Edwards County, Illinois Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 93rd-largest in Illinois

The population of Edwards County, Illinois is 6,118 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 93rd-largest county in Illinois. The median household income is $59,386, the median home value is $97,500, and the median age is 44.6.

The population of Edwards County has declined 11.2% since 2010 (6,739 → 5,984), a -0.85% annualized rate.

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

6,118

Population

-0.85%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$59,386

Median Income

$97,500

Median Home Value

Edwards County covers 222 sq mi of land at 27.5 people per square mile.

About Edwards County, IL

Edwards County is a county in Illinois with a population of 6,118. It ranks #93 among counties in Illinois by population. The median age is 44.6, older than the national median. The population is 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

The median household income in Edwards County is $59,386, below the US median of $74,580. 10.5% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $97,500, with monthly rent averaging $746. The homeownership rate of 79.2% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Edwards County reflects 13.9% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 4.9% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 23.6 minutes each way.

Edwards County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Edwards County had a population of 6,739 in 2010 and 5,984 in 2024, a -11.2% growth over 14 years. The peak was 6,739 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -0.84%.

5,984

Population (2024)

6,739

Population (2010)

6,739

Peak (2010)

-0.84%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	6,739	-	-	estimate
2011	6,674	-65	-0.96%	estimate
2012	6,725	+51	+0.76%	estimate
2013	6,691	-34	-0.51%	estimate
2014	6,631	-60	-0.90%	estimate
2015	6,514	-117	-1.76%	estimate
2016	6,546	+32	+0.49%	estimate
2017	6,455	-91	-1.39%	estimate
2018	6,393	-62	-0.96%	estimate
2019	6,405	+12	+0.19%	estimate
2020	6,209	-196	-3.06%	estimate
2021	6,087	-122	-1.96%	estimate
2022	6,073	-14	-0.23%	estimate
2023	6,021	-52	-0.86%	estimate
2024	5,984	-37	-0.61%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	95.6%
Black or African American	0.2%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.0%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

44.6

Median Age

50.9%

Female

49.1%

Male

22.2%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.8%

5–9

7.6%

10–14

4.7%

15–19

6.7%

20–24

4.5%

25–34

9.7%

35–44

11.6%

45–54

12.9%

55–59

6.3%

60–64

7.9%

65–74

12.8%

75–84

6.5%

85+

2.9%

Children (under 15): 18.1% · Seniors (65+): 22.2%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$59,386$-22,316 vs state
Mean household income	$72,815
Per-capita income	$31,314
Poverty rate	10.5%+2.3% vs state
Unemployment rate	3.5%
Employment-to-population	54.9%

Top Industries by Employment

Manufacturing

25.8%

Professional & business services

22.4%

Agriculture

11.8%

Arts, entertainment & food

7.1%

Education & health care

5.6%

Construction

5.0%

Retail trade

4.8%

Public administration

3.6%

The largest employment sector in Edwards County is manufacturing, accounting for 25.8% of workers.

How residents commute

0.4%

Drive alone

4.6%

Carpool

76.1%

Public transit

4.9%

Work from home

23.6 min

Avg commute

Housing

$97,500$-153,000 vs state

Median home value

$746

Median rent

79.2%

Homeownership rate

3,045

Total housing units

87.1%

Occupied

12.9%

Vacant

20.8%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

92.5%

With health insurance

89.1%

With broadband internet

35.0%

Foreign-born

7.3%

Veterans (18+)

20.3%

With a disability

97.9%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

91.9%

High School+

13.9%

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

Edwards County, Illinois has a population of 6,118 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 93rd-largest county in Illinois. Population density is 28 people per square mile.

The population of Edwards County has declined 11.2% since 2010 (6,739 → 5,984), a -0.85% annualized rate.

The median household income in Edwards County, Illinois is $59,386, with mean (average) household income of $72,815 and per-capita income of $31,314. 10.5% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Edwards County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (95.6%), Hispanic or Latino (1.0%), Black or African American (0.2%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Edwards County, Illinois is 44.6 years. Residents are 50.9% female and 49.1% male.

The median home value in Edwards County is $97,500 and median monthly rent is $746. 79.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 3,045 total housing units, 12.9% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Edwards County, Illinois is manufacturing, employing 25.8% of workers. The unemployment rate is 3.5%.

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