COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Knox County

Illinois · 56,393 residents · 716 sq mi

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Knox County is home to 56,393 people in Illinois. The typical home is worth $36,800. The median age is 36.3, about 3 years above the US median. Households here earn about 24% less than in Illinois as a whole. About 13% of adults have finished a four-year degree. Renters pay $298 a month at the median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 36.3

US median: 33.0

Less educated

13% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 24%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

56,393

+1%vs 2000

vs 55,836 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

36.3

−8%vs 2000

vs 39.4 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

716 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202449K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56%(3,408)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 96.8%(3,850)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 146.8%(3,841)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.1%(3,981)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.4%(3,590)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.7%(8,280)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4415.4%(8,692)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 549.8%(5,510)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.9%(5,577)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.3%(5,224)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845.5%(3,096)

US avg: 4%

85 and over2.4%(1,344)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$24,523

−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $35,407 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,973

−33%vs 2000

vs $17,985 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

13.9%

+2.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 11.1% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$36,800

−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $63,400 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$298

−4%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $411 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

69.1%

−2.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 71.6% in 2000

30.9% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic88.4%(49,355)

Black6.2%(3,472)

Hispanic / Latino3.4%(1,896)

Asian0.7%(382)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic93.1%(52,490)

Black4.8%(2,706)

Hispanic / Latino2.4%(1,373)

Asian0.6%(326)

Other1.5%(871)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin

Mexican4.6%(2,238)

Puerto Rican0.6%(304)

South American0.3%(152)

Central American0.3%(134)

Honduran0.2%(98)

Spaniard0.2%(91)

Colombian0.2%(76)

Venezuelan0.1%(55)

Nicaraguan0.1%(36)

Dominican0.1%(30)

Cuban0.1%(29)

Peruvian0%(15)

+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data

Ecuadorian0%(6)

Asian origin

Asian Indian0.5%(249)

Chinese0.3%(124)

Vietnamese0.1%(51)

Filipino0.1%(50)

Sri Lankan0.1%(50)

Nepalese0.1%(41)

Japanese0%(5)

Taiwanese0%(3)

Korean0%(3)

Thai0%(1)

Pacific Islander origin

Samoan0%(18)

Native Hawaiian0%(1)

Ancestry

German17.5%(8,580)

Irish13.7%(6,743)

English11.9%(5,856)

Swedish6.3%(3,093)

American4.8%(2,358)

Italian2.1%(1,006)

Scottish1.9%(924)

French1.4%(681)

Scotch-Irish1.3%(639)

Dutch1.2%(597)

Subsaharan African1.1%(562)

Polish0.7%(361)

+ 31 more ancestry groups with data

Belgian0.5%(233)

Norwegian0.4%(209)

Welsh0.3%(146)

Danish0.2%(107)

British0.2%(100)

Czech0.2%(94)

French Canadian0.2%(86)

Lithuanian0.2%(78)

Swiss0.2%(75)

Portuguese0.1%(65)

Russian0.1%(63)

Croatian0.1%(49)

Canadian0.1%(38)

Austrian0.1%(35)

Iranian0.1%(32)

Greek0.1%(29)

Hungarian0.1%(27)

Brazilian0%(24)

Arab0%(17)

Lebanese0%(16)

Romanian0%(16)

Ethiopian0%(16)

Serbian0%(15)

Nigerian0%(14)

Israeli0%(11)

Australian0%(9)

Ghanaian0%(9)

Finnish0%(8)

Slovak0%(5)

Ukrainian0%(4)

Moroccan0%(1)

RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Swedish population · Largest American population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

12.7%

−1.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 14.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

76.6%

−5.3 ptsvs 2000

vs 81.8% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.2%

−0.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.9% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

17.2 min

+31%vs 2000

vs 13.1 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married41.1%(8,526)

Married43.6%(9,054)

Widowed4.2%(868)

Divorced11.1%(2,302)

Women 15+

Never married29.1%(5,853)

Married45.1%(9,072)

Widowed12%(2,415)

Divorced13.8%(2,769)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

5.0%

−6.4 ptssince 2013

from 11.4% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

51.3%

−0.5 ptssince 2020

from 51.8% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

18.4%

−0.7 ptssince 2020

from 19.1% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

24.3%

+1.4 ptssince 2020

from 22.9% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

23.2%

−0.7 ptssince 2020

from 23.9% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.7%

+0.1 ptssince 2020

from 2.6% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

66.8%

−1.3 ptssince 2020

from 68.1% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

44.4%

+0.4 ptssince 2020

from 44.0% 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)17.8%(510)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)13.3%(379)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era44.2%(1,262)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War5.7%(162)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.3%(10)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,858 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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