Village · Illinois
Bethany, Illinois
Bethany, village, in Moultrie County, Illinois. Bethany had 1,200 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,255 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,176 (±271). GEOID 1705612.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,200
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,255 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,176 ±271
Median household income
$44,583
±$16,878 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$106,200
±$10,169 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$1,002
±$386 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Bethany and what county is it in?
Bethany is a village in Moultrie County, Illinois. It covers 1.0 square miles of land, 1,285 residents per square mile in 2020.
Bethany lies entirely within Marrowbone 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 Bethany, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,200 people lived in Bethany on July 1, 2025, down 4.5% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,255 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,176 (±271).
| Measure | Bethany | Moultrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,176 ±271 | 14,424 | no clear change |
| Households | 558 ±100 | 5,817 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.11 ±0.27 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 580 ±101 | 6,240 | no clear change |
Bethany's population since 2000
From 1,287 in 2000 to 1,200 in 2025: down 6.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bethany 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 Bethany?
The median resident of Bethany is 42.9 years old; 22.8% are under 18 and 19.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 95.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.3%.
| Measure | Bethany | Moultrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 ±11.3 | 40.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.8% ±7.9 pts | 25.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 19.6% ±8.7 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Male | 49.5% ±5.0 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 1.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 95.7% ±5.5 pts | 95.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±5.5 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.9% ±3.6 pts | 6.5% | – |
| With a disability | 15.9% ±5.9 pts | 13.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.3% ±2.9 pts | 14.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.3% ±3.9 pts | 85.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.2% ±6.9 pts | 19.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.6% ±4.0 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 86.0% ±8.9 pts | 89.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
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 Bethany earn?
Half of Bethany's 558 households earn less than $44,583 a year (±$16,878), against $71,784 in Moultrie County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $57,766 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Bethany | Moultrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $44,583 ±$16,878 | $71,784 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $74,194 ±$21,431 | $90,465 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,324 ±$11,410 | $37,035 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.3% ±12.8 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 17.4% ±32.5 pts | 10.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.8% ±9.3 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.0% ±6.7 pts | 90.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.4% ±4.1 pts | 82.6% | – |
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 Bethany?
Owners occupy 66.8% of Bethany's occupied homes and renters 33.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $106,200 by its owner (±$10,169). The median renter pays $1,002 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Bethany | Moultrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $106,200 ±$10,169 | $134,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,002 ±$386 | $804 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 6.6% ±9.2 pts | 21.2% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $960 ±$46 | $1,248 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.8% ±13.2 pts | 76.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.2% ±13.2 pts | 24.0% | – |
| Housing units | 580 ±101 | 6,240 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.6% ±7.8 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 93.1% ±4.7 pts | 84.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.9% ±1.4 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 27.9% ±10.0 pts | 25.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.3% ±3.5 pts | 13.3% | – |
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 Bethany building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Bethany 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 Bethany work and get to work?
91.1% of Bethany's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.6 minutes.
| Measure | Bethany | Moultrie County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.7% ±10.8 pts | 60.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% ±4.5 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 91.1% ±4.6 pts | 73.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.4% ±2.5 pts | 10.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 1.6% ±3.2 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 3.6% ±3.4 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.6 min ±2.6 | 20.9 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 Bethany?
No census tract lies mostly in Bethany; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9771Moultrie County | 2,963 | $77,431 |
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 Bethany) · Census block assignment files
How does Bethany compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bethany is the 9,592nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 598th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Bethany ranks 1,341st 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 | 598th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,260th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 521st | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,341st | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 815th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,125th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 565th | 1,280 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 766th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 478th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,138th | 1,382 |
| Travel time to work | 867th | 1,382 |
Bethany's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Bethany 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 Bethany?
25 of the 57 figures for Bethany 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 Bethany 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 Bethany.