City · Illinois
Jonesboro, Illinois
Jonesboro, city, in Union County, Illinois. Jonesboro had 1,635 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 4.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,711 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,870 (±210). GEOID 1738635.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,635
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,711 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,870 ±210
Median household income
$58,500
±$17,218 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$106,400
±$14,626 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$688
±$114 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Jonesboro and what county is it in?
Jonesboro is a city in Union County, Illinois. It covers 2.7 square miles of land, 634 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Jonesboro, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,635 people lived in Jonesboro on July 1, 2025, down 4.4% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,711 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,870 (±210).
| Measure | Jonesboro | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,870 ±210 | 16,997 | no clear change |
| Households | 772 ±107 | 6,868 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.35 ±0.32 | 2.35 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 818 ±111 | 7,851 | no clear change |
Jonesboro's population since 2000
From 1,853 in 2000 to 1,635 in 2025: down 11.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro?
The median resident of Jonesboro is 39.7 years old; 24.7% are under 18 and 18.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 12.4%.
| Measure | Jonesboro | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 ±3.3 | 44.3 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 24.7% ±4.7 pts | 21.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.3% ±5.2 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Male | 52.8% ±5.4 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.2% ±1.6 pts | 5.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.9% ±4.7 pts | 89.5% | −9.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 12.4% ±4.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 5.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.0% ±5.3 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 29.8% ±6.6 pts | 21.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.8% ±2.2 pts | 6.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.9% ±2.7 pts | 87.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 29.2% ±7.5 pts | 20.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.0% ±1.7 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.8% ±4.9 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.0% ±1.7 pts | 0.9% | – |
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 Jonesboro earn?
Half of Jonesboro's 772 households earn less than $58,500 a year (±$17,218), against $55,728 in Union County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $57,381 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 20.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Jonesboro | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $58,500 ±$17,218 | $55,728 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $71,174 ±$9,909 | $75,826 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,241 ±$3,730 | $31,657 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 20.9% ±6.6 pts | 20.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.5% ±13.0 pts | 26.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.6% ±5.6 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 80.4% ±9.6 pts | 81.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 76.3% ±9.2 pts | 72.6% | – |
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 Jonesboro?
Owners occupy 77.3% of Jonesboro's occupied homes and renters 22.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $106,400 by its owner (±$14,626). The median renter pays $688 a month including utilities, and 38.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Jonesboro | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $106,400 ±$14,626 | $131,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $688 ±$114 | $648 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 38.5% ±16.5 pts | 44.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,318 ±$215 | $1,295 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.3% ±6.0 pts | 77.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.7% ±6.0 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Housing units | 818 ±111 | 7,851 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±19.2 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 74.1% ±8.9 pts | 74.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 18.8% ±8.8 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.3% ±3.6 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 25.3% ±7.6 pts | 18.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.9% ±3.2 pts | 9.6% | – |
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 Jonesboro building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Jonesboro in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 0.6 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 Jonesboro work and get to work?
76.2% of Jonesboro's workers drive alone and 4.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 17.0 minutes.
| Measure | Jonesboro | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.6% ±6.9 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.3% ±1.2 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.2% ±10.2 pts | 81.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.7% ±9.1 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 3.2% ±6.5 pts | 2.0% | – |
| Walked | 2.6% ±1.9 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.0% ±2.3 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.0 min ±2.0 | 24.4 min | −4.6 min |
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 Jonesboro?
1 census tract lies mostly in Jonesboro, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9503Union County | 2,194 | $58,929 |
| Tract 9504Union County | 4,952 | $35,610 |
| Tract 9505Union County | 3,497 | $73,906 |
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 Jonesboro) · Census block assignment files
How does Jonesboro compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Jonesboro is the 8,447th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 516th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Jonesboro ranks 1,128th 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 | 516th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,251st | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 748th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,128th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,210th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,124th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 1,174th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 112th | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 492nd | 1,369 |
| Median age | 851st | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 711th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 988th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 1,286th | 1,382 |
Jonesboro's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro?
18 of the 57 figures for Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro.