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
median household income $35,700, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about East St. Louis
What changed most since 1990
Population40,944 → 17,999(−56%)US over the same years: +35%
Median age27.7 → 44.3(+16.6 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Median home value (2024 dollars)$61,202 → $52,600(−14%)US over the same years: +67%
East St. Louis's population equals 7.1% of St. Clair County's. Its number of households without a car equals 20% of the county's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 17% 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)21.9%(208)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)26.4%(251)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era27.4%(260)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0.2%(2)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.4%(13)
US avg: 1%
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
Over time
East St. Louis, decade by decade
East St. Louis 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
40,944
$30,306
$61,202
7.3%
4.8
2000
31,542
$38,845
$75,781
9.1%
6.5
2010
27,006
$29,327
$89,335
10.8%
5.7
2020
18,469
$29,100
$65,329
12.3%
12.3
2024
17,999
$35,700
$52,600
15.9%
17.6
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.
