Illinois
102 counties, 1,461 cities and towns, and 1,396 ZIP codes.
Population
12,694,798
Land area
55,513sq mi
People per sq mi
229
Cities and towns
1,461
Largest cities in Illinois
Illinois at a glance
- By population, it ranks 6th among the 50 states.
- The median household income is $83,390, 3% above the U.S. median of $80,734.
- A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $263,300 (21% below the U.S.) and median rent is $1,274 a month.
- Its largest cities are Chicago (2.7 million), Aurora (179,898) and Naperville (150,692).
Local data for Illinois
Counts from official public data
- Hospitals193
- Emergency Rooms175
- Nursing Homes666
- Schools5,370
- Colleges231
- Libraries774
- Banks3,628
- Post Offices1,426
- Parks7,403
- Grocery Stores4,206
- Restaurants45,873
- Affordable Housing944
- Home Health Agencies531
- Hospice Care149
- Dialysis Centers338
- Rehab & Long-Term Care Hospitals46
- Community Health Centers517
- Mental Health & Addiction Treatment852
- National Cemeteries11
- Private Schools971
- Community Colleges & Trade Schools139
- Superfund Sites56
- Toxic Release Facilities942
- Historic Places1,401
Housing and community stats
Illinois, American Community Survey 2020-2024
Median household income
$83,390
Poverty rate
11.8%
Median home value
$263,300
Prices +5.6% in a year
Median rent
$1,274/mo
Homeownership
67.1%
Bachelor's or higher
37.8%
Median age
39.0
Average commute
27.8 min
Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (2,044,612), Mexican Americans (1,825,458), Irish Americans (1,342,703).
Economy and federal money
Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans
Unemployment rate
4.6%
Sep 2026, +0.1 pts in a year
Average annual pay
$80,038
6,067,518 jobs, 2025
Income per person
$74,522
BEA, 2024
Federal spending
$101B
FY 2026, $7,865 per person
PPP loans
$37.3B
620,021 loans, 3,909,954 jobs reported
Campaign donations
$264M
Itemized, 2026 cycle
Environment and hazard risk
Illinois, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA
High-risk counties
6
of 102 rated by FEMA
Storm events since 1996
60,260
984 deaths
Flood insurance policies
21,080
$584M paid since 1978
Superfund sites
56
942 toxic release facilities
Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone1,401 historic places
Health statistics
Share of adults in Illinois, CDC PLACES estimates
Obesity
34.1%
U.S. 33.3% +0.8 pts
Diabetes
11.6%
U.S. 12.1% -0.5 pts
Smoking
12.1%
U.S. 12.8% -0.7 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
9.9%
U.S. 11.1% -1.2 pts
Largest cities in Illinois
| Name | Population | Land area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 2,711,226 | 227.7 |
| Aurora | 179,898 | 45.1 |
| Naperville | 150,692 | 39.4 |
| Joliet | 150,445 | 66.3 |
| Rockford | 147,521 | 65.3 |
| Elgin | 114,934 | 38.2 |
| Springfield | 113,330 | 61.3 |
| Peoria | 112,169 | 48.1 |
| Champaign | 89,996 | 23 |
| Waukegan | 89,076 | 24.3 |
| Cicero | 82,797 | 5.9 |
| Bloomington | 78,907 | 27.1 |
| Schaumburg | 76,868 | 19.4 |
| Evanston | 76,340 | 7.8 |
| Arlington Heights | 76,005 | 16.6 |
| Bolingbrook | 74,096 | 25 |
| Decatur | 69,815 | 43.7 |
| Palatine | 66,293 | 14.1 |
| Skokie | 66,219 | 10.1 |
| Des Plaines | 59,156 | 14.2 |
| Orland Park | 57,916 | 22 |
| Oak Lawn | 56,861 | 8.6 |
| Berwyn | 55,595 | 3.9 |
| Mount Prospect | 55,472 | 10.7 |
| Tinley Park | 54,842 | 16.2 |
Counties, cities and towns in Illinois
Population shown. Largest 400 of 1,461 cities and towns listed
- Cook County5,182,090
- DuPage County930,024
- Lake County714,223
- Will County701,462
- Kane County517,255
- McHenry County312,591
- Winnebago County283,292
- Madison County264,238
- St. Clair County253,694
- Champaign County208,741
- Sangamon County194,947
- Peoria County179,645
- McLean County171,556
- Rock Island County142,757
- Kendall County137,675
- Tazewell County130,290
- LaSalle County108,714
- Kankakee County106,635
- Macon County101,849
- DeKalb County100,703
- Vermilion County72,386
- Williamson County66,876
- Adams County64,754
- Whiteside County54,947
- Boone County53,230
- Grundy County53,219
- Jackson County53,064
- Ogle County51,495
- Knox County49,046
- Henry County48,643
- Coles County46,777
- Macoupin County44,350
- Stephenson County43,768
- Woodford County38,312
- Franklin County37,323
- Marion County37,000
- Clinton County36,954
- Jefferson County36,550
- Livingston County35,565
- Monroe County35,036
- Effingham County34,522
- Lee County33,869
- Christian County33,538
- Morgan County33,021
- Fulton County33,020
- Bureau County32,866
- Randolph County30,058
- Montgomery County27,942
- Logan County27,713
- McDonough County26,920
- Iroquois County26,449
- Saline County23,213
- Jo Daviess County21,851
- Fayette County21,315
- Jersey County21,274
- Shelby County20,720
- Perry County20,639
- Douglas County19,751
- Crawford County18,511
- Hancock County17,281
- Union County16,997
- Bond County16,716
- Piatt County16,695
- Edgar County16,535
- Warren County16,447
- Wayne County15,973
- Richland County15,598
- Carroll County15,576
- Mercer County15,495
- De Witt County15,373
- Clark County15,266
- Lawrence County15,031
- Pike County14,469
- Moultrie County14,424
- Massac County13,865
- Washington County13,627
- White County13,619
- Ford County13,406
- Johnson County13,376
- Clay County13,052
- Cass County12,784
- Mason County12,745
- Menard County12,095
- Greene County11,683
- Marshall County11,647
- Wabash County11,119
- Cumberland County10,334
- Jasper County9,180
- Hamilton County7,916
- Schuyler County6,787
- Brown County6,322
- Henderson County6,193
- Edwards County6,075
- Putnam County5,601
- Stark County5,308
- Pulaski County5,015
- Scott County4,937
- Alexander County4,875
- Gallatin County4,819
- Calhoun County4,330
- Pope County3,739
- Hardin County3,605
Frequently asked questions
- How many counties are in Illinois?
- Illinois has 102 counties, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
- What is the largest city in Illinois?
- Chicago is the largest city in Illinois, with a population of about 2,711,226.
- What is the population of Illinois?
- Illinois has about 12,694,798 residents, based on the Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
- How many ZIP codes are in Illinois?
- There are 1,396 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas in Illinois.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey)