With 25,279 people, Alton is a city in Illinois. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $103,700. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. That trails the Illinois median by roughly 35%. 3% of people here were born outside the United States. The poverty rate is 21.0%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $54,568, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Alton
What changed most since 1990
Population32,905 → 25,279(−23%)US over the same years: +35%
White share75.0% → 68.7%(−6.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$90,003 → $103,700(+15%)US over the same years: +67%
Alton's population equals 9.6% of Madison County's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 18% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 18% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)19.2%(308)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.7%(413)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.3%(503)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.6%(41)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,606 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Alton, decade by decade
Alton population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
32,905
$55,077
$90,003
11.6%
48.0
2000
30,496
$56,859
$100,920
16.1%
53.3
2010
27,865
$54,771
$121,559
18.6%
59.3
2020
25,676
$52,470
$97,448
19.8%
65.9
2024
25,279
$54,568
$103,700
21.5%
60.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
