City · Illinois
Sesser, Illinois
Sesser, city, in Franklin County, Illinois. Sesser had 1,888 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,888 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,023 (±178). GEOID 1768705.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,888
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,888 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,023 ±178
Median household income
$52,604
±$10,726 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$82,300
±$12,289 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$726
±$131 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Sesser and what county is it in?
Sesser is a city in Franklin County, Illinois. It covers 1.1 square miles of land, 1,798 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sesser lies mostly within Goode Township, a township with its 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 Sesser, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,888 people lived in Sesser on July 1, 2025, down 0.6% since 2020, in line with Illinois (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,888 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,023 (±178).
| Measure | Sesser | Franklin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,023 ±178 | 37,323 | +475 |
| Households | 778 ±90 | 16,137 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.60 ±0.27 | 2.28 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 903 ±98 | 18,462 | no clear change |
Sesser's population since 2000
From 2,128 in 2000 to 1,888 in 2025: down 11.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sesser 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 Sesser?
The median resident of Sesser is 38.3 years old; 23.6% are under 18 and 16.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.4%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 2.7%.
| Measure | Sesser | Franklin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 ±6.1 | 43.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.6% ±5.0 pts | 22.1% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.5% ±4.7 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±4.2 pts | 49.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.2% ±2.3 pts | 2.0% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.4% ±5.2 pts | 94.1% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±3.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±1.7 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.8% ±2.2 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.9% ±2.5 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.1% ±4.2 pts | 8.2% | – |
| With a disability | 22.7% ±5.2 pts | 21.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.1% ±3.6 pts | 7.3% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.8% ±4.1 pts | 89.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.0% ±4.2 pts | 15.8% | +6.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.8% ±2.8 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.1% ±3.0 pts | 88.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.8% ±1.2 pts | 0.7% | – |
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 Sesser earn?
Half of Sesser's 778 households earn less than $52,604 a year (±$10,726), against $56,740 in Franklin County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $66,003 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 19.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sesser | Franklin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,604 ±$10,726 | $56,740 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $70,799 ±$12,545 | $72,759 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,776 ±$5,175 | $31,012 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 19.6% ±11.1 pts | 17.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 33.5% ±22.4 pts | 23.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 29.4% ±10.0 pts | 25.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.2% ±3.4 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.8% ±6.2 pts | 83.4% | – |
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 Sesser?
Owners occupy 71.7% of Sesser's occupied homes and renters 28.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $82,300 by its owner (±$12,289). The median renter pays $726 a month including utilities, and 51.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Sesser | Franklin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $82,300 ±$12,289 | $89,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $726 ±$131 | $803 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 51.5% ±25.1 pts | 39.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,175 ±$143 | $1,171 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.7% ±9.6 pts | 74.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.3% ±9.6 pts | 25.9% | – |
| Housing units | 903 ±98 | 18,462 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±15.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.2% ±7.7 pts | 79.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.3% ±4.7 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.4% ±3.7 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 29.7% ±8.3 pts | 22.9% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.6% ±2.8 pts | 6.3% | – |
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 Sesser building?
Builders took permits for 3 new housing units in Sesser in 2025 (3 in single-family houses), 1.6 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 Sesser work and get to work?
81.6% of Sesser's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 35.2 minutes.
| Measure | Sesser | Franklin County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.3% ±7.3 pts | 56.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% ±5.1 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 81.6% ±7.7 pts | 79.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.1% ±5.9 pts | 10.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 1.2% ±1.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 5.4% ±3.8 pts | 7.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 35.2 min ±7.4 | 26.9 min | +8.9 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 Sesser?
1 census tract lies mostly in Sesser (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 401Franklin County | 2,739 | $58,357 |
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 Sesser) · Census block assignment files
How does Sesser compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sesser is the 7,885th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 485th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Sesser ranks 1,246th 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 | 485th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 364th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 336th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,246th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,298th | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,310th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 1,130th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 138th | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 998th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 1,013th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 969th | 1,382 |
| Travel time to work | 52nd | 1,382 |
Sesser's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Sesser 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 Sesser?
20 of the 57 figures for Sesser 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 Sesser 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 Sesser.