Village · Illinois
Rantoul, Illinois
Rantoul, village, in Champaign County, Illinois. Rantoul had 11,991 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 12,371 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 12,421 (±284). GEOID 1762783.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
11,991
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 12,371 · ACS 2020-2024: 12,421 ±284
Median household income
$48,691
±$5,061 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$118,200
±$10,191 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$890
±$57 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Rantoul and what county is it in?
Rantoul is a village in Champaign County, Illinois. It covers 8.5 square miles of land, 1,457 residents per square mile in 2020.
Rantoul is in the Champaign-Urbana, IL metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Rantoul lies mostly within Rantoul Township and reaches into Ludlow Township, towns or townships with their own local government (2020 census blocks).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Rantoul, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 11,991 people lived in Rantoul on July 1, 2025, down 3.1% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 12,371 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 12,421 (±284).
| Measure | Rantoul | Champaign County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 12,421 ±284 | 208,741 | −797 |
| Households | 5,374 ±353 | 85,472 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.28 ±0.16 | 2.27 | −0.33 |
| Housing units | 6,089 ±382 | 95,115 | no clear change |
Rantoul's population since 2000
From 12,857 in 2000 to 11,991 in 2025: down 6.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Rantoul 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 Rantoul?
The median resident of Rantoul is 36.6 years old; 25.7% are under 18 and 14.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 52.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 20.1%. 8.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Rantoul | Champaign County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 ±3.3 | 30.7 | +6.1 |
| Under 18 years | 25.7% ±3.2 pts | 19.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.6% ±2.9 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Male | 47.0% ±3.2 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 20.1% ±5.0 pts | 8.3% | +8.3 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 52.0% ±5.4 pts | 62.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 17.9% ±4.0 pts | 13.4% | −6.9 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±1.0 pts | 11.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.1% ±4.9 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.9% ±3.8 pts | 14.2% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 16.3% ±4.7 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.9% ±2.1 pts | 4.3% | – |
| With a disability | 14.0% ±3.4 pts | 10.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 10.7% ±4.1 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.1% ±2.3 pts | 95.1% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.4% ±3.3 pts | 46.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.9% ±2.0 pts | 25.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.0% ±3.8 pts | 81.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 2.5% | – |
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 Rantoul earn?
Half of Rantoul's 5,374 households earn less than $48,691 a year (±$5,061), against $63,683 in Champaign County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $51,873 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 16.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Rantoul | Champaign County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,691 ±$5,061 | $63,683 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $62,820 ±$4,898 | $91,413 | – |
| Per capita income | $28,208 ±$2,540 | $38,439 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 16.9% ±4.6 pts | 19.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 21.3% ±11.8 pts | 13.5% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 17.3% ±4.9 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.6% ±4.3 pts | 96.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.8% ±5.1 pts | 90.5% | – |
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 Rantoul?
Owners occupy 55.0% of Rantoul's occupied homes and renters 45.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $118,200 by its owner (±$10,191). The median renter pays $890 a month including utilities, and 25.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Rantoul | Champaign County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $118,200 ±$10,191 | $211,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $890 ±$57 | $1,051 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.3% ±9.0 pts | 47.2% | −17.2 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,265 ±$119 | $1,647 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 55.0% ±6.7 pts | 54.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.0% ±6.7 pts | 46.0% | – |
| Housing units | 6,089 ±382 | 95,115 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 14.3% ±6.2 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 55.0% ±5.5 pts | 52.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.6% ±2.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.2% ±1.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.7% ±2.8 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.9% ±3.6 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 6.7% ±3.0 pts | 12.8% | – |
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 Rantoul building?
Builders took permits for 11 new housing units in Rantoul 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 Rantoul work and get to work?
78.3% of Rantoul's workers drive alone and 11.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.2%.
| Measure | Rantoul | Champaign County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.8% ±5.0 pts | 60.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% ±2.1 pts | 4.3% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 78.3% ±5.7 pts | 64.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.0% ±3.6 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Walked | 1.4% ±1.1 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.8% ±5.0 pts | 15.5% | +9.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.5 min ±1.5 | 16.9 min | no clear change |
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 Rantoul?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Rantoul, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $41,909 (Tract 103) to $55,183 (Tract 102.04).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 102.04Champaign County | 4,466 | $55,183 |
| Tract 103Champaign County | 3,812 | $41,909 |
| Tract 101Champaign County | 4,229 | $48,503 |
| Tract 104Champaign County | 4,313 | $81,587 |
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 Rantoul) · Census block assignment files
How does Rantoul compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Rantoul is the 2,832nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 200th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Rantoul ranks 1,299th 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 | 200th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,010th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 449th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,299th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,249th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,031st | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 765th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 211th | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,258th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 1,160th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,330th | 1,382 |
| Work from home | 456th | 1,015 |
| Travel time to work | 1,172nd | 1,382 |
Rantoul's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Rantoul 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 Rantoul?
9 of the 57 figures for Rantoul 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 Rantoul 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 Rantoul.