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Menard County, IL: population growth, jobs and income

Menard County lost 61 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.5%).

Menard County had an estimated 11,863 residents in 2025, down 3.3% (410 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Illinois as a whole (−0.6%), and the 76th fastest growth of 102 counties in Illinois.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Menard County report

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

  • Median gross rent$885/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes6.6%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months112025-10/2026-09
  • 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

11

2025

0.9 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 was negative in 2025: 21 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 1,216 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −0.8% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 4.1% in 2025, 0.1 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 11 new homes in 2025, or 0.9 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $82,176 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +6.0% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,730th.

Part of the Springfield, IL metro area.

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Menard County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202511,863−61
202411,924−85
202312,009−65
202212,074−100
202112,174−99
202012,273–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Menard County

Menard County lost 410 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−270).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−41−148
International migrationfrom and to other countries+1+12
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−21−270
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+0−4
Total change−61−410

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 growth76th of 1022,730th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents65th of 1022,194th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth52nd of 1021,993rd of 3,092
Median household income15th of 102501st of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate33rd of 1021,651st of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents46th of 982,129th 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 Menard 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, Menard County's population change (−3.3%) was ahead of 2 of its 4 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Sangamon County and Logan County).

Its median household income ($82,176, 2020–24) is higher than in all 4 of its neighbouring counties.

Menard County, IL and its 4 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Menard County, IL This county11,863−3.3%−1.80.9$82,176
Mason County, IL12,411−4.9%2.20.5$62,845
Sangamon County, IL194,170−1.0%−0.51.2$75,357
Logan County, IL27,182−2.5%1.72.4$66,358
Cass County, IL12,463−4.0%−11.70.2$68,125

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 Menard County growing?

No. Its population fell 3.3% between 2020 and 2025, about 410 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Illinois as a whole changed −0.6% over the same years. That ranks 76th of 102 counties in Illinois for population growth.

How many people moved to Menard County?

On net, none in 2025: about 21 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Menard County?

It averaged 4.1% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Menard County?

About 11,863 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Menard County?

Private employers there had 1,216 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −0.8% 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.

Menard County data alerts

Email me when Menard 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 Menard 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.