Ford County, Illinois
Located in Illinois, Ford County has a population of 13,406 residents and a median age of 41.9 years, making it the #2,260 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.4%. The median home value is $122,000, and the median household income is $62,439, which is 17% below the national median.
Demographics
Ford County has a population of 13,406, making it the #2,260 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Ford County is $62,439, ranking #1,852 out of 3,222 counties — 16.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.4% and unemployment stands at 5.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Ford County is $122,000 (-56.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $923/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Ford County, 18.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 44.1% below the national average, ranking #2,210 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Ford County is 74.3 years. 17.0% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.6% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
17.8% of adults in Ford County smoke , 38.0% are obese , and 21.9% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 18.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 15.1 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
14.7% of children in Ford County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 17.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Ford County is 68.8%. The mean commute time is 26.8 min, which is 3.0% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Ford County voted Republican with a margin of 47.9%. The vote was 25.1% Dem / 73% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Ford County, Illinois
Ford County, Illinois has a total population of 13,406, making it the 2,260th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Ford County is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Ford County is $62,439, which ranks #1,852 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 16.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.4%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.5%.
The median home value in Ford County is $122,000, 56.7% below the national median. Renters in Ford County pay a median gross rent of $923 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Ford County, 18.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 44.1% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.8 min.
Ford County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 89.4% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (5.3%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
All data for Ford County, Illinois comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.