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Monroe County, IL: population growth, jobs and income

Monroe County lost 265 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.8%).

Monroe County had an estimated 34,840 residents in 2025, down 0.3% (121 fewer people) since 2020. That is faster than Illinois as a whole (−0.6%), and the 21st fastest growth of 102 counties in Illinois.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Monroe County report

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

  • Median gross rent$1,042/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes6.2%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months712025-10/2026-09
  • 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 was negative in 2025: 86 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 8,455 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +0.8% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 3.0% in 2025, 0.1 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 65 new homes in 2025, or 1.9 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $102,880 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +14.8% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 1,996th.

Part of the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area.

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Monroe County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202534,840−265
202435,105−85
202335,190+61
202235,129+98
202135,031+70
202034,961–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Monroe County

Monroe County lost 121 people since 2020 even though 368 more people moved in from other U.S. counties than left: deaths outnumbered births by 481, and net international migration took away 6.

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−173−481
International migrationfrom and to other countries−7−6
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−86+368
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+1−2
Total change−265−121

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 growth21st of 1021,996th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents70th of 1022,283rd of 3,108
Private-sector job growth43rd of 1021,754th of 3,092
Median household income7th of 102147th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate1st of 102386th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents16th of 981,598th 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 Monroe 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, Monroe County's population change (−0.3%) was ahead of 3 of its 5 neighbouring counties and behind 2 (Ste. Genevieve County, MO and Jefferson County, MO).

Its median household income ($102,880, 2020–24) is higher than in all 5 of its neighbouring counties.

Monroe County, IL and its 5 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Monroe County, IL This county34,840−0.3%−2.51.9$102,880
St. Clair County, IL250,708−2.5%−1.61.8$73,854
Ste. Genevieve County, MO18,689+1.1%6.32.2$66,339
Randolph County, IL29,921−0.6%3.10.2$68,131
Jefferson County, MO233,132+2.7%4.32.6$82,851
St. Louis County, MO990,911−1.2%−3.41.0$82,936

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 Monroe County growing?

No. Its population fell 0.3% between 2020 and 2025, about 121 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Illinois as a whole changed −0.6% over the same years. That ranks 21st of 102 counties in Illinois for population growth.

How many people moved to Monroe County?

On net, none in 2025: about 86 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Monroe County?

It averaged 3.0% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Monroe County?

About 34,840 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Monroe County?

Private employers there had 8,455 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.

Monroe County data alerts

Email me when Monroe 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 Monroe 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.