Population 13,158 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rantoul
Household size in Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.33 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.46 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Rantoul run small, averaging 2.46 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.33, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the southwest and smallest in the north.
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 Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.1 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.1 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 37.1 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.7 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Rantoul is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 37.1, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 36.5, a smaller shift than nationally. Rantoul is younger than at least four in five Illinois cities.
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 Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.8% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.7% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 19.9% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 19.1% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Rantoul: 19.1% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only 23 of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people have a higher 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 Rantoul
Renters in Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.7% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 49.2% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.0% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.6% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Rantoul rent their homes (43.6%), above the national share of 34.8%. More than a third of owners (36.9%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 2.1 points, even as the national share rose. Of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people, only 21 have a higher 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 Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.3% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.0% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.1% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.1% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.2 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Rantoul: 12.1% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 3.2 points, mirroring the country.
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 Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1962 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1964 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1963 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1966 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Rantoul is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1966, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1962 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
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 Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $656 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $678 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $780 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $988 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$332 | +$475 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rantoul pays $988 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $332 a month since 2006–10, up 51%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 24.0% 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 north; the highest 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 Rantoul
Bachelor's degrees in Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.7% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Rantoul: 13.1% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has fallen 4.5 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only nine of the 388 Illinois cities with 5,000+ people 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 Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.4% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.2% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.6% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Rantoul is above the national rate: 93.5% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 9.1 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Rantoul
| Period | Rantoul | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.2% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.2 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Rantoul than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 9.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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).
Rantoul 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rantoul | 2.46 | 37.1 | 19.1% | 43.6% | 12.1% | 1966 | $988 | 13.1% | 93.5% | 4.0% |
| Prospect | 2.55 | 37.8 | 9.6% | 21.9% | 11.3% | 1972 | $836 | 15.7% | 96.1% | 7.3% |
| Thomasboro | 2.33 | 41.6 | 7.1% | 21.8% | 11.2% | 1975 | $836 | 19.5% | 95.8% | 2.5% |
| Ludlow | 2.71 | 41.4 | 17.6% | 24.6% | 20.1% | 1964 | $999 | 15.4% | 89.8% | 11.2% |
| Tomlinson | 2.54 | 49.0 | 9.9% | 5.0% | 9.6% | 1970 | $897 | 29.1% | 99.6% | 1.7% |
| Gifford | 2.32 | 51.1 | 4.3% | 6.6% | 8.1% | 1981 | $609 | 22.8% | 96.2% | 2.1% |
| Dewey | 2.74 | 48.8 | 14.6% | 4.0% | 9.3% | 1977 | $942 | 39.3% | 98.9% | 1.2% |
| Penfield | 2.80 | 41.8 | 4.9% | 18.9% | 15.3% | 1965 | $950 | 23.0% | 96.0% | 1.5% |
| Paxton | 2.26 | 41.1 | 14.5% | 24.6% | 8.0% | 1958 | $891 | 21.2% | 93.7% | 1.6% |
| Fisher | 2.59 | 41.5 | 10.7% | 12.2% | 7.5% | 1976 | $945 | 29.6% | 96.4% | 1.5% |
| Perdueville | 2.44 | 34.8 | 18.0% | 15.6% | 8.7% | 1949 | $818 | 22.9% | 92.9% | 5.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Burnet, TX · Whitestown, IN · Whitefish, MT · White City, OR · Western Springs, IL · West Point, MS · Carbondale, PA · Campton Hills, IL · California, MD · Byhalia, MS
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 Rantoul. 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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