Jefferson County, IL

County

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2024 Population

36,550

US Senator

Dick Durbin

Democratic Party

US Senator

Tammy Duckworth

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

41.2

0.243% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

13.5%

4.45% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$63,118

3.3% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$126,000

6.42% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

16,340

1.47% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Jefferson County, IL reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.2% of the residents in Jefferson County, IL are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Jefferson County, IL are Rend Lake College (1,519 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Jefferson County, IL was $126,000, and the homeownership rate was 71.7%.

Most people in Jefferson County, IL drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Jefferson County, IL was 2 cars per household.

Jefferson County, IL borders Franklin County, IL, Hamilton County, IL, Marion County, IL, Perry County, IL, Washington County, IL, and Wayne County, IL.

United States Illinois Mount Vernon, IL

Population & Diversity

Jefferson County, IL is home to a population of 36.6k people, from which 99.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.85% of Jefferson County, IL residents were born outside of the country (677 people).

In 2024, there were 14.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (30.6k people) in Jefferson County, IL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.14k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.62k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.2%

2024 Citizenship

99.3%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 99.2% of Jefferson County, IL residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Jefferson County, IL was 99.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Jefferson County, IL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Jefferson County, IL

White (Non-Hispanic)
30.6k ± 233
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
2.14k ± 241
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
1.62k ± 238

2.82%

Hispanic Population

1.03k people

2.82% of the people in Jefferson County, IL are hispanic (1.03k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Jefferson County, IL as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Illinois.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
633,244 ± 19,044 people
India
161,770 ± 9,812 people
Poland
119,556 ± 8,449 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Illinois was Mexico, the natal country of 633,244 Illinois residents, followed by India with 161,770 and Poland with 119,556.

Foreign-Born Population

1.85%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

677 people

1.76%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

648 people

As of 2024, 1.85% of Jefferson County, IL residents (677 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Jefferson County, IL was 1.76%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Jefferson County, IL compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
769 ± 116
Gulf War (2001-)
497 ± 117
Gulf War (1990s)
315 ± 91

Jefferson County, IL has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.55 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Jefferson County, IL.

Economy

The economy of Jefferson County, IL employs 16.3k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Jefferson County, IL were Manufacturing (2,949 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,600 people), and Retail Trade (2,085 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($80,625), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($68,125), and Public Administration ($60,417).

Employment

Occupations

16.3k

2024 Value

± 680

1.47%

1 Year growth

± 5.76%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Jefferson County, IL grew at a rate of 1.47%, from 16.1k employees to 16.3k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Jefferson County, IL, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,802 people), Production Occupations (1,707 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,369 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Jefferson County, IL.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Illinois.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Illinois (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

16.3k

2024 Value

± 680

1.47%

1 Year growth

± 5.76%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Jefferson County, IL grew at a rate of 1.47%, from 16.1k employees to 16.3k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Jefferson County, IL, are Manufacturing (2,949 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (2,600 people), and Retail Trade (2,085 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Jefferson County, IL, though some of these residents may live in Jefferson County, IL and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,537

Median earning men ± $2,166

$34,116

Median earning women ± $1,729

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($69,583), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($60,605), and Manufacturing ($57,986).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Construction ($73,182), Information ($60,833), and Wholesale Trade ($56,111).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Illinois.

Y-Axis

2.47%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 6.03M people employed in Illinois. This represents a 2.47% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Illinois.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

87
Other Services (except Public Administration)
49
Retail Trade
49
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$377k
Manufacturing
$181k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$75.1k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Illinois went to Kamala Harris with 54.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.43%).

Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are the senators currently representing the state of Illinois. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Illinois is currently represented by 17 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Jefferson County, IL. Showing the available data for Illinois.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (54.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (43.5%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (1.43%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Illinois went to Kamala Harris with 54.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (43.5%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.43%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Illinois for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Illinois

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Illinois.

Dick Durbin

Senator from Illinois

Assumed office on January 3, 1997

Tammy Duckworth

Senator from Illinois

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are the senators currently representing Illinois.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Illinois over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Jefferson County, IL awarded 1,519 degrees. The student population of Jefferson County, IL in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 744 male students and 1,127 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Jefferson County, IL are White (1,389 and 91.4%), Black or African American (58 and 3.82%), Hispanic or Latino (33 and 2.17%), and Two or More Races (31 and 2.04%).

The largest universities in Jefferson County, IL by number of degrees awarded are Rend Lake College (1,519 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Jefferson County, IL are Liberal Arts & Sciences (304 and 20%), Welding Technology (160 and 10.5%), and Biological & Physical Sciences (145 and 9.55%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 1,871 students enrolled in Jefferson County, IL, 39.8% men and 60.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,670 records, of which 60.2% were women and 39.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
151 degrees awarded
Biological & Physical Sciences
145 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
28 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Jefferson County, IL was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 151 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Jefferson County, IL according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Rend Lake College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,519 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Rend Lake College with 1,519 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 800 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Jefferson County, IL, which is 1.11 times more than the 719 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,389 degrees mean that there were 23.9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 58 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($6,600) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,200) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Jefferson County, IL was $126,000 in 2024, which is 0.379 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $118,400 to $126,000, a 6.42% increase. The homeownership rate in Jefferson County, IL is 71.7%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Jefferson County, IL have an average commute time of 19.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Jefferson County, IL is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 12.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Jefferson County, IL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.228%.

Housing

Property

$126,000

Median Property Value 2024

±$6,496

$10,623

Median Property Taxes

±$494

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Jefferson County, IL the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Jefferson County, IL compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

71.7%

Homeownership

2024

63.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 71.7% of the housing units in Jefferson County, IL were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 71.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Jefferson County, IL compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$63,118

Median Household Income

± $2,847

14.8k

Number of Households

± 637

In 2024, the median household income of the 14.8k households in Jefferson County, IL grew to $63,118 from the previous year's value of $61,102.

The following chart displays the households in Jefferson County, IL distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Jefferson County, IL is from Illinois.

0.474

2023 Wage GINI in Illinois

0.477

2022 Wage GINI in Illinois

In 2023, the income inequality in Illinois was 0.474 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.554% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Illinois was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Illinois in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Illinois across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (82.3%)
Carpooled (9.88%)
Worked At Home (5.43%)

In 2024, 82.3% of workers in Jefferson County, IL drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.88%) and those who worked at home (5.43%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

19.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Jefferson County, IL have a shorter commute time (19.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.23% of the workforce in Jefferson County, IL have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Jefferson County, IL compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Jefferson County, IL distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Jefferson County, IL have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 12.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Jefferson County, IL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.228%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Jefferson County, IL (4.73k out of 34.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 35 - 44, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Jefferson County, IL is White, followed by Black and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 21.1% of the children was living in poverty in Jefferson County, IL. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 603 in Jefferson County, IL. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 46.2 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

92.8% of the population of Jefferson County, IL has health coverage, with 41.9% on employee plans, 21.3% on Medicaid, 15.1% on Medicare, 12.8% on non-group plans, and 1.67% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Jefferson County, IL see 2,049 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,049 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1733 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 313 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.2% were men and 49.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,049 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Jefferson County, IL

Primary care physicians in Jefferson County, IL see an average of 2,049 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,049 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Jefferson County, IL in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.3% under 18 years, 18.1% between 18 and 34 years, 37.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.2% were men and 49.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.21%

Uninsured

41.9%

Employer Coverage

21.3%

Medicaid

15.1%

Medicare

12.8%

Non-Group

1.67%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Jefferson County, IL declined by 4.32% from 7.54% to 7.21%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Jefferson County, IL changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 64.2 in Jefferson County, IL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Jefferson County, IL.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 38.8% in Jefferson County, IL.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Jefferson County, IL.