Mercer County, Illinois Population 2024

15,441

Mercer County, Illinois's estimated 2024 population is 15,441 with a growth rate of -0.3% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Mercer County, Illinois is the 68th largest county in Illinois. The 2010 population was 16,410 and has seen a growth of -5.9% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202915,211-46-0.3%
202815,257-46-0.3%
202715,303-46-0.3%
202615,349-46-0.3%
202515,395-46-0.3%
202415,441-46-0.3%
202315,487-46-0.3%
202215,533-47-0.3%
202115,580-52-0.33%
202015,6321420.92%
201915,490-82-0.53%
201815,572-46-0.29%
201715,61870.04%
201615,611-137-0.87%
201515,748-154-0.97%
201415,902-175-1.09%
201316,077-88-0.54%
201216,165-155-0.95%
201116,320-90-0.55%
201016,41000%
199017,290-1,996-10.35%
198019,2861,99211.52%
197017,2941450.85%
196017,149-225-1.3%
195017,374-327-1.85%
194017,7011,0606.37%
193016,641-2,159-11.48%
192018,800-923-4.68%
191019,723-1,222-5.83%
190020,9452,40012.94%
189018,545-957-4.91%
188019,5027333.91%
187018,7693,72724.78%
186015,0429,796186.73%
18505,2462,894123.04%
18402,3522,3268946.15%
183026-15,185-99.83%
2024 Growth Rate
-0.3% (-46)
County Website
Mercer County
County Seat
Aledo
2020 Population
15,632
Area
561 mi²
Density
28 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
-1.22% (-191)
Founded
January 13, 1825

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White14,80294.77%
Two or more races5263.37%
Other race1370.88%
Black or African American880.56%
Asian520.33%
Native American140.09%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander00%

White

Two or more races

Other race

Black or African American

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Mercer County, Illinois Population by Race

Mercer County, Illinois Population Pyramid 2024

Mercer County, Illinois Median Age

44.5

Total

44

Male

45

Female

Mercer County, Illinois Adults

There are 12,326 adults, (3,352 of whom are seniors) in Mercer County, Illinois.

Mercer County, Illinois Age Dependency

74

Age Dependency Ratio

37.4

Old Age Dependency Ratio

36.7

Child Dependency Ratio

Mercer County, Illinois Sex Ratio

Female7,73749.54%
Male7,88250.46%

Mercer County, Illinois Population by Age

Mercer County, Illinois Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All6,4132.4182.717.3
Married3,8342.9491.48.6
Non Family1,9161.1467.832.2
Female3762.9661.238.8
Male2873.0794.85.2

2.89

Average Family Size

2.41

Average Household Size

82.7%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Mercer County, Illinois Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade5474.9%
Associates Degree1,27311.41%
Bachelors Degree1,40812.63%
Graduate Degree7036.3%
High School Graduate4,48340.2%
Less Than 9th Grade1991.78%
Some College2,53922.77%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Mercer County, Illinois Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Mercer County, Illinois Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White10,6369,9691,958
Hispanic29924366
2+ Races23019261
Other Race63451
Black48334
Asian363128
Native American121211

The highest rate of high school graduation is among native american people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among native american people with a rate of 91.67%.

Mercer County, Illinois Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$59,542$85,100$47,684
Graduate Degree$73,500$72,500$75,132
High School Graduate$42,231$54,856$33,380
Less Than 9th Grade$28,750$43,958$19,271
Overall$46,580$60,815$37,744
Some College$42,941$61,920$35,685

$46,580

Average Earnings

$60,815

Average Male

$37,744

Average Female

Mercer County, Illinois Earnings by Educational Attainment

Mercer County, Illinois Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Mercer County, Illinois Language

97.13% of Mercer County, Illinois residents speak only English, while 2.87% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 1.88% of the population.

Mercer County, Illinois Language

Mercer County, Illinois Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White14,5161,0987.56%
Multiple5016913.77%
Hispanic4906312.86%
Black392564.1%
Other1321914.39%
Native1417.14%

7.88%

Overall Poverty Rate

5.79%

Male Poverty Rate

10%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Mercer County, Illinois

The race most likely to be in poverty in Mercer County, Illinois is Black, with 64.1% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Mercer County, Illinois is Native, with 7.14% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.16%. Among those working part-time, it was 13.87%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 11.17%.

Mercer County, Illinois Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade20.69%
High School7.79%
Some College5.22%
Bachelors or Greater2.71%

Mercer County, Illinois Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed36.59%
Male Unemployed23.84%
Female Employed4.97%
Male Employed2.77%

Mercer County, Illinois Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Mercer County, Illinois Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$92,255$103,025
Households$71,710$87,773
Married Families$99,395$-999,999,999
Non Families$38,039$48,730

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Mercer County, Illinois Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

61.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

60.0%

Male Marriage Rate

62.6%

Female Marriage Rate

Mercer County, Illinois Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Mercer County, Illinois Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Mercer County, Illinois Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Mercer County, Illinois Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

1,072

Number of Veterans

1,017

Male Veterans

55

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam444
Second Gulf War306
First Gulf War179
Korea59
World War II38

Mercer County, Illinois Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
75+349
35 to 54270
65 to 74254
18 to 34116
55 to 6483

Mercer County, Illinois Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White1,0488.9%
2+ Races216.54%
Hispanic51.42%
Other Race22.41%
Native American17.14%

Mercer County, Illinois Veterans by Race

Mercer County, Illinois Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

2.52%

Veteran Poverty Rate

35.85%

Veteran Disability Rate

Mercer County, Illinois Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

60.2%

Labor Force Participation

58.3%

Employment Rate

3.1%

Unemployment Rate

Mercer County, Illinois Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Mercer County, Illinois Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Mercer County, Illinois Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

69.52%

Born in Mercer County, Illinois

98.9%

Native Born

1.1%

Foreign Born

0.28%

Non Citizen

0.82%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

98.9% of Mercer County, Illinois residents were born in the United States, with 69.52% having been born in Illinois. 0.28% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Mercer County, Illinois Place of Birth

Sources