City · Illinois
Metropolis, Illinois
Metropolis, city, in Massac County, Illinois. Metropolis had 5,727 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,969 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,864 (±20). GEOID 1748645.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,727
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,969 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,864 ±20
Median household income
$50,399
±$4,985 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$86,000
±$13,653 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$752
±$86 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Metropolis and what county is it in?
Metropolis is a city in Massac County, Illinois. It covers 6.0 square miles of land, 992 residents per square mile in 2020.
Metropolis is in the Paducah, KY-IL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 5 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Metropolis, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,727 people lived in Metropolis on July 1, 2025, down 3.9% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 5,969 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,864 (±20).
| Measure | Metropolis | Massac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,864 ±20 | 13,865 | −265 |
| Households | 2,430 ±188 | 5,457 | −288 |
| Average household size | 2.31 ±0.18 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,062 ±154 | 6,822 | −324 |
Metropolis's population since 2000
From 6,482 in 2000 to 5,727 in 2025: down 11.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Metropolis 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 Metropolis?
The median resident of Metropolis is 43.5 years old; 21.2% are under 18 and 24.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.6%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 8.2%. 2.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Metropolis | Massac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.5 ±2.5 | 44.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.2% ±2.8 pts | 21.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.1% ±2.3 pts | 22.0% | – |
| Male | 43.1% ±2.9 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.5% ±1.6 pts | 2.9% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.6% ±3.5 pts | 86.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.2% ±2.5 pts | 6.4% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.6% ±1.8 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.5% ±1.2 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.6% ±1.9 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.2% ±2.2 pts | 8.2% | – |
| With a disability | 21.6% ±3.8 pts | 17.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.2% ±3.4 pts | 7.8% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 86.9% ±3.4 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 14.9% ±3.7 pts | 17.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.3% ±2.0 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.2% ±5.0 pts | 91.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.8% ±3.0 pts | 3.0% | – |
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 Metropolis earn?
Half of Metropolis's 2,430 households earn less than $50,399 a year (±$4,985), against $65,116 in Massac County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $44,127 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 17.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Metropolis | Massac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,399 ±$4,985 | $65,116 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $62,561 ±$8,244 | $75,960 | – |
| Per capita income | $27,035 ±$3,331 | $32,040 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 17.6% ±4.9 pts | 16.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 23.1% ±15.0 pts | 23.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 23.7% ±6.1 pts | 17.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 81.2% ±5.5 pts | 85.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 75.3% ±5.8 pts | 77.8% | – |
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 Metropolis?
Owners occupy 61.2% of Metropolis's occupied homes and renters 38.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $86,000 by its owner (±$13,653). The median renter pays $752 a month including utilities, and 33.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Metropolis | Massac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $86,000 ±$13,653 | $121,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $752 ±$86 | $756 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.2% ±13.8 pts | 32.7% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,113 ±$170 | $1,318 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 61.2% ±7.1 pts | 76.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 38.8% ±7.1 pts | 23.6% | – |
| Housing units | 3,062 ±154 | 6,822 | −324 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.2% ±4.3 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.5% ±6.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 73.3% ±5.5 pts | 76.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.5% ±3.3 pts | 14.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.5% ±2.3 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.7% ±4.0 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.2% ±3.3 pts | 5.1% | – |
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 Metropolis building?
Builders took permits for 5 new housing units in Metropolis in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 0.9 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 Metropolis work and get to work?
80.0% of Metropolis's workers drive alone and 5.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.7 minutes.
| Measure | Metropolis | Massac County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 50.3% ±4.7 pts | 54.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% ±1.8 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.0% ±7.1 pts | 85.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.6% ±6.0 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.6% ±1.5 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.4% ±3.3 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.7 min ±1.6 | 20.3 min | −5.9 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 Metropolis?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Metropolis, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $47,846 (Tract 9704) to $53,582 (Tract 9702).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9702Massac County | 3,542 | $53,582 |
| Tract 9704Massac County | 2,285 | $47,846 |
| Tract 9701Massac County | 4,486 | $76,414 |
| Tract 9703Massac County | 3,552 | $75,245 |
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 Metropolis) · Census block assignment files
How does Metropolis compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Metropolis is the 4,538th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 309th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Metropolis ranks 1,281st 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 | 309th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,181st | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 632nd | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,281st | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,292nd | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,287th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 1,080th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 192nd | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,172nd | 1,369 |
| Median age | 426th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,259th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 935th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 1,337th | 1,382 |
Metropolis's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Metropolis 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 Metropolis?
12 of the 57 figures for Metropolis 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 Metropolis 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 Metropolis.