United States › Illinois › Knox County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Knox County Illinois · 49,967 residents · 716 sq mi
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The short version
Knox County is a county of 49,967 people in Illinois. The typical home is worth $83,700. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 19% of adults. That trails the Illinois median by roughly 35%. The median age is 43.3, about 4 years above the US median. The foreign-born share is 3%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 43.3
US median: 38.8
Less educated
19% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 12%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 39.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
48K 51K 53K 55K 57K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Knox County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $44,464
−16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,407 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $17,985 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 19.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 8.1%
Public administration 3.2%
Transportation & warehousing 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0.4%
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$83,700
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $63,400 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$623
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $411 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 71.6% in 2000
31.5% rent
from 2.16 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.1 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 88.4%(49,355)
Hispanic / Latino 3.4%(1,896)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 79.3%(39,615)
Hispanic / Latino 6.1%(3,051)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 30 more ancestry groups with data from 14.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 81.8% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 82.7% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 56.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 28.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 11.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 41.1%(8,526)
Women 15+
Never married 29.1%(5,853)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 12%(407)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.4%(557)
Share of the 3,403 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 Knox County Head to head
Compare Knox County to nearby counties KNOX COUNTY VS
Warren County
Income $67,385 +52%
Home value $105,000 +25%
Population 16,222 −66%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOX COUNTY VS
Stark County
Income $62,878 +41%
Home value $104,500 +25%
Population 5,319 −89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOX COUNTY VS
Peoria County
Income $65,108 +46%
Home value $158,500 +89%
Population 178,553 +274%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOX COUNTY VS
Henry County
Income $71,911 +62%
Home value $151,600 +81%
Population 48,095 +1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Knox County, Illinois? Knox County, Illinois has about 49,967 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Knox County, Illinois? The typical household in Knox County, Illinois earns about $44,464 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Knox County, Illinois expensive? In Knox County, Illinois, the median home is worth about $83,700, and the typical rent is about $623 a month.
How educated are people in Knox County, Illinois? About 19.2% of adults age 25 and over in Knox County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Knox County, Illinois? About 16.7% of people in Knox County, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.
Has Knox County, Illinois grown since 1990? Yes, Knox County, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 6,426 residents, a change of about -11 percent over that period.
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