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Hamilton County, IL: population growth, jobs and income

Hamilton County lost 2 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.0%).

Hamilton County had an estimated 7,859 residents in 2025, down 1.7% (137 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Illinois as a whole (−0.6%), and the 44th fastest growth of 102 counties in Illinois.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Hamilton County report

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

  • Median gross rent$568/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes10.9%2020–24
  • Rent growth, 5 years−13.9%2016-2020 to 2020-2024
  • New homes permitted, last 12 monthsIn 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 20 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 1,531 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −6.0% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.6% in 2025, 0.1 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Median household income was $65,746 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +17.5% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,397th.

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Hamilton County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
20257,859−2
20247,861−34
20237,895−86
20227,981+67
20217,914−82
20207,996–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Hamilton County

Hamilton County lost 137 people since 2020 even though 27 more people moved in from other U.S. counties than left: deaths outnumbered births by 155, and net international migration took away 7.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−17−155
International migrationfrom and to other countries−4−7
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+20+27
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−1−2
Total change−2−137

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 growth44th of 1022,397th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents29th of 1021,468th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth75th of 1022,570th of 3,092
Median household income60th of 1021,548th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate52nd of 1022,179th of 3,108

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 Hamilton 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 Franklin County and Jefferson County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Hamilton County's population change (−1.7%) was ahead of 5 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 1 (Wayne County).

Its median household income ($65,746, 2020–24) is higher than in all 6 of its neighbouring counties.

Hamilton 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
Hamilton County, IL This county7,859−1.7%2.5–$65,746
Saline County, IL22,772−4.1%4.50.0$53,117
White County, IL13,250−4.0%−6.90.1$54,813
Wayne County, IL15,882−1.6%−0.30.1$55,521
Franklin County, IL36,916−2.1%3.00.5$56,740
Jefferson County, IL36,147−2.3%2.90.3$63,118
Gallatin County, IL4,616−6.4%−2.6–$59,219

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 Hamilton County growing?

No. Its population fell 1.7% between 2020 and 2025, about 137 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Illinois as a whole changed −0.6% over the same years. That ranks 44th of 102 counties in Illinois for population growth.

How many people moved to Hamilton County?

On net, about 20 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 Hamilton County?

It averaged 4.6% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Hamilton County?

About 7,859 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Hamilton County?

Private employers there had 1,531 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −6.0% 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.

Hamilton County data alerts

Email me when Hamilton 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 Hamilton 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.