City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Effingham, IL

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

12,258
Residents
$65,718
Median income
$166,700
Median home
$916
Median rent (state)

Effingham - the verdict

Effingham ranks in the 44th percentile for household income and the 28th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

44th
percentile, household income
32nd
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
28th
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: Effingham, IL

12,258 people live in Effingham, Illinois - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Effingham brings in $65,718 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.4%. Typical homes in Effingham are valued around $166,700, and the median resident age is 36.9 years. 27.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 14 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 79% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2196.7 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 54.4°F with 44.0 inches of precipitation per year and 14.6 inches of snowfall.

Illinois tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Illinois at 100.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $916 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Illinois run around $240, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 53.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).

Population

12,258 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$65,718 /yr

Poverty 9.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Effingham compare to other US cities?

Effingham measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 44% higher than other cities
Home value 32% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities
Safety 28% 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, Effingham ranks #379 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 Effingham against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Effingham near the bottom of Illinois's cities

Among the 1,336 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Effingham ranks #935 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Effingham only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#693 of 1,311
47th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#935 of 1,336
0th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#434 of 1,315
67th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#497 of 1,335
62nd percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#345 of 1,336
74th 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.

44thIncome percentile
28thSafety percentile

44th percentile nationally for median household income · 28th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Effingham's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Effingham'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 51 Avg. percentile National median
Effingham'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 Effingham's home value compares nationally

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

$166,700 Among the most affordable more affordable than 68% 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%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Effingham $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 - Effingham, IL Effingham, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Effingham, 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 Effingham, IL median $65,718/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%
Effingham, 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 Effingham, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.6%

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

Population
12,258
Median Income
$65,718
Median Home Value
$166,700
Median Age
36.9
Poverty Rate
9.4%
Labor force participation
62.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2196.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
220.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1976.2
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
54.4°F
Annual Precipitation
44.0"
Annual Snowfall
14.6"

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,200 residents12,300 residents12,400 residents12,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,330 residents 12,406 residents ▲ +0.6%
Effingham's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
14
housing units authorized
Single-Family
14
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 66
2020 37
2021 23
2022 45
2023 53
2024 14

Permit volume decreased 79% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.8%
Carpool
8.0%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
3.4%
Work from Home
11.3%
Other
1.1%

Based on 5,901 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 Effingham sits in

Cost of Living Index
100.0
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$916/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
53.8 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Herrin
12,271 people
Streator
12,274 people
Kewanee
12,280 people
Justice
12,372 people
Centralia
12,009 people
Winnetka
12,508 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Effingham's 12,258 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Crossville, TN
12,265 people
Riverview, MI
12,269 people
Haverstraw, NY
12,273 people
Grafton, WI
12,274 people
East Renton Highlands, WA
12,241 people
Madison, IN
12,277 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Effingham's $65,718 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Warner Robins, GA
$65,715 median income
Millersville, PA
$65,721 median income
Bennett, IA
$65,714 median income
Kingsley, MI
$65,714 median income
Stewartville, MN
$65,714 median income
Mount Healthy Heights, OH
$65,714 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Effingham, 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 Effingham, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.7% White 94.0% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 2.1% 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 Effingham 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
Effingham (this city) 12,258 $65,718
Herrin 12,271 $58,501
Streator 12,274 $54,953
Kewanee 12,280 $49,668
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Effingham, IL?

What is the population of Effingham, IL? +

Effingham, IL has a population of 12,258 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Effingham runs $65,718, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Effingham? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Effingham; 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 Effingham, IL safe? +

Effingham has a total crime rate of 2196.7 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 Effingham, IL? +

A typical home in Effingham is worth $166,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Effingham? +

Effingham has an average annual temperature of 54.4°F, 44.0 inches of precipitation, and 14.6 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.