City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Charleston, IL

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Charleston - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

17,212
Residents
$49,057
Median income
$133,700
Median home
$965
Median rent (state)

Charleston - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Charleston lands in the 18th percentile for household income and the 29th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

18th
percentile, household income
22nd
percentile, home value
12th
percentile, median rent
29th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Charleston, IL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 17,212 residents in Charleston, a small town within Illinois. The typical household in Charleston brings in $49,057 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.7%. Typical homes in Charleston are valued around $133,700, and the median resident age is 28.8 years. About 34.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 61.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 4 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 300% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2152.5 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 55.0°F with 43.8 inches of precipitation per year and 19.0 inches of snowfall.

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $965 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 13.7 minutes, with 69.7% driving alone and 9.1% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 70.4 out of 100 (High).

Population

17,212 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$49,057 /yr

Poverty 15.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Charleston compare to other US cities?

Where Charleston sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 18% higher than other cities
Home value 22% pricier than other cities
Median rent 12% pricier than other cities
Safety 29% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Illinois alone, Charleston ranks #374 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Charleston against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Charleston toward the top of Illinois's cities

Among the 1,335 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Charleston ranks #219 - the 83rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Charleston only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,112 of 1,311
15th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#852 of 1,336
36th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#574 of 1,315
56th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#219 of 1,335
83rd percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#245 of 1,336
82nd percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

18thIncome percentile
29thSafety percentile

18th percentile nationally for median household income · 29th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Charleston's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Charleston's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 43 Avg. percentile National median
Charleston's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Charleston's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$133,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 78% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Charleston $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Charleston, IL Charleston, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Charleston, IL-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Charleston, IL median $49,057/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Charleston, IL's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Charleston, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
17,212
Median Income
$49,057
Median Home Value
$133,700
Median Age
28.8
Poverty Rate
15.7%
Labor force participation
61.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2152.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
359.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1792.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
55.0°F
Annual Precipitation
43.8"
Annual Snowfall
19.0"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,400 residents17,600 residents17,800 residents18,000 residents18,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,574 residents 17,466 residents ▼ -0.6%
Charleston's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 11
2022 1
2023 4
2024 4

Permit volume increased 300% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
13.7 minutes
Drive Alone
69.7%
Carpool
7.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
11.2%
Work from Home
9.1%
Other
2.1%

Based on 8,934 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Illinois - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$90
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$50
avg/month
Total Utilities
$240
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Illinois state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Illinois state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Charleston sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$965/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
70.4 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Cahokia Heights
17,173 people
Hinsdale
17,155 people
Jacksonville
17,490 people
Marion
16,796 people
Lemont
17,643 people
Bridgeview
16,721 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Charleston's 17,212 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Adelphi, MD
17,210 people
Dallas, OR
17,214 people
Easton, MD
17,202 people
Islip, NY
17,224 people
Danville, KY
17,235 people
Calera, AL
17,188 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Charleston's $49,057 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Klawock, AK
$49,063 median income
Tununak, AK
$49,063 median income
Salesville, AR
$49,063 median income
Lone Pine, CA
$49,063 median income
Hudson, FL
$49,063 median income
Labadieville, LA
$49,063 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Charleston, IL Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Charleston, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.1% 7.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.8% White 86.1% Black or African American 7.9% Asian 2.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 2.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Charleston compares to nearby Illinois cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Charleston (this city) 17,212 $49,057
Cahokia Heights 17,173 $37,975
Hinsdale 17,155 $250,001
Jacksonville 17,490 $62,615
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Charleston, IL?

What is the population of Charleston, IL? +

The population of Charleston, IL stands at 17,212 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Charleston, IL? +

Median annual household income in Charleston runs $49,057, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Charleston? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Charleston; the closest available measure is the Illinois state average, a cost of living index of 100.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Illinois vary by metro area.

Is Charleston, IL safe? +

Charleston has a total crime rate of 2152.5 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Charleston, IL? +

A typical home in Charleston is worth $133,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Charleston? +

The average annual temperature in Charleston runs 55.0°F, 43.8 inches of precipitation, and 19.0 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.