City profile · Illinois · Census ACS 2023

Sesser, IL

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

1,919
Residents
$52,326
Median income
$79,800
Median home
$916
Median rent (state)

Sesser - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Sesser lands in the 23rd percentile for household income and the 97th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

23rd
percentile, household income
4th
percentile, home value
5th
percentile, median rent
97th
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: Sesser, IL

1,919 people live in Sesser, Illinois - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Sesser brings in $52,326 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 11.5%. Sesser's housing stock carries a median value of $79,800, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. About 14.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 9 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 800% from five years earlier. Sesser reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 162.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects 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). Natural-hazard exposure scores 80.9 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

1,919 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Illinois

Median Household Income

$52,326 /yr

Poverty 11.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

100.0 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Illinois average

How does Sesser compare to other US cities?

Where Sesser sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 23% higher than other cities
Home value 4% pricier than other cities
Median rent 5% pricier than other cities
Safety 97% 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: Sesser ranks #32 of 455 Illinois cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Sesser against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Illinois only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Illinois-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Sesser near the bottom of Illinois's cities

Among the 1,336 Illinois cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Sesser ranks #935 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Sesser only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#1,045 of 1,311
20th percentile in Illinois
Median Gross Rent
#935 of 1,336
0th percentile in Illinois
Median Home Value
#1,072 of 1,315
18th percentile in Illinois
Poverty Rate
#383 of 1,335
71st percentile in Illinois
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#855 of 1,336
36th percentile in Illinois

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Illinois only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

23rdIncome percentile
97thSafety percentile

23rd percentile nationally for median household income · 97th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Sesser's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Sesser'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 72 Avg. percentile National median
Sesser'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 Sesser's home value compares nationally

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

$79,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 96% 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. Sesser $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 - Sesser, IL Sesser, IL's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Sesser, 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 Sesser, IL median $52,326/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%
Sesser, 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 Sesser, IL. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.0%

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

Population
1,919
Median Income
$52,326
Median Home Value
$79,800
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
11.5%
Labor force participation
57.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
162.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
108.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
54.1
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
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,860 residents1,870 residents1,880 residents1,890 residents1,900 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,894 residents 1,888 residents ▼ -0.3%
Sesser's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
9
housing units authorized
Single-Family
9
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 1
2022 1
2023 10
2024 9

Permit volume increased 800% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.1%
Carpool
12.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
6.3%
Other
2.3%

Based on 822 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 Sesser 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
80.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Illinois

Jonesboro
1,912 people
Jerome
1,910 people
Minonk
1,909 people
Knollwood
1,907 people
Princeville
1,932 people
New Athens
1,937 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Sesser's 1,919 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Britt, IA
1,919 people
Granger, IA
1,919 people
Coalgate, OK
1,919 people
Ben Avon, PA
1,919 people
Pinckney, MI
1,920 people
Port Dickinson, NY
1,920 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Sesser's $52,326 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Huntingburg, IN
$52,327 median income
Mount Victory, OH
$52,321 median income
Stone Creek, OH
$52,321 median income
Chattanooga, OK
$52,321 median income
Luray, SC
$52,321 median income
Summersville, WV
$52,321 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Sesser, 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 Sesser, IL - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.0% White 94.4% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 3.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 2.3% 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 Sesser 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
Sesser (this city) 1,919 $52,326
Jonesboro 1,912 $58,309
Jerome 1,910 $55,777
Minonk 1,909 $62,000
Census ACS 5-year FIPS IL FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Sesser, IL?

What is the population of Sesser, IL? +

Sesser, IL counts 1,919 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Sesser is $52,326 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Sesser? +

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

Sesser has a total crime rate of 162.3 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 Sesser, IL? +

Sesser's median home value sits at $79,800, 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

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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.