City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Freeport, IL

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

23,636
Residents
$48,181
Median income
$86,100
Median home
$916
Median rent (state)

Freeport - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Freeport lands in the 17th percentile for household income and the 38th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

17th
percentile, household income
5th
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
38th
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: Freeport, IL

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 23,636 residents in Freeport, a small city within Illinois. Median household income here is $48,181 per year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.2%. Typical homes in Freeport are valued around $86,100, and the median resident age is 43.2 years. 20.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 54.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 2 residential building permits were authorized in Freeport (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Freeport reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1769.5 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $916 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Illinois's average monthly utility costs around $240 (state average). Commute times here average 14.8 minutes, with 74.1% driving alone and 9.6% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 73.9 out of 100 (High).

Population

23,636 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$48,181 /yr

Poverty 13.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Freeport compare to other US cities?

Here's how Freeport stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 17% higher than other cities
Home value 5% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities
Safety 38% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Illinois and the picture shifts: Freeport ranks #343 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Freeport's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Illinois, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

17thIncome percentile
38thSafety percentile

17th percentile nationally for median household income · 38th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Freeport's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Freeport'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 50 Avg. percentile National median
Freeport'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 Freeport's home value compares nationally

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

$86,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 95% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Freeport $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 - Freeport, IL Freeport, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Freeport, 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 Freeport, IL median $48,181/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%
Freeport, 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 Freeport, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 54.2%

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

Population
23,636
Median Income
$48,181
Median Home Value
$86,100
Median Age
43.2
Poverty Rate
13.2%
Labor force participation
54.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1769.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
362.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1406.9
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.

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
23,000 residents23,500 residents24,000 residents24,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 23,958 residents 23,202 residents ▼ -3.2%
Freeport's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
2
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 2
2021 4
2022 4
2023 3
2024 2

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
14.8 minutes
Drive Alone
74.1%
Carpool
10.8%
Public Transit
1.1%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
9.6%
Other
1.8%

Based on 10,320 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 Freeport 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
73.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Blue Island
23,416 people
Lisle
23,413 people
Rolling Meadows
23,981 people
Elmwood Park
23,982 people
South Elgin
23,984 people
Loves Park
23,185 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Freeport's 23,636 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fernley, NV
23,631 people
Marshall, TX
23,646 people
Griffin, GA
23,650 people
North Lynnwood, WA
23,653 people
Cartersville, GA
23,617 people
Columbus, MS
23,616 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Freeport's $48,181 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hampton, AR
$48,182 median income
Thunderbird Bay, TX
$48,179 median income
Ceredo, WV
$48,184 median income
Lackawanna, NY
$48,185 median income
Springer, NM
$48,188 median income
Cherokee, NC
$48,173 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Freeport, 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 Freeport, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 72.2% 13.8% 11.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 7.1% White 72.2% Black or African American 13.8% Asian 1.1% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 11.1% 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 Freeport 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
Freeport (this city) 23,636 $48,181
Blue Island 23,416 $60,965
Lisle 23,413 $106,173
Rolling Meadows 23,981 $100,424
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Freeport, IL?

What is the population of Freeport, IL? +

23,636 people live in Freeport, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Freeport, the typical household earns $48,181 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Freeport? +

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

Freeport has a total crime rate of 1769.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Freeport, IL? +

Freeport's median home value sits at $86,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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 Editorial

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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.