What is the largest city in Macon County, IL?

Decatur is the largest city or town in Macon County, with about 69,815 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Macon County?

Macon County includes 16 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 61756, 61925, 62501, 62514, 62521.

What is the population of Macon County, IL?

About 101,849 people live in Macon County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Macon County?

Macon County borders Sangamon County, Christian County, Logan County, Shelby County, Piatt County, De Witt County, Moultrie County.

Macon County, IL: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

101,849

Land area

581sq mi

People per sq mi

175

ZIP codes

16

Macon County at a glance

It is the 19th most populous of 102 counties in Illinois.
Households here earn a median of $62,666 a year, 25% less than the Illinois figure of $83,390.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $127,300 (52% below Illinois) and median rent is $847 a month.
The biggest population centers are Decatur (69,815), Mount Zion (5,660) and Forsyth (3,502).

Local data for Macon County, IL

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Macon County, IL, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$62,666

Poverty rate

15.0%

Median home value

$127,300

Prices +5.1% in a year

Median rent

$847/mo

Homeownership

70.2%

Bachelor's or higher

24.4%

Median age

40.6

Average commute

19.4 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (18,904), Irish Americans (10,585), Mexican Americans (1,957).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

5.0%

Sep 2026, -0.8 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$68,764

45,164 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$61,375

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$692M

FY 2026, $6,659 per person

PPP loans

$194M

3,458 loans, 22,682 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$394K

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Macon County, IL, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone80.8%
Carpooled6.8%
Public transit0.9%
Walked1.9%
Bicycle0.2%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.0%
Worked from home8.3%

Average one-way commute: 19.4 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Macon County, IL, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: cold wave

Storm events since 1996

602

Most often thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

87

0.2% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

85° / 20°F

40.4 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 7 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Macon County, IL, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

42.1%

U.S. 33.3% +8.8 pts

Diabetes

13.3%

U.S. 12.1% +1.2 pts

Smoking

15.0%

U.S. 12.8% +2.2 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

8.1%

U.S. 11.1% -3.0 pts

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Macon County

Population shown

·

Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Macon County, IL?: Decatur is the largest city or town in Macon County, with about 69,815 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Macon County?: Macon County includes 16 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 61756, 61925, 62501, 62514, 62521.
What is the population of Macon County, IL?: About 101,849 people live in Macon County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Macon County?: Macon County borders Sangamon County, Christian County, Logan County, Shelby County, Piatt County, De Witt County, Moultrie County.