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Fulton County, IL: population growth, jobs and income

Fulton County gained 94 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.3%).

Fulton County had an estimated 32,901 residents in 2025, down 2.0% (661 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Illinois as a whole (−0.6%), and the 48th fastest growth of 102 counties in Illinois.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Fulton County report

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

  • Median gross rent$785/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes13.0%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months202025-10/2026-09
  • 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

New homes permitted

18

2025

0.5 per 1,000 residents

Small base: the change swings on a few homes or people, so we don't show it.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025. Housing units authorized by building permits in the year.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 309 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 6,400 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +6.9% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.8% in 2025, 0.6 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 18 new homes in 2025, or 0.5 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $60,599 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +16.0% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,452nd.

Part of the Canton, IL micro area.

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Fulton County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202532,901+94
202432,807−65
202332,872−284
202233,156−211
202133,367−195
202033,562–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Fulton County

Fulton County lost 661 people since 2020 even though 438 more people moved in from other U.S. counties than left: deaths outnumbered births by 1,115, and net international migration added 22.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−215−1,115
International migrationfrom and to other countries+4+22
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+309+438
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−4−6
Total change+94−661

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 growth48th of 1022,452nd of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents5th of 102587th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth14th of 102989th of 3,092
Median household income81st of 1022,010th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate71st of 1022,359th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents59th of 982,390th of 3,005

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

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Fulton 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.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Fulton County's population change (−2.0%) was ahead of 5 of its 7 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Peoria County and Tazewell County).

5 of its 7 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Fulton County's $60,599 (2020–24).

Fulton County, IL and its 7 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Fulton County, IL This county32,901−2.0%9.40.5$60,599
Mason County, IL12,411−4.9%2.20.5$62,845
Knox County, IL47,767−4.1%−1.80.0$57,030
McDonough County, IL25,916−4.5%−5.00.0$52,795
Peoria County, IL178,553−1.6%−4.10.4$65,108
Schuyler County, IL6,657−3.0%−4.80.0$65,948
Warren County, IL16,222−3.7%5.10.2$67,385
Tazewell County, IL130,049−1.0%2.50.9$77,982

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 Fulton County growing?

No. Its population fell 2.0% between 2020 and 2025, about 661 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Illinois as a whole changed −0.6% over the same years. That ranks 48th of 102 counties in Illinois for population growth.

How many people moved to Fulton County?

On net, about 309 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 Fulton County?

It averaged 4.8% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Fulton County?

About 32,901 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Fulton County?

Private employers there had 6,400 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +6.9% 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.

Fulton County data alerts

Email me when Fulton 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 Fulton 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.