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Alexander County, IL: population growth, jobs and income

Alexander County lost 41 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.9%).

Alexander County had an estimated 4,570 residents in 2025, down 11.6% (602 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Illinois as a whole (−0.6%), and the 102nd fastest growth of 102 counties in Illinois.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Alexander County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Alexander County, ranked against Illinois and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$656/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes35.2%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months02025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 2 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 960 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +5.4% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 6.8% in 2025, 0.6 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 0 new homes in 2025, or 0.0 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $47,043 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +35.5% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 3,091st.

Part of the Cape Girardeau, MO-IL metro area.

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Alexander County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
20254,570−41
20244,611−116
20234,727−130
20224,857−169
20215,026−146
20205,172–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Alexander County

Alexander County lost 602 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−352).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−44−252
International migrationfrom and to other countries+0+0
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+2−352
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+1+2
Total change−41−602

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn IllinoisAmong U.S. counties
Population growth102nd of 1023,091st of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents44th of 1021,844th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth21st of 1021,166th of 3,092
Median household income101st of 1022,864th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate102nd of 1022,995th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents98th of 982,964th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

Get the county report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Alexander County, IL as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Cape Girardeau County and Scott County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Neighbouring counties

Alexander County lost population faster than all 6 of its neighbouring counties (−11.6%, 2020–25).

5 of its 6 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Alexander County's $47,043 (2020–24).

Alexander County, IL and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Alexander County, IL This county4,570−11.6%0.40.0$47,043
Pulaski County, IL4,820−6.9%−5.80.6$42,463
Scott County, MO37,975−0.1%1.71.8$62,782
Union County, IL16,656−3.7%−5.00.6$55,728
Mississippi County, MO12,003−1.1%7.50.8$48,160
Ballard County, KY7,594−1.5%3.2–$66,164
Cape Girardeau County, MO83,999+2.7%4.41.2$68,464

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 102 Illinois counties · Every state

Questions

Is Alexander County growing?

No. Its population fell 11.6% between 2020 and 2025, about 602 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Illinois as a whole changed −0.6% over the same years. That ranks 102nd of 102 counties in Illinois for population growth.

How many people moved to Alexander County?

On net, about 2 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Alexander County?

It averaged 6.8% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Alexander County?

About 4,570 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Alexander County?

Private employers there had 960 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +5.4% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Illinois

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Illinois county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

Alexander County data alerts

Email me when Alexander County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Alexander County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.