United States › Illinois › Charleston CITY · 2020 ACS
Charleston Illinois · 17,286 residents · 8.89 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 17,286 people, Charleston is a city in Illinois. This skews young, with a median age of 30.9. 67% were living in the same home a year earlier. 47% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 27.3%, above the 12.8% national rate. Households here earn about 39% less than in Illinois as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 30.9
US median: 38.8
Average education
34% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 22.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 18K 20K 21K 23K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Charleston Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $41,436
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,140 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $14,522 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 30.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.5%
Education & health services 0.2%
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$110,500
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $75,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$716
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $441 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 45.7% in 2000
53.2% rent
2.13 people
+22%since 2009
from 1.75 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 4.3 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 91.5%(19,252)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(370)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 78.4%(13,557)
Hispanic / Latino 5.8%(1,010)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data from 33.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 83.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 17.3% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 69.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.4% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 57.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 29.9% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 13.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 47.7%(3,394)
Women 15+
Never married 50.6%(4,127)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 24.8%(247)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.8%(177)
Share of the 997 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
Places similar to Charleston Head to head
Compare Charleston to nearby cities CHARLESTON VS
Mattoon
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Home value $97,700 −12%
Population 16,667 −5%
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CHARLESTON VS
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CHARLESTON VS
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CHARLESTON VS
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Home value $320,300 +190%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Charleston, Illinois? Charleston, Illinois has about 17,286 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Charleston, Illinois? The typical household in Charleston, Illinois earns about $41,436 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Charleston, Illinois expensive? In Charleston, Illinois, the median home is worth about $110,500, and the typical rent is about $716 a month.
How educated are people in Charleston, Illinois? About 34.3% of adults age 25 and over in Charleston, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Charleston, Illinois? About 27.3% of people in Charleston, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Charleston, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Charleston, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,112 residents, a change of about -15 percent over that period.
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