City · Illinois
Beardstown, Illinois
Beardstown, city, in Cass County, Illinois. Beardstown had 5,691 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,951 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 6,169 (±165). GEOID 1704351.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,691
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,951 · ACS 2020-2024: 6,169 ±165
Median household income
$60,587
±$6,012 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$82,100
±$6,046 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$762
±$149 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Beardstown and what county is it in?
Beardstown is a city in Cass County, Illinois. It covers 3.7 square miles of land, 1,626 residents per square mile in 2020.
Beardstown lies entirely within Beardstown Township, a township with its own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Beardstown, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,691 people lived in Beardstown on July 1, 2025, down 4.3% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 5,951 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 6,169 (±165).
| Measure | Beardstown | Cass County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 6,169 ±165 | 12,784 | +487 |
| Households | 2,328 ±162 | 5,128 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.61 ±0.16 | 2.46 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,508 ±154 | 5,676 | no clear change |
Beardstown's population since 2000
From 5,766 in 2000 to 5,691 in 2025: down 1.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Beardstown as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Beardstown?
The median resident of Beardstown is 32.7 years old; 27.9% are under 18 and 12.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 47.4%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 40.3%. 27.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Beardstown | Cass County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.7 ±1.7 | 38.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 27.9% ±2.3 pts | 24.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.4% ±2.2 pts | 18.0% | – |
| Male | 47.9% ±2.2 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 40.3% ±3.1 pts | 22.9% | +4.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 47.4% ±3.1 pts | 69.9% | −6.7 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 7.4% ±1.9 pts | 4.0% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±0.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±1.0 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 27.9% ±3.3 pts | 14.2% | +5.6 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 42.7% ±4.0 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.3% ±1.7 pts | 5.8% | – |
| With a disability | 15.7% ±2.9 pts | 16.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.7% ±3.1 pts | 7.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 78.8% ±5.2 pts | 86.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.7% ±3.9 pts | 20.8% | +6.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.0% ±2.3 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.4% ±4.7 pts | 88.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.6% ±1.1 pts | 1.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Beardstown earn?
Half of Beardstown's 2,328 households earn less than $60,587 a year (±$6,012), against $68,125 in Cass County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 the median was $50,151 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $10,436 after inflation. 13.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Beardstown | Cass County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,587 ±$6,012 | $68,125 | +$10,436 |
| Mean household income | $65,033 ±$5,670 | $81,028 | – |
| Per capita income | $24,304 ±$2,148 | $32,954 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 13.7% ±4.0 pts | 11.1% | −10.6 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.7% ±6.9 pts | 11.5% | −14.2 pts |
| Households receiving SNAP | 19.1% ±5.0 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 92.6% ±3.2 pts | 92.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.1% ±5.6 pts | 86.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Beardstown?
Owners occupy 65.9% of Beardstown's occupied homes and renters 34.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $82,100 by its owner (±$6,046). The median renter pays $762 a month including utilities, and 15.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Beardstown | Cass County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $82,100 ±$6,046 | $97,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $762 ±$149 | $723 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 15.6% ±9.3 pts | 20.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,159 ±$95 | $1,195 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.9% ±5.8 pts | 75.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 34.1% ±5.8 pts | 24.1% | – |
| Housing units | 2,508 ±154 | 5,676 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.4 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 12.0% ±9.4 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.9% ±5.9 pts | 80.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 14.1% ±4.9 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 1.2% ±1.2 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 23.4% ±4.9 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.8% ±2.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Beardstown building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Beardstown in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 1.5 across Illinois.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Beardstown work and get to work?
75.9% of Beardstown's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.6%.
| Measure | Beardstown | Cass County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.8% ±3.5 pts | 58.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% ±2.9 pts | 4.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 75.9% ±6.2 pts | 80.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 18.3% ±5.0 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.6% ±1.2 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.5 min ±2.3 | 21.0 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Beardstown?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Beardstown, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $60,932 (Tract 9605) to $61,473 (Tract 9604).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9605Cass County | 2,680 | $60,932 |
| Tract 9604Cass County | 2,608 | $61,473 |
| Tract 9603Cass County | 2,924 | $74,335 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Beardstown) · Census block assignment files
How does Beardstown compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Beardstown is the 4,552nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 310th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Beardstown ranks 1,074th of 1,380 places in Illinois with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 310th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,241st | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 388th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,074th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,345th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,312th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 1,067th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 341st | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,082nd | 1,369 |
| Median age | 1,325th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,165th | 1,382 |
| Travel time to work | 1,268th | 1,382 |
Beardstown's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Beardstown with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Beardstown?
11 of the 57 figures for Beardstown on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Beardstown are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Beardstown.