RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 102 SHOWN OF 102

Most sparsely populated, Illinois counties

Illinois counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 102 counties in Illinois that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 102 is 45. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Lawrence County, IL, up 7 places to #38.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most population gained Most population lost Most densely populated

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Pope County, ILIL3,67210−17%

02Gallatin County, ILIL4,61614−28%

03Schuyler County, ILIL6,65715−7%

04Henderson County, ILIL5,98416−27%

05Calhoun County, ILIL4,30017−15%

06Pike County, ILIL14,23117−18%

07Hamilton County, ILIL7,85918−9%

08▲1Jasper County, ILIL9,03218−11%

09▼1Stark County, ILIL5,31918−16%

10Scott County, ILIL4,86619−12%

11▲4Alexander County, ILIL4,57019−52%

12Hardin County, ILIL3,58820−25%

13Greene County, ILIL11,31321−23%

14▼3Brown County, ILIL6,40121−8%

15▼1Hancock County, ILIL16,80321−16%

16Wayne County, ILIL15,88222−7%

17▲1Mason County, ILIL12,41123−23%

18▼1Iroquois County, ILIL26,15023−17%

19Washington County, ILIL13,56424−10%

20Pulaski County, ILIL4,82024−34%

21Edgar County, ILIL16,32326−17%

22▲4Edwards County, ILIL5,89827−15%

23▲2White County, ILIL13,25027−14%

24▼2Shelby County, ILIL20,57627−10%

25▼1Mercer County, ILIL15,22927−10%

26▼3Ford County, ILIL13,21627−7%

27Clay County, ILIL12,79327−12%

28Fayette County, ILIL20,79029−5%

29Cumberland County, ILIL10,20830−9%

30Marshall County, ILIL11,47330−13%

31▲1Warren County, ILIL16,22230−13%

32▼1Clark County, ILIL15,11430−11%

33▲1Cass County, ILIL12,46333−9%

34▼1Livingston County, ILIL35,05734−12%

35▲1Carroll County, ILIL15,41935−8%

36▼1Putnam County, ILIL5,61935−8%

37Jo Daviess County, ILIL21,59436−3%

38▲7Lawrence County, ILIL13,79037−11%

39Bureau County, ILIL32,51037−8%

40▲3Menard County, ILIL11,86338−5%

41Fulton County, ILIL32,90138−14%

42De Witt County, ILIL15,11838−10%

43▼5Piatt County, ILIL16,79138+3%

44▼4Johnson County, ILIL13,36339+4%

45▼1Montgomery County, ILIL28,07640−8%

46Union County, ILIL16,65640−9%

47Crawford County, ILIL18,64842−9%

48▲1Richland County, ILIL15,21942−6%

49▼1Moultrie County, ILIL14,37143+1%

50▲2McDonough County, ILIL25,91644−21%

51Logan County, ILIL27,18244−13%

52▼2Bond County, ILIL16,95945−4%

53Lee County, ILIL32,91445−9%

54▲1Perry County, ILIL20,16046−13%

55▲1Christian County, ILIL33,44347−5%

56▼2Douglas County, ILIL19,880480%

57Wabash County, ILIL10,90749−16%

58Macoupin County, ILIL43,74851−11%

59Randolph County, ILIL29,92152−12%

60▲2Massac County, ILIL13,50257−11%

61▼1Morgan County, ILIL32,51557−11%

62▼1Jersey County, ILIL21,16057−2%

63Henry County, ILIL48,09558−6%

64Saline County, ILIL22,77260−15%

65Jefferson County, ILIL36,14763−10%

66Marion County, ILIL36,38264−13%

67▲1Knox County, ILIL47,76767−14%

68▼1Ogle County, ILIL51,39968+1%

69Effingham County, ILIL34,51972+1%

70Woodford County, ILIL38,11172+7%

71Adams County, ILIL64,26775−6%

72▲1Stephenson County, ILIL43,22077−12%

73▼1Clinton County, ILIL37,12878+4%

74Whiteside County, ILIL54,12179−11%

75Vermilion County, ILIL71,25979−15%

76▲1Jackson County, ILIL52,50190−12%

77▲2Franklin County, ILIL36,91690−5%

78▼2Monroe County, ILIL34,84090+26%

79▼1Coles County, ILIL46,60792−12%

80LaSalle County, ILIL107,77395−3%

81Grundy County, ILIL54,052129+44%

82McLean County, ILIL171,419145+14%

83Kankakee County, ILIL105,525156+2%

84▲1Williamson County, ILIL67,225160+10%

85▼1DeKalb County, ILIL101,835161+14%

86Macon County, ILIL99,300171−13%

87Boone County, ILIL53,568191+28%

88Tazewell County, ILIL130,049201+1%

89Champaign County, ILIL209,972211+17%

90Sangamon County, ILIL194,170224+3%

91Peoria County, ILIL178,553289−3%

92Rock Island County, ILIL141,869332−5%

93Madison County, ILIL263,110368+2%

94St. Clair County, ILIL250,708381−2%

95Kendall County, ILIL145,470454+167%

96McHenry County, ILIL317,751527+22%

97Winnebago County, ILIL283,674553+2%

98Will County, ILIL712,253852+42%

99Kane County, ILIL525,7571,012+30%

100Lake County, ILIL719,3391,622+12%

101DuPage County, ILIL934,2982,850+3%

102Cook County, ILIL5,194,6255,497−3%

SHOWING 1–102 OF 102

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES