Winnebago County, Illinois Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 7th-largest in Illinois

The population of Winnebago County, Illinois is 283,289 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 7th-largest county in Illinois. The median household income is $64,363, the median home value is $155,100, and the median age is 39.7.

The population of Winnebago County has declined 3.8% since 2010 (295,090 → 283,790), a -0.28% annualized rate.

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

283,289

Population

-0.28%

Annual growth

552

People / sq mi

$64,363

Median Income

$155,100

Median Home Value

Winnebago County covers 513 sq mi of land at 552.2 people per square mile.

About Winnebago County, IL

Winnebago County is a county in Illinois with a population of 283,289. It ranks #7 among counties in Illinois by population. The median age is 39.7, in line with the national median. The population is 49.0% male and 51.0% female.

The median household income in Winnebago County is $64,363, below the US median of $74,580. 11.6% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $155,100, with monthly rent averaging $986. The homeownership rate of 65.2% is close to the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Winnebago County reflects 24.6% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 8.3% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 22.9 minutes each way.

Winnebago County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Winnebago County had a population of 295,090 in 2010 and 283,790 in 2024, a -3.8% growth over 14 years. The peak was 295,090 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -0.28%.

283,790

Population (2024)

295,090

Population (2010)

295,090

Peak (2010)

-0.28%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	295,090	-	-	estimate
2011	293,667	-1,423	-0.48%	estimate
2012	292,128	-1,539	-0.52%	estimate
2013	291,006	-1,122	-0.38%	estimate
2014	288,770	-2,236	-0.77%	estimate
2015	287,237	-1,533	-0.53%	estimate
2016	286,171	-1,066	-0.37%	estimate
2017	284,658	-1,513	-0.53%	estimate
2018	283,588	-1,070	-0.38%	estimate
2019	282,465	-1,123	-0.40%	estimate
2020	284,963	+2,498	+0.88%	estimate
2021	283,413	-1,550	-0.54%	estimate
2022	282,081	-1,332	-0.47%	estimate
2023	282,214	+133	+0.05%	estimate
2024	283,790	+1,576	+0.56%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	69.1%
Black or African American	13.3%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.7%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

39.7

Median Age

51.0%

Female

49.0%

Male

18.2%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.1%

5–9

6.5%

10–14

6.7%

15–19

6.5%

20–24

6.0%

25–34

12.5%

35–44

11.9%

45–54

12.1%

55–59

6.7%

60–64

6.6%

65–74

10.7%

75–84

5.1%

85+

2.4%

Children (under 15): 19.3% · Seniors (65+): 18.2%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$64,363$-17,339 vs state
Mean household income	$84,470
Per-capita income	$34,775
Poverty rate	11.6%+3.4% vs state
Unemployment rate	4.5%
Employment-to-population	57.4%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

22.6%

Manufacturing

19.6%

Finance & real estate

8.7%

Education & health care

7.8%

Retail trade

6.9%

Construction

5.9%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.9%

Information

4.1%

The largest employment sector in Winnebago County is professional & business services, accounting for 22.6% of workers.

How residents commute

0.6%

Drive alone

1.1%

Carpool

78.9%

Public transit

8.3%

Work from home

22.9 min

Avg commute

Housing

$155,100$-95,400 vs state

Median home value

$986

Median rent

65.2%

Homeownership rate

124,959

Total housing units

92.4%

Occupied

7.6%

Vacant

34.8%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.9%

With health insurance

93.2%

With broadband internet

21.0%

Foreign-born

6.4%

Veterans (18+)

14.9%

With a disability

85.3%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

88.6%

High School+

24.6%

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)Madison County (264,631)St. Clair County (254,777)Champaign County (206,098)Sangamon County (195,217)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

Winnebago County, Illinois has a population of 283,289 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 7th-largest county in Illinois. Population density is 552 people per square mile.

The population of Winnebago County has declined 3.8% since 2010 (295,090 → 283,790), a -0.28% annualized rate.

The median household income in Winnebago County, Illinois is $64,363, with mean (average) household income of $84,470 and per-capita income of $34,775. 11.6% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Winnebago County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (69.1%), Black or African American (13.3%), Hispanic or Latino (1.7%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Winnebago County, Illinois is 39.7 years. Residents are 51.0% female and 49.0% male.

The median home value in Winnebago County is $155,100 and median monthly rent is $986. 65.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 124,959 total housing units, 7.6% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Winnebago County, Illinois is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 22.6% of workers. The unemployment rate is 4.5%.

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