Hancock County, Illinois
Located in Illinois, Hancock County has a population of 17,281 residents and a median age of 46.9 years, making it the #2,022 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 12.3%. The median home value is $113,800, and the median household income is $65,865, which is 12% below the national median.
Demographics
Hancock County has a population of 17,281, making it the #2,022 most populous county in the US. The median age is 46.9 years, which is 20.6% 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 Hancock County is $65,865, ranking #1,559 out of 3,222 counties — 12.4% below the national median. The poverty rate is 12.3% and unemployment stands at 4.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Hancock County is $113,800 (-59.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $782/mo and the homeownership rate is 81.3%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Hancock County, 25.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 25.5% below the national average, ranking #1,207 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Hancock County is 77.3 years. 15.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 5.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
15.4% of adults in Hancock County smoke , 35.1% are obese , and 21.4% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 16.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 20.9 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
18.0% of children in Hancock County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 20.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Hancock County is 66.8%. The mean commute time is 26.3 min, which is 4.9% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Hancock County voted Republican with a margin of 50.0%. The vote was 24.1% Dem / 74.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Hancock County, Illinois
Hancock County, Illinois has a total population of 17,281, making it the 2,022nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Hancock County is 46.9 years, which is 20.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Hancock County is $65,865, which ranks #1,559 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 12.4% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 12.3%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2%.
The median home value in Hancock County is $113,800, 59.6% below the national median. Renters in Hancock County pay a median gross rent of $782 per month. The homeownership rate is 81.3%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Hancock County, 25.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 25.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.3 min.
Hancock County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 94.0% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (2.3%) and Hispanic or Latino (2.3%).
All data for Hancock 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.