COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Shelby County

Illinois · 22,261 residents · 759 sq mi

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Shelby County is home to 22,261 people in Illinois. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. Median home value sits at $38,800. 10% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. At a median age of 36.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 19% less than in Illinois as a whole.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Older

median age 36.2

US median: 33.0

Less educated

10% 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

22,261

−3%vs 2000

vs 22,893 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

36.2

−8%vs 2000

vs 39.3 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

759 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202421K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.8%(1,516)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97%(1,569)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 147.6%(1,695)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 196.9%(1,530)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 245.4%(1,206)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.5%(3,220)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4413.2%(2,933)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.4%(2,326)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 6410.2%(2,273)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 749.8%(2,188)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 846.3%(1,401)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.8%(404)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$26,040

−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $37,313 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$11,608

−33%vs 2000

vs $17,313 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

10.0%

+0.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 9.1% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$38,800

−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $67,400 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$296

−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $418 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

78.9%

−2.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 81.0% in 2000

21.1% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic98.6%(22,581)

Black0.2%(35)

Hispanic / Latino0.5%(110)

Asian0.2%(46)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.7%(22,196)

Black0.1%(13)

Hispanic / Latino0%(5)

Asian0.1%(15)

Other0.2%(37)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican0.8%(171)

Puerto Rican0.1%(14)

Cuban0.1%(14)

Asian origin

Filipino0.1%(26)

Korean0.1%(12)

Pacific Islander origin

Samoan0%(6)

Ancestry

German24.1%(4,987)

English13.3%(2,749)

American10.3%(2,131)

Irish9%(1,870)

French3.8%(790)

Scottish1.9%(384)

Polish1.4%(298)

Italian1.2%(258)

Portuguese0.9%(183)

Swedish0.8%(174)

Dutch0.7%(147)

Scotch-Irish0.6%(121)

+ 21 more ancestry groups with data

Norwegian0.5%(102)

Welsh0.2%(49)

Czech0.2%(46)

British0.2%(42)

Canadian0.1%(30)

Slovak0.1%(27)

Lithuanian0.1%(25)

Subsaharan African0.1%(25)

Ukrainian0.1%(22)

Danish0.1%(18)

Greek0.1%(17)

Slovene0.1%(15)

Croatian0.1%(12)

Russian0%(10)

Finnish0%(8)

Swiss0%(8)

Austrian0%(7)

Belgian0%(7)

French Canadian0%(5)

West Indian0%(5)

Hungarian0%(4)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

9.8%

−1.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 11.5% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

72.7%

−10.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 82.9% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.8%

−0.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.9% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

26.2 min

+38%vs 2000

vs 19.0 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 married25.5%(2,166)

Married59.9%(5,084)

Widowed4.3%(363)

Divorced10.3%(874)

Women 15+

Never married17.7%(1,527)

Married58.7%(5,060)

Widowed10.1%(874)

Divorced13.4%(1,156)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

4.4%

−4.6 ptssince 2013

from 9.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

55.8%

−5.0 ptssince 2020

from 60.8% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

14.9%

−1.5 ptssince 2020

from 16.4% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

24.4%

+1.0 ptssince 2020

from 23.4% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

21.2%

+4.6 ptssince 2020

from 16.6% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.6%

+0.8 ptssince 2020

from 2.8% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

68.1%

−7.0 ptssince 2020

from 75.1% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

43.4%

+5.0 ptssince 2020

from 38.4% 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)15.3%(259)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)26.1%(443)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era38.3%(650)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War4.5%(76)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II3.3%(56)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,695 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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