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COUNTY

Bureau County

Illinois · 32,510 residents (2025 est.) · 869.071 sq mi
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The short version

Bureau County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $69,257. Population has declined 7% since 2000. 22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has risen by half since 2000, reaching $126,900. With a median age of 44.1, the population is older than the US median of 38.9.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
More affordable
home values down 12%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
32,866
−7%since 2000
from 35,503 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
38 / sq mi
−6%since 2009
from 40 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
44.1
+11%since 2000
from 39.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:32,510 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
33K33K34K35K36K1990201020202024Bureau County
202433K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.1%(1,665)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.7%(1,877)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146%(1,966)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.1%(2,009)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(1,810)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.8%(3,535)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.6%(3,818)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.8%(3,870)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.3%(4,702)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.9%(4,225)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.5%(2,471)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.8%(918)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$69,257
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,233 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$37,423
+92%since 2000
from $19,542 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
46.1%
+22.3 ptssince 2009
from 23.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.8%
+3.5 ptssince 2000
from 7.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.422
Unchangedsince 2010
from 0.423 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade15.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Information15%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.2%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing5.9%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction5.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Wholesale trade5%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services3.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing3.3%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration2.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services1.2%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$126,900
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$832
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $432 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
76.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2000
from 76.0% in 2000
23.9% rent
Vacancy rate
10.2%
+4.0 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
15.2%
−6.9 ptssince 2009
from 22.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
29.6%
−7.8 ptssince 2009
from 37.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
1.8
−18%since 2009
from 2.2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
33
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Bureau County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.5%(33,196)
Black0.3%(110)
Hispanic / Latino4.9%(1,732)
Asian0.5%(181)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic84.6%(27,807)
Black0.6%(193)
Hispanic / Latino10.2%(3,357)
Asian0.9%(284)
Other3.7%(1,225)
Diversity Score
34
+65%since 2009
from 21 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
30
−23%since 2020
from 40 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican9.3%(3,048)
Puerto Rican0.4%(131)
Spaniard0%(11)
Cuban0%(9)
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(95)
Asian Indian0.2%(76)
Chinese0.1%(25)
Mien0.1%(20)
Hmong0%(13)
Laotian0%(11)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German25.5%(8,390)
Irish13.6%(4,455)
English12.6%(4,149)
Italian9.4%(3,081)
Polish5.5%(1,823)
Swedish4.9%(1,600)
American4.2%(1,368)
French2.4%(789)
Scottish1.7%(557)
Norwegian1.5%(509)
Dutch1.1%(373)
Welsh0.8%(272)
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.8%(270)
Belgian0.8%(267)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(248)
Lithuanian0.6%(191)
Slovene0.5%(178)
Czech0.5%(176)
Swiss0.4%(147)
Greek0.3%(98)
Russian0.3%(84)
Slovak0.2%(70)
Arab0.2%(51)
Syrian0.1%(30)
British0.1%(28)
Hungarian0.1%(28)
West Indian0.1%(28)
Croatian0.1%(26)
Haitian0.1%(26)
Turkish0.1%(19)
Austrian0%(16)
Finnish0%(11)
Canadian0%(10)
Serbian0%(5)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Italian population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.7%
+6.0 ptssince 2000
from 15.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
91.5%
+7.4 ptssince 2000
from 84.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.8%
+1.8 ptssince 2000
from 5.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.1 min
+46%since 2000
from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.0%
−2.1 ptssince 2009
from 82.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.5%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.7%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.3%
−3.3 ptssince 2011
from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.8%
−2.2 ptssince 2011
from 65.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.5%
+4.2 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
29.9%
−27.3 ptssince 2009
from 57.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
Female
50.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 51.0% in 2009
Foreign born
3.4%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.3%
−42.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.8%
+2.5 ptssince 2012
from 12.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.4%
−83.6 ptssince 2013
from 89.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.3%
+11.4 ptssince 2017
from 74.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
92.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2016
from 92.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 5.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.9%(4,022)
Married53.5%(7,203)
Widowed4.3%(574)
Divorced12.4%(1,673)
Women 15+
Never married24.6%(3,420)
Married53.4%(7,411)
Widowed9.2%(1,284)
Divorced12.8%(1,771)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Bureau County to nearby counties

BUREAU COUNTY VS
Putnam County
Income$75,590+9%
Home value$172,700+36%
Population5,619−83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUREAU COUNTY VS
Stark County
Income$62,878−9%
Home value$104,500−18%
Population5,319−84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUREAU COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income$70,292+1%
Home value$154,600+22%
Population32,914+1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BUREAU COUNTY VS
Marshall County
Income$71,585+3%
Home value$142,800+13%
Population11,473−65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Bureau County, Illinois?

Bureau County, Illinois has about 32,866 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Bureau County, Illinois?

The typical household in Bureau County, Illinois earns about $69,257 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bureau County, Illinois expensive?

In Bureau County, Illinois, the median home is worth about $126,900, and the typical rent is about $832 a month.

How educated are people in Bureau County, Illinois?

About 21.7% of adults age 25 and over in Bureau County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bureau County, Illinois?

About 10.8% of people in Bureau County, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has Bureau County, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, Bureau County, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,822 residents, a change of about -8 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

10 census tracts
Census Tract 9651Census Tract 9652Census Tract 9650Census Tract 9654Census Tract 9655Census Tract 9653Census Tract 9648Census Tract 9647Census Tract 9649Census Tract 9656
24 ZIP codes
ZIP 61356ZIP 61362ZIP 61376ZIP 61322ZIP 61361ZIP 61329ZIP 61368ZIP 61379ZIP 61330ZIP 61349ZIP 61345ZIP 61320ZIP 61314ZIP 61337ZIP 61317ZIP 61312ZIP 61359ZIP 61338ZIP 61344ZIP 61315ZIP 61323ZIP 61374ZIP 61346ZIP 61328
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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