United States › Illinois › Hancock County COUNTY
Hancock County Illinois · 16,803 residents (2025 est.) · 794 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Hancock County is a county of 17,281 people in Illinois. At a median age of 46.9, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $113,800. 1% of people here were born outside the United States. 25% 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 46.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% 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 20,121 in 2000
16,803 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 24 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
17K 18K 19K 21K 22K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Hancock County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $65,865
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,654 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,478 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.419 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 8.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 5%
Public administration 4.5%
Transportation & warehousing 3.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Education & health services 0.3%
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$113,800
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $58,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$782
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $363 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.4% in 2000
18.7% rent
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.31 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 30.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.8 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 98.3%(19,780)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(105)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94%(16,246)
Hispanic / Latino 2.3%(397)
from 6 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 25 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
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 15.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 85.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 64.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 75.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 10.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 67.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 83.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 92.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 24.5%(1,755)
Women 15+
Never married 18.7%(1,342)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 10.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 54.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 70.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 42.3% 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) 20%(192)
Gulf War (1990s) 24.1%(232)
Share of the 962 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 Hancock County Head to head
Compare Hancock County to nearby counties HANCOCK COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income $62,382 −5%
Home value $141,400 +24%
Population 32,306 +92%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HANCOCK COUNTY VS
McDonough County
Income $52,795 −20%
Home value $107,500 −6%
Population 25,916 +54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HANCOCK COUNTY VS
Adams County
Income $66,220 +1%
Home value $162,600 +43%
Population 64,267 +282%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HANCOCK COUNTY VS
Clark County
Income $51,781 −21%
Home value $130,700 +15%
Population 6,475 −61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Hancock County, Illinois? Hancock County, Illinois has about 17,281 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Hancock County, Illinois? The typical household in Hancock County, Illinois earns about $65,865 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Hancock County, Illinois expensive? In Hancock County, Illinois, the median home is worth about $113,800, and the typical rent is about $782 a month.
How educated are people in Hancock County, Illinois? About 25.1% of adults age 25 and over in Hancock County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Hancock County, Illinois? About 12.3% of people in Hancock County, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Hancock County, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Hancock County, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 4,092 residents, a change of about -19 percent over that period.
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