City · Illinois
Sumner, Illinois
Sumner, city, in Lawrence County, Illinois. Sumner had 1,656 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 37.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,631 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,252 (±290). GEOID 1773703.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,656
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,631 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,252 ±290
Median household income
$55,625
±$15,565 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$46,000
±$10,684 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$738
±$359 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Sumner and what county is it in?
Sumner is a city in Lawrence County, Illinois. It covers 1.4 square miles of land, 1,882 residents per square mile in 2020.
Sumner lies entirely within Christy 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 Sumner, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,656 people lived in Sumner on July 1, 2025, down 37.2% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 2,631 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,252 (±290).
| Measure | Sumner | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,252 ±290 | 15,031 | −804 |
| Households | 314 ±99 | 5,472 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.08 ±0.80 | 2.48 | +0.90 |
| Housing units | 381 ±108 | 6,407 | no clear change |
Sumner's population since 2000
From 1,022 in 2000 to 1,656 in 2025: up 62.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Sumner 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 Sumner?
The median resident of Sumner is 37.2 years old; 11.1% are under 18 and 5.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 57.5%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 31.8%.
| Measure | Sumner | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.2 ±2.6 | 40.7 | +3.4 |
| Under 18 years | 11.1% ±4.2 pts | 18.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 5.1% ±1.9 pts | 18.5% | – |
| Male | 78.9% ±3.9 pts | 56.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9.0% ±4.9 pts | 2.1% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 57.5% ±6.3 pts | 83.8% | +13.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 31.8% ±7.6 pts | 6.2% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.1 pts | 7.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 4.6% ±3.7 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.5% ±3.7 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.7% ±2.4 pts | 7.1% | – |
| With a disability | 15.9% ±5.5 pts | 20.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.4% ±5.4 pts | 6.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 63.8% ±4.4 pts | 87.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 4.4% ±2.4 pts | 14.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.7% ±1.7 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 80.4% ±4.6 pts | 86.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 2.3% | – |
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 Sumner earn?
Half of Sumner's 314 households earn less than $55,625 a year (±$15,565), against $55,324 in Lawrence County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $44,049 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 35.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Sumner | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,625 ±$15,565 | $55,324 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $62,567 ±$11,876 | $79,188 | – |
| Per capita income | $12,858 ±$4,362 | $31,637 | +$5,766 |
| People below the poverty line | 35.3% ±18.4 pts | 14.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 47.9% ±24.1 pts | 19.3% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 26.4% ±12.4 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.5% ±2.9 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.2% ±3.6 pts | 90.3% | – |
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 Sumner?
Owners occupy 71.7% of Sumner's occupied homes and renters 28.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $46,000 by its owner (±$10,684). The median renter pays $738 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Sumner | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $46,000 ±$10,684 | $99,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $738 ±$359 | $836 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 25.3% ±21.8 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $913 ±$157 | $1,056 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.7% ±12.7 pts | 71.8% | +22.5 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.3% ±12.7 pts | 28.2% | – |
| Housing units | 381 ±108 | 6,407 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.9% ±1.3 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±32.9 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 75.6% ±9.3 pts | 74.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 22.0% ±8.7 pts | 17.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±9.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.8% ±1.5 pts | 6.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 38.1% ±11.7 pts | 27.3% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.5% ±3.2 pts | 5.7% | – |
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 do people in Sumner work and get to work?
83.5% of Sumner's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 23.1 minutes.
| Measure | Sumner | Lawrence County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 29.0% ±5.5 pts | 51.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 19.7% ±22.3 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.5% ±12.7 pts | 76.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.2% ±10.6 pts | 10.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±7.8 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.0% ±2.0 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.1 min ±4.2 | 20.8 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 Sumner?
No census tract lies mostly in Sumner; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8808Lawrence County | 5,155 | $74,676 |
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 Sumner) · Census block assignment files
How does Sumner compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Sumner is the 8,395th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 511th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Sumner ranks 1,188th 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 | 511th | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 1,347th | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 312th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,188th | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,381st | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,376th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 1,103rd | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 5th | 1,119 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 1,369th | 1,369 |
| Median age | 1,118th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 969th | 1,382 |
| Travel time to work | 909th | 1,382 |
Sumner's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Sumner 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 Sumner?
20 of the 57 figures for Sumner 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 Sumner 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 Sumner.