Boone County, Illinois Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 25th-largest in Illinois

The population of Boone County, Illinois is 53,316 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 25th-largest county in Illinois. The median household income is $81,638, the median home value is $198,600, and the median age is 39.5.

The population of Boone County has declined 1.4% since 2010 (54,094 → 53,313), a -0.10% annualized rate.

Boone County within Illinois · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

53,316

Population

-0.10%

Annual growth

190

People / sq mi

$81,638

Median Income

$198,600

Median Home Value

Boone County covers 281 sq mi of land at 189.9 people per square mile.

About Boone County, IL

Boone County is a county in Illinois with a population of 53,316. It ranks #25 among counties in Illinois by population. The median age is 39.5, in line with the national median. The population is 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

The median household income in Boone County is $81,638, above the US median of $74,580. 7.6% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $198,600, with monthly rent averaging $1,011. The homeownership rate of 83.0% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Boone County reflects 23.2% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 9.4% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 27.3 minutes each way.

Boone County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Boone County had a population of 54,094 in 2010 and 53,313 in 2024, a -1.4% growth over 14 years. The peak was 54,123 in 2011. Average annual growth rate: -0.10%.

53,313

Population (2024)

54,094

Population (2010)

54,123

Peak (2011)

-0.10%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	54,094	-	-	estimate
2011	54,123	+29	+0.05%	estimate
2012	53,729	-394	-0.73%	estimate
2013	53,737	+8	+0.01%	estimate
2014	53,702	-35	-0.07%	estimate
2015	53,571	-131	-0.24%	estimate
2016	53,559	-12	-0.02%	estimate
2017	53,481	-78	-0.15%	estimate
2018	53,368	-113	-0.21%	estimate
2019	53,281	-87	-0.16%	estimate
2020	53,339	+58	+0.11%	estimate
2021	53,173	-166	-0.31%	estimate
2022	53,084	-89	-0.17%	estimate
2023	53,239	+155	+0.29%	estimate
2024	53,313	+74	+0.14%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	74.2%
Black or African American	2.5%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.9%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

39.5

Median Age

50.0%

Female

50.0%

Male

16.4%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.4%

5–9

6.5%

10–14

7.4%

15–19

7.8%

20–24

6.5%

25–34

11.0%

35–44

12.1%

45–54

13.7%

55–59

7.3%

60–64

6.0%

65–74

9.8%

75–84

4.7%

85+

1.9%

Children (under 15): 19.3% · Seniors (65+): 16.4%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$81,638$-64 vs state
Mean household income	$103,936
Per-capita income	$38,437
Poverty rate	7.6%-0.6% vs state
Unemployment rate	5.1%
Employment-to-population	60.7%

Top Industries by Employment

Manufacturing

22.7%

Professional & business services

19.3%

Education & health care

9.8%

Finance & real estate

8.3%

Construction

7.8%

Retail trade

6.6%

Arts, entertainment & food

5.3%

Information

3.6%

The largest employment sector in Boone County is manufacturing, accounting for 22.7% of workers.

How residents commute

0.5%

Drive alone

0.9%

Carpool

77.0%

Public transit

9.4%

Work from home

27.3 min

Avg commute

Housing

$198,600$-51,900 vs state

Median home value

$1,011

Median rent

83.0%

Homeownership rate

20,238

Total housing units

94.6%

Occupied

5.4%

Vacant

17.0%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

95.2%

With health insurance

94.3%

With broadband internet

19.0%

Foreign-born

5.6%

Veterans (18+)

13.7%

With a disability

80.0%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

85.6%

High School+

23.2%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Illinois

Chicago (2,707,648)Aurora (179,867)Joliet (149,785)Naperville (149,424)Rockford (147,649)Elgin (114,106)Springfield (113,714)Peoria (112,126)Waukegan (88,919)Champaign (88,822)All Illinois cities →

Other counties in Illinois

Cook County (5,185,812)DuPage County (927,263)Lake County (711,885)Will County (698,450)Kane County (516,097)McHenry County (311,366)Winnebago County (283,289)Madison County (264,631)St. Clair County (254,777)Champaign County (206,098)All Illinois counties →

Part of Illinois

Illinois demographic profile All Illinois data →

Metro areas in Illinois

Chicago (9,359,555)St. Louis (2,809,414)Davenport (381,864)Peoria (365,773)Rockford (336,605)Champaign (236,196)Springfield (207,386)Bloomington (170,882)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Boone County, Illinois has a population of 53,316 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 25th-largest county in Illinois. Population density is 190 people per square mile.

The population of Boone County has declined 1.4% since 2010 (54,094 → 53,313), a -0.10% annualized rate.

The median household income in Boone County, Illinois is $81,638, with mean (average) household income of $103,936 and per-capita income of $38,437. 7.6% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Boone County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (74.2%), Black or African American (2.5%), Hispanic or Latino (1.9%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Boone County, Illinois is 39.5 years. Residents are 50.0% female and 50.0% male.

The median home value in Boone County is $198,600 and median monthly rent is $1,011. 83.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 20,238 total housing units, 5.4% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Boone County, Illinois is manufacturing, employing 22.7% of workers. The unemployment rate is 5.1%.

Chicago is among the largest cities associated with Boone County, Illinois, with a population of 2,707,648.