United States › Illinois › Edwards County COUNTY
Edwards County Illinois · 5,898 residents (2025 est.) · 222 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Edwards County is a county of 6,075 people in Illinois. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 14% of adults. The typical home is worth $100,000, having more than doubled since 2000. The median age is 44.7, about 6 years above the US median. Owners hold 79% of the housing stock. 1% of people here were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,971 in 2000
5,898 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 29 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K 6K 7K 7K 8K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Edwards County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $60,519
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,816 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,187 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 9.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.414 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 10.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Education & health services 0.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$100,000
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $45,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$811
+40%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $319 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 81.2% in 2000
20.7% rent
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.18 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 20.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.5 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 98.5%(6,869)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(32)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.7%(5,755)
Hispanic / Latino 1.5%(89)
from 5 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 14 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 Ancestry
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 9.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 82.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 62.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 75.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 72.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 20.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.4% 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) 10.9%(36)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.2%(83)
Share of the 330 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 Edwards County Head to head
Compare Edwards County to nearby counties EDWARDS COUNTY VS
Wabash County
Income $57,086 −6%
Home value $104,900 +5%
Population 10,907 +85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EDWARDS COUNTY VS
Richland County
Income $62,455 +3%
Home value $112,000 +12%
Population 15,219 +158%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EDWARDS COUNTY VS
Wayne County
Income $55,521 −8%
Home value $110,700 +11%
Population 15,882 +169%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
EDWARDS COUNTY VS
White County
Income $54,813 −9%
Home value $108,100 +8%
Population 13,250 +125%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Edwards County, Illinois? Edwards County, Illinois has about 6,075 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Edwards County, Illinois? The typical household in Edwards County, Illinois earns about $60,519 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Edwards County, Illinois expensive? In Edwards County, Illinois, the median home is worth about $100,000, and the typical rent is about $811 a month.
How educated are people in Edwards County, Illinois? About 13.9% of adults age 25 and over in Edwards County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Edwards County, Illinois? About 16.5% of people in Edwards County, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Edwards County, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Edwards County, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,365 residents, a change of about -18 percent over that period.
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