McDonough County, Illinois
Located in Illinois, McDonough County has a population of 26,920 residents and a median age of 34.9 years, making it the #1,581 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 17.2%. The median home value is $107,500, and the median household income is $52,795, which is 30% below the national median.
Demographics
McDonough County has a population of 26,920, making it the #1,581 most populous county in the US. The median age is 34.9 years, which is 10.3% below 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 McDonough County is $52,795, ranking #2,611 out of 3,222 counties — 29.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 17.2% and unemployment stands at 7.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in McDonough County is $107,500 (-61.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $761/mo and the homeownership rate is 63.5%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In McDonough County, 31.4% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 6.8% below the national average, ranking #661 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in McDonough County is 76.7 years. 20.0% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
18.5% of adults in McDonough County smoke , 39.3% are obese , and 20.2% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 11.3 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 9.8 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
21.2% of children in McDonough County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 7.3 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in McDonough County is 50.0%. The mean commute time is 20.8 min, which is 24.5% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, McDonough County voted Republican with a margin of 18.8%. The vote was 39.7% Dem / 58.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.2 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About McDonough County, Illinois
McDonough County, Illinois has a total population of 26,920, making it the 1,581st most populous county in the United States. The median age in McDonough County is 34.9 years, which is 10.3% below the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in McDonough County is $52,795, which ranks #2,611 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 29.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 17.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 7.9%.
The median home value in McDonough County is $107,500, 61.9% below the national median. Renters in McDonough County pay a median gross rent of $761 per month. The homeownership rate is 63.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In McDonough County, 31.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 6.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.6% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 20.8 min.
McDonough County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.2% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (5.6%) and Hispanic or Latino (3.5%).
All data for McDonough 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.