. 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).
Prairie compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie | 2.27 | 44.5 | 8.9% | 10.1% | 9.1% | 1974 | $923 | 20.9% | 92.3% | 0.7% |
| Ruma | 2.42 | 38.9 | 17.8% | 13.5% | 14.1% | 1982 | $1,091 | 15.8% | 88.8% | 0.9% |
| Red Bud | 2.33 | 41.5 | 9.6% | 20.4% | 4.8% | 1978 | $943 | 23.3% | 95.5% | 2.2% |
| Evansville | 2.36 | 43.2 | 12.0% | 17.9% | 12.7% | 1957 | $846 | 13.4% | 89.5% | 6.2% |
| Baldwin | 2.31 | 43.7 | 18.2% | 20.9% | 12.0% | 1975 | $865 | 8.5% | 96.1% | 14.9% |
| Preston | 2.31 | 44.1 | 17.9% | 18.8% | 11.6% | 1975 | $866 | 8.6% | 96.4% | 14.9% |
| Prairie Du Rocher | 2.31 | 43.0 | 13.8% | 17.6% | 10.6% | 1971 | $836 | 13.1% | 93.0% | 2.1% |
| Houston | 2.13 | 49.2 | 7.2% | 0.9% | 4.0% | 1967 | $825 | 9.4% | 98.2% | 5.3% |
| Modoc | 2.34 | 42.5 | 17.2% | 11.9% | 15.0% | 1980 | $1,052 | 15.3% | 88.5% | 2.5% |
| Tipton | 2.50 | 49.2 | 4.4% | 7.8% | 6.7% | 1991 | $770 | 33.6% | 96.0% | 1.9% |
| Walsh | 2.19 | 56.8 | 11.8% | 4.6% | 17.6% | 1973 | $863 | 15.3% | 90.5% | 10.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: West Richwoods, AR · Center Lovell, ME · Center, NE · Center Point, AR · Centerpoint, OH · Central Point, VA · Chama, CO · Chestnut Bluff, TN · West Branch, NY · West Plymouth, NH
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 Prairie. 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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