United States › Illinois › East St. Louis CITY
East St. Louis Illinois · 17,682 residents (2025 est.) · 13.9 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
East St. Louis is home to 17,999 people in Illinois. 32.8% of locals live below the federal poverty line. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. That trails the Illinois median by roughly 57%. Median home value sits at $52,600. There are 13,543 fewer people here than in 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 31%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 31,542 in 2000
17,682 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,293 / sq mi
−38%since 2009
from 2,086 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 31.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 23K 29K 36K 43K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 East St. Louis Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $35,700
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $21,324 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $11,169 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 35.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.475 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 14%
Public administration 5.2%
Education & health services 1%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$52,600
−31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $41,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$847
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $361 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 52.9% in 2000
39.3% rent
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 39.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 51.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 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 1.2%(363)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(230)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 2.2%(398)
Hispanic / Latino 1.2%(219)
from 9 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 9.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 66.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 67.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 25.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 18.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 49.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 65.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 23.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 38.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 75.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 94.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 1.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 61.1%(3,797)
Women 15+
Never married 46.3%(4,201)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 30.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 49.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 41.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 65.7% 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) 21.9%(208)
Gulf War (1990s) 26.4%(251)
Share of the 950 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 St. Louis Head to head
Compare East St. Louis to nearby cities EAST ST. LOUIS VS
Cahokia Heights
Income $33,792 −5%
Home value $56,000 +6%
Population 16,874 −5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EAST ST. LOUIS VS
St. Louis
Income $56,160 +57%
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EAST ST. LOUIS VS
Fairview Heights
Income $80,930 +127%
Home value $177,700 +238%
Population 16,175 −9%
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EAST ST. LOUIS VS
Granite City
Income $59,205 +66%
Home value $104,300 +98%
Population 26,807 +52%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in East St. Louis, Illinois? East St. Louis, Illinois has about 17,999 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in East St. Louis, Illinois? The typical household in East St. Louis, Illinois earns about $35,700 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is East St. Louis, Illinois expensive? In East St. Louis, Illinois, the median home is worth about $52,600, and the typical rent is about $847 a month.
How educated are people in East St. Louis, Illinois? About 15.9% of adults age 25 and over in East St. Louis, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in East St. Louis, Illinois? About 32.8% of people in East St. Louis, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has East St. Louis, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, East St. Louis, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 22,945 residents, a change of about -56 percent over that period.
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