City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Galesburg, IL

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

29,653
Residents
$45,213
Median income
$89,800
Median home
$916
Median rent (state)

Galesburg - the verdict

Galesburg ranks in the 13th percentile for household income and the 11th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

13th
percentile, household income
6th
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
11th
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: Galesburg, IL

Galesburg is a small city in Illinois, home to 29,653 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Galesburg households earn a median of $45,213 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.9%. Typical homes in Galesburg are valued around $89,800, and the median resident age is 41.2 years. Educational attainment runs 19.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 47.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 0 residential units authorized here in 2024 (No Permits). Galesburg's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3478.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Galesburg's yearly average temperature at 50.2°F with 39.0 inches of precipitation per year and 25.9 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. Workers in Galesburg report an average commute of 15.2 minutes, with 75.4% driving alone and 5.7% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 57.2 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

29,653 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$45,213 /yr

Poverty 13.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Galesburg compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 13% higher than other cities
Home value 6% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities
Safety 11% 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: Galesburg ranks #431 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 Galesburg'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.

13thIncome percentile
11thSafety percentile

13th percentile nationally for median household income · 11th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Galesburg's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Galesburg'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 40 Avg. percentile National median
Galesburg'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 Galesburg's home value compares nationally

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

$89,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 94% 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. Galesburg $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 - Galesburg, IL Galesburg, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Galesburg, 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 Galesburg, IL median $45,213/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%
Galesburg, 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 Galesburg, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.2%

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

Population
29,653
Median Income
$45,213
Median Home Value
$89,800
Median Age
41.2
Poverty Rate
13.9%
Labor force participation
47.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3478.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
512.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2965.6
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
50.2°F
Annual Precipitation
39.0"
Annual Snowfall
25.9"

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 →
28,000 residents28,500 residents29,000 residents29,500 residents30,000 residents30,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 29,949 residents 28,581 residents ▼ -4.6%
Galesburg's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 0
2020 0
2021 1
2022 1
2023 0
2024 0

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.2 minutes
Drive Alone
75.4%
Carpool
11.3%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
5.6%
Work from Home
5.7%
Other
1.2%

Based on 11,508 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 Galesburg 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
57.2 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Algonquin
29,904 people
Highland Park
30,229 people
Niles
30,262 people
Lake in the Hills
28,853 people
Burbank
28,822 people
Gurnee
30,486 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Galesburg's 29,653 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Hobart, IN
29,646 people
Schererville, IN
29,627 people
Central, LA
29,603 people
Laurel, MD
29,594 people
Raytown, MO
29,593 people
Orchards, WA
29,716 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Galesburg's $45,213 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Saugerties, NY
$45,213 median income
Campbell, MO
$45,208 median income
Rock Port, MO
$45,208 median income
Central City, SD
$45,208 median income
Holly Pond, AL
$45,221 median income
Columbia, KY
$45,221 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Galesburg, 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 Galesburg, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.1% 12.3% 8.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.9% White 75.1% Black or African American 12.3% Asian 1.4% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.0% Two or more races 8.1% 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 Galesburg 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
Galesburg (this city) 29,653 $45,213
Algonquin 29,904 $131,753
Highland Park 30,229 $161,875
Niles 30,262 $78,563
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Galesburg, IL?

What is the population of Galesburg, IL? +

29,653 people live in Galesburg, IL according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Galesburg is $45,213 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Galesburg? +

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

Galesburg has a total crime rate of 3478.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Galesburg, IL? +

Homes in Galesburg carry a median value of $89,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Galesburg? +

Climate normals put Galesburg's yearly average temperature at 50.2°F, 39.0 inches of precipitation, and 25.9 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 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.