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COUNTY

Marion County

Illinois · 36,382 residents (2025 est.) · 573 sq mi
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The short version

Marion County is home to 37,000 people in Illinois. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 17% of adults. The typical home is worth $103,000, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%. Households here earn about 27% less than in Illinois as a whole. 75% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% 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

Total population
37,000
−11%since 2000
from 41,691 in 2000
36,382 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
65 / sq mi
−6%since 2009
from 69 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
41.5
+8%since 2000
from 38.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
573 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
37K38K39K41K42K19902000201020202024Marion County
202437K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.2%(2,293)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(2,232)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147%(2,591)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.3%(2,329)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245%(1,857)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.8%(4,354)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.1%(4,465)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(4,271)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.9%(5,135)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7411.8%(4,378)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.6%(2,065)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.8%(1,030)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$61,240
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,227 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$32,825
+90%since 2000
from $17,235 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
40.0%
+21.9 ptssince 2009
from 18.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
15.4%
+4.1 ptssince 2000
from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.434
+2%since 2010
from 0.428 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.9%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical6.8%
US avg: 5.1%
Wholesale trade4.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Other services3.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.6%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction2.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing2.2%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food0.8%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.3%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$103,000
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$794
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $371 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
74.7%
−2.0 ptssince 2000
from 76.6% in 2000
25.3% rent
Vacancy rate
10.5%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.33 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.2%
−4.6 ptssince 2009
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.8%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 41.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
1.7
−8%since 2009
from 1.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
33
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.4%(38,951)
Black3.8%(1,593)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(378)
Asian0.6%(235)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic89.1%(32,978)
Black2.9%(1,071)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(812)
Asian0.7%(257)
Other5.1%(1,882)
Diversity Score
25
+43%since 2009
from 18 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
29
−24%since 2020
from 38 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
Mexican1.3%(475)
Puerto Rican0.3%(121)
Honduran0.2%(59)
Costa Rican0.1%(51)
Peruvian0.1%(30)
Salvadoran0.1%(22)
Spaniard0%(17)
Cuban0%(15)
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(105)
Korean0.2%(65)
Chinese0.2%(57)
Thai0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German24.2%(8,938)
English13.6%(5,040)
Irish12.3%(4,552)
American8%(2,948)
Polish2.3%(849)
Italian1.8%(648)
Dutch1.2%(445)
Scottish1.2%(430)
Welsh1.1%(420)
French1%(382)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(293)
Norwegian0.4%(160)
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.4%(151)
Czech0.4%(142)
Hungarian0.3%(104)
British0.2%(92)
Swiss0.2%(88)
Lithuanian0.1%(49)
Croatian0.1%(37)
Russian0.1%(37)
Greek0.1%(35)
Arab0.1%(31)
Finnish0.1%(23)
Danish0.1%(19)
Iraqi0%(12)
Jamaican0%(12)
Egyptian0%(10)
Belgian0%(8)
Turkish0%(4)
Slovak0%(2)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.8%
+4.6 ptssince 2000
from 12.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
90.7%
+11.6 ptssince 2000
from 79.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.3%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.1 min
+54%since 2000
from 13.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
82.9%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 81.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
4.8%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.0%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.9%
−4.6 ptssince 2011
from 10.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
60.1%
−1.6 ptssince 2011
from 61.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 72.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.4%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
31.8%
+7.7 ptssince 2009
from 24.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 48.3% in 2009
Female
50.8%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 51.7% in 2009
Foreign born
1.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.8%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.1%
+0.5 ptssince 2012
from 18.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.4%
−5.1 ptssince 2013
from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
86.0%
+12.7 ptssince 2017
from 73.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
90.8%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 89.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
89.7%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 86.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
97.5%
Unchangedsince 2016
from 97.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
1.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2016
from 1.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.1%(4,677)
Married50.1%(7,304)
Widowed5.2%(757)
Divorced12.7%(1,854)
Women 15+
Never married24.3%(3,712)
Married50.7%(7,747)
Widowed11.6%(1,772)
Divorced13.5%(2,061)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
6.4%
−5.1 ptssince 2013
from 11.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
51.3%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 48.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 13.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
22.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 22.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
28.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 29.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 4.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
62.5%
+2.2 ptssince 2020
from 60.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
47.1%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 49.3% 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)25.4%(559)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23%(506)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.8%(699)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.2%(159)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2%(45)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,199 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Marion County

Jefferson County
Pop 36,147
Fulton County
Pop 32,901
Madison County
Pop 32,919
Christian County
Pop 33,443
Places similar to Marion County
Head to head

Compare Marion County to nearby counties

MARION COUNTY VS
Jefferson County
Income$63,118+3%
Home value$126,000+22%
Population36,147−1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MARION COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income$60,417−1%
Home value$97,400−5%
Population12,793−65%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MARION COUNTY VS
Fayette County
Income$60,944same
Home value$130,700+27%
Population20,790−43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MARION COUNTY VS
Clinton County
Income$86,588+41%
Home value$192,400+87%
Population37,128+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Marion County, Illinois?

Marion County, Illinois has about 37,000 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Marion County, Illinois earns about $61,240 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Marion County, Illinois expensive?

In Marion County, Illinois, the median home is worth about $103,000, and the typical rent is about $794 a month.

How educated are people in Marion County, Illinois?

About 16.8% of adults age 25 and over in Marion County, Illinois hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Marion County, Illinois?

About 15.4% of people in Marion County, Illinois live below the federal poverty line.

Has Marion County, Illinois grown since 1990?

Yes, Marion County, Illinois has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 4,561 residents, a change of about -11 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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