United States › Illinois › Alton CITY
Alton Illinois · 25,013 residents (2025 est.) · 15.7 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
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
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
Section 01
Population & growth from 30,496 in 2000
25,013 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,613 / sq mi
−14%since 2009
from 1,876 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
25K 27K 29K 31K 34K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Alton Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $54,568
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,213 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,817 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.430 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.9%
Public administration 4.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.7%
Education & health services 0.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$103,700
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $55,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,015
+30%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $430 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 65.4% in 2000
40.1% rent
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.37 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 50.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 71.6%(21,825)
Hispanic / Latino 1.5%(454)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 68.7%(17,377)
from 56 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data from 16.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 81.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 84.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 59.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 76.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 70.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 83.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 46.3%(4,351)
Women 15+
Never married 36.7%(4,009)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 34.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 55.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 50.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.7%(413)
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.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Alton, Illinois? Alton, Illinois has about 25,279 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Alton, Illinois? The typical household in Alton, Illinois earns about $54,568 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Alton, Illinois expensive? In Alton, Illinois, the median home is worth about $103,700, and the typical rent is about $1,015 a month.
How educated are people in Alton, Illinois? About 21.5% of adults age 25 and over in Alton, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Alton, Illinois? About 21.0% of people in Alton, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Alton, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Alton, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 7,626 residents, a change of about -23 percent over that period.
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