United States › Illinois › Lena CITY
Lena Illinois · 2,670 residents (2025 est.) · 2.65 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
Lena is a city of 2,761 people in Illinois. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $146,000. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners hold 76% of the housing stock. Renters pay $664 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 10%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 2,887 in 2000
2,670 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,041 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1,039 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K 3K 3K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lena Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $72,663
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,947 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,613 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.389 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 7.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.9%
Transportation & warehousing 3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
Education & health services 0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$146,000
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$664
−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $434 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 77.2% in 2000
23.6% rent
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 36.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 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 98.1%(2,832)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(33)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.8%(2,617)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(50)
from 3 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
+ 5 more ancestry groups with data from 14.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 84.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 63.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 82.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 32.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 5.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 83.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 96.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 5.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 16.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 7.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 82.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.3% 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) 21.7%(35)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.1%(26)
Share of the 161 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 Lena Head to head
Compare Lena to nearby cities LENA VS
Freeport
Income $51,723 −29%
Home value $92,100 −37%
Population 23,202 +769%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LENA VS
Monroe
Income $69,334 −5%
Home value $195,300 +34%
Population 10,581 +296%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LENA VS
Rockford
Income $54,752 −25%
Home value $129,000 −12%
Population 147,384 +5420%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LENA VS
Sterling
Income $57,350 −21%
Home value $108,700 −26%
Population 14,394 +439%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Lena, Illinois? Lena, Illinois has about 2,761 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lena, Illinois? The typical household in Lena, Illinois earns about $72,663 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lena, Illinois expensive? In Lena, Illinois, the median home is worth about $146,000, and the typical rent is about $664 a month.
How educated are people in Lena, Illinois? About 24.6% of adults age 25 and over in Lena, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lena, Illinois? About 3.1% of people in Lena, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Lena, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Lena, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 104 residents, a change of about 4 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here