United States › Illinois › Marion CITY
Marion Illinois · 17,148 residents (2025 est.) · 14.4 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Marion is a city of 16,836 people in Illinois. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $158,300. Households here earn about 32% less than in Illinois as a whole. The foreign-born share is 2%. At a median age of 42.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 29% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
29% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 34%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 16,035 in 2000
17,148 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,169 / sq mi
−2%since 2009
from 1,197 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 15K 16K 17K 18K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Marion Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $56,912
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,364 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,073 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 14.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.476 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 4.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing 3%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.6%
Education & health services 0.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$158,300
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $64,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$921
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $407 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.7% in 2000
36.7% rent
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
1.99 people
−12%since 2009
from 2.27 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 46.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 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 92%(14,760)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(257)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 84.5%(14,225)
Hispanic / Latino 2.7%(450)
from 23 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
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 16.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 79.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 86.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 8.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 60.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 34.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 69.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 37.8%(2,449)
Women 15+
Never married 26.3%(1,927)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 24.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 60.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 47.8% 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) 20.7%(264)
Gulf War (1990s) 21.7%(276)
Share of the 1,273 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 Marion Head to head
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MARION VS
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MARION VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Marion, Illinois? Marion, Illinois has about 16,836 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Marion, Illinois? The typical household in Marion, Illinois earns about $56,912 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Marion, Illinois expensive? In Marion, Illinois, the median home is worth about $158,300, and the typical rent is about $921 a month.
How educated are people in Marion, Illinois? About 28.5% of adults age 25 and over in Marion, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Marion, Illinois? About 13.3% of people in Marion, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Marion, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Marion, Illinois has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,291 residents, a change of about 16 percent over that period.
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