United States › Illinois › East Alton CITY
East Alton Illinois · 5,621 residents (2025 est.) · 5.32 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
East Alton is a city of 5,689 people in Illinois. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. The median age is 45.2, about 6 years above the US median. The typical home is worth $106,700, having more than doubled since 2000. That trails the Illinois median by roughly 41%. 0% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% 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 6,830 in 2000
5,621 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,070 / sq mi
−13%since 2009
from 1,236 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K 6K 6K 7K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 East Alton Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $48,815
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,404 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,572 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 13.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.458 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.1%
Transportation & warehousing 2.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.3%
Education & health services 1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$106,700
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $55,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$881
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $410 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 58.7% in 2000
43.5% rent
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 63.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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.
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 96.1%(6,561)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 88.5%(5,033)
Hispanic / Latino 3.8%(214)
from 11 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
+ 6 more ancestry groups with data from 7.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 73.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 1.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 85.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 54.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 72.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 17.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 53.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 23.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 42.0% 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) 17.3%(57)
Gulf War (1990s) 35.6%(117)
Share of the 329 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to East Alton Head to head
Compare East Alton to nearby cities EAST ALTON VS
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EAST ALTON VS
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EAST ALTON VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in East Alton, Illinois? East Alton, Illinois has about 5,689 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in East Alton, Illinois? The typical household in East Alton, Illinois earns about $48,815 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is East Alton, Illinois expensive? In East Alton, Illinois, the median home is worth about $106,700, and the typical rent is about $881 a month.
How educated are people in East Alton, Illinois? About 16.4% of adults age 25 and over in East Alton, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in East Alton, Illinois? About 20.8% of people in East Alton, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has East Alton, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, East Alton, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,374 residents, a change of about -19 percent over that period.
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