Peoria County, Illinois Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Peoria County, Illinois, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Peoria County, Illinois. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Peoria County, Illinois. The estimated population of Peoria County, Illinois is 182,439 people, with a median age of 37.8.

We can look at the total population in Peoria County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
182,439
+0.73%
-1.99%
2020
181,111
 -0.91% -
2019
182,770
 -0.92% -
2018
184,463
 -0.9% -
2017
186,145
 - -

Population of Peoria County, Illinois by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
68.8%
70.4%
 -2.27%
Black/African American
17.6%
17.4%
 +1.15%
Native
0.1%
0.2%
 -50.00%
Hispanic
5.1%
4.6%
 +10.87%
Asian
4.3%
3.9%
 +10.26%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
3.9%
3.3%
 +18.18%
Other
0.2%
0.3%
 -33.33%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Peoria County, Illinois by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 37.8 +0.53% 36.7 +0.82% 39.2 0%
2020 37.6 +0.27% 36.4 +0.83% 39.2 -0.25%
2019 37.5 +0.81% 36.1 +0.56% 39.3 +1.03%
2018 37.2 +0.54% 35.9 +0.84% 38.9 +1.04%
2017 37 - 35.6 - 38.5 -

The median age of Peoria County, Illinois gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 12,813 +0.62% 12,165 +1.63% 12,883 12,363
10 to 19 12,246 -1.65% 12,037 -6.16% 12,019 11,304
20 to 29 12,719 -9.3% 13,170 -8.74% 11,575 12,057
30 to 39 12,598 -6.7% 12,232 -2.98% 11,769 11,871
40 to 49 10,248 +3.01% 11,244 -2.45% 10,552 10,966
50 to 59 11,222 -3.06% 12,776 -13.12% 10,879 11,172
60 to 69 10,476 -2.48% 10,659 +7.34% 10,212 11,453
70+ 7,889 +14.12% 11,651 +5.52% 9,058 12,306

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Peoria County, Illinois is $58,426.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Peoria County.

  • Under 25
    $28,543.00
  • 25 to 44
    $64,177.00
  • 45 to 64
    $70,078.00
  • 65 and over
    $46,012.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Peoria County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Peoria County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Peoria County, Illinois is currently $83,652.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

6.99% of households in Peoria County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Peoria County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    21.97%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    20.92%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.66%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.53%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    13.58%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    6.36%
  • $200,000 or more
    6.99%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Peoria County is $35,345.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Peoria County by the total population of Peoria County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Peoria County, Illinois, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Peoria County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    15.57%
  • Bachelor's degree
    31.77%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    12.68%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    37.40%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.57%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Peoria County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Peoria County over the age of 16 is 143,314.

Of those people, a total of 61.30% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Peoria County is 56.80%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 9,444 42.50% 16.30%
20 to 24 years 11,313 76.40% 11.00%
25 to 29 years 12,319 80.40% 8.60%
30 to 34 years 12,010 84.50% 9.30%
35 to 44 years 22,472 85.80% 5.60%
45 to 54 years 21,539 80.10% 5.40%
55 to 59 years 11,188 73.00% 5.50%
60 to 64 years 11,759 50.40% 5.90%
65 to 74 years 18,239 19.80% 3.30%
75 years and over 13,031 6.70% 8.40%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Peoria County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 107,893 60.50% 4.90%
Black or African American 22,790 61.80% 15.60%
American Indian and Alaska Native 280 74.60% 64.10%
Asian 5,811 65.90% 5.10%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 15 26.70% 0.00%
Other 2,108 68.70% 11.10%
Two or more races 4,417 69.30% 16.70%
Hispanic or Latino 6,087 66.70% 15.70%
Not Hispanic or Latino 104,789 60.40% 4.60%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Peoria County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Peoria County is 81,340, with median earnings of $40,604.00.

Women in Peoria County, Illinois earning approximately 67.30% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 81,340 $40,604.00
Male 41,008 $49,698.00
Female 40,332 $33,471.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 7,641 $73,181.00
Business and Financial 3,811 $71,431.00
Computer and Mathematical 2,394 $73,654.00
Architecture and Engineering 3,290 $91,612.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 693 $59,125.00
Community and Social Service 1,915 $45,154.00
Legal 721 $104,053.00
Educational and Library 4,993 $43,959.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 1,346 $38,495.00
Healthcare Practitioners 7,099 $54,694.00
Healthcare Support 3,086 $25,587.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 1,192 $21,150.00
Law Enforcement 511 $71,701.00
Food Preparation and Serving 5,513 $14,157.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 3,402 $23,255.00
Personal Care and Service 2,180 $14,399.00
Sales 7,045 $30,787.00
Office and Administrative Support 8,748 $30,448.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 343 $28,958.00
Construction and Extraction 3,155 $44,044.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 2,238 $46,855.00
Production 4,605 $43,690.00
Transportation and Material Moving 2,335 $30,334.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 4,234 $93,839.00 3,407 $62,325.00
Business and Financial 1,852 $80,250.00 1,959 $64,859.00
Computer and Mathematical 1,931 $78,690.00 463 $61,414.00
Architecture and Engineering 2,877 $91,890.00 413 $91,222.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 344 $71,731.00 349 $50,990.00
Community and Social Service 490 $48,500.00 1,425 $44,898.00
Legal 359 $111,250.00 362 $103,409.00
Educational and Library 1,136 $57,115.00 3,857 $43,141.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 812 $51,304.00 534 $22,108.00
Healthcare Practitioners 1,636 $58,857.00 5,463 $53,705.00
Healthcare Support 504 $29,274.00 2,582 $24,901.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 817 $26,908.00 375 $7,107.00
Law Enforcement 463 $71,840.00 48 $51,875.00
Food Preparation and Serving 2,150 $14,471.00 3,363 $13,911.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 2,060 $27,870.00 1,342 $17,941.00
Personal Care and Service 490 $11,832.00 1,690 $15,789.00
Sales 3,728 $49,533.00 3,317 $19,594.00
Office and Administrative Support 1,816 $34,762.00 6,932 $29,649.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 322 $17,250.00 21 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 3,037 $45,521.00 118 $31,636.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 2,091 $49,320.00 147 $22,051.00
Production 3,531 $45,389.00 1,074 $38,157.00
Transportation and Material Moving 1,990 $31,622.00 345 $26,319.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 75,352 households in Peoria County, with an average household size of 2.35 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 44,304 families in Peoria County with an average family size of 3.09 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 31,415 3,070 9,819 31,048
Average Household Size 3.11 3.28 3.36 1.18
Total Families 31,415 3,070 9,819 0
Average Household Size 3.1 2.85 3.15 0

Poverty

Of the 44,304 families in Peoria County, 10.30% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Peoria County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 84,914 housing units in Peoria County, Illinois.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 75,352 88.74%
Vacant 9,562 11.26%

29.17% of the total 84,914 housing units in Peoria County are rental units. This is approximately 24,767 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 49,470 are occupied by the owner - or 58.26% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Peoria County is $840.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Peoria County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    1,115
  • Less than $500
    3,120
  • $500 to $999
    13,837
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    6,441
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    908
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    280
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    46
  • $3,000 or more
    135

Property Value

The median value of a property in Peoria County is $133,000.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Peoria County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    4,630
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    12,310
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    11,059
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    7,476
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    7,859
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    4,396
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    1,653
  • $1,000,000 or more
    87

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Peoria County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Peoria County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    18,909
  • 1940 to 1949
    6,707
  • 1950 to 1959
    12,040
  • 1960 to 1969
    10,725
  • 1970 to 1979
    12,892
  • 1980 to 1989
    5,474
  • 1990 to 1999
    6,694
  • 2000 to 2009
    8,345
  • 2010 to 2013
    3,059
  • 2014 or later
    69

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Peoria County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    6,842
  • 1 vehicle available
    28,375
  • 2 vehicles available
    26,930
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    13,205

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Peoria County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Peoria County that commute to work in a particular way.

18.7 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Peoria County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    2,929
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    9,351
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    15,817
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    17,008
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    12,136
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    5,239
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    6,414
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    761
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    881
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    1,737
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    1,262
  • 90 or more minutes
    908

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Peoria County, Illinois in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Peoria County, Illinois

We have data for 33 places in Peoria County, Illinois. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.