Village · Illinois
Thomson, Illinois
Thomson, village, in Carroll County, Illinois. Thomson had 1,606 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,610 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,757 (±91). GEOID 1775172.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,606
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,610 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,757 ±91
Median household income
$61,250
±$25,351 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$117,000
±$27,683 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$918
±$260 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Thomson and what county is it in?
Thomson is a village in Carroll County, Illinois. It covers 2.2 square miles of land, 726 residents per square mile in 2020.
Thomson lies entirely within York Township (Carroll County), 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 Thomson, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,606 people lived in Thomson on July 1, 2025, down 0.4% since 2020, in line with Illinois (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,610 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,757 (±91).
| Measure | Thomson | Carroll County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,757 ±91 | 15,576 | +1,233 |
| Households | 166 ±36 | 6,578 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.01 ±0.30 | 2.12 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 203 ±42 | 8,204 | no clear change |
Thomson's population since 2000
From 559 in 2000 to 1,606 in 2025: up 187.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Thomson 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 Thomson?
The median resident of Thomson is 40.7 years old; 1.8% are under 18 and 7.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 42.2%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 32.6%. 11.4% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Thomson | Carroll County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 ±1.4 | 45.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 1.8% ±0.9 pts | 17.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 7.7% ±2.0 pts | 24.2% | – |
| Male | 90.4% ±2.2 pts | 54.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 20.7% ±2.9 pts | 5.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 42.2% ±3.5 pts | 87.8% | −39.9 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 32.6% ±5.0 pts | 3.9% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.6 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.5 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.9% ±1.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 11.4% ±4.2 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 21.4% ±3.8 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.1% ±3.3 pts | 8.6% | – |
| With a disability | 16.2% ±7.5 pts | 16.2% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.1% ±5.4 pts | 5.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 69.7% ±8.8 pts | 88.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 4.4% ±4.1 pts | 17.8% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 0.9% ±0.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 81.0% ±6.6 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 13.9% ±7.4 pts | 3.3% | – |
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 Thomson earn?
Half of Thomson's 166 households earn less than $61,250 a year (±$25,351), against $60,758 in Carroll County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 it was $60,766 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 21.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Thomson | Carroll County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,250 ±$25,351 | $60,758 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $73,764 ±$14,171 | $77,693 | – |
| Per capita income | $8,924 ±$2,498 | $32,110 | −$16,116 |
| People below the poverty line | 21.3% ±13.3 pts | 14.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 40.0% ±29.6 pts | 23.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 16.9% ±10.8 pts | 15.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 86.1% ±9.3 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.0% ±8.4 pts | 86.1% | – |
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 Thomson?
Owners occupy 69.3% of Thomson's occupied homes and renters 30.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $117,000 by its owner (±$27,683). The median renter pays $918 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Thomson | Carroll County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $117,000 ±$27,683 | $114,500 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $918 ±$260 | $818 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 45.8% ±31.5 pts | 28.9% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,267 ±$266 | $1,205 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 69.3% ±11.1 pts | 77.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 30.7% ±11.1 pts | 22.8% | – |
| Housing units | 203 ±42 | 8,204 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 8.0% ±8.4 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±44.6 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 74.9% ±10.0 pts | 86.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.5% ±4.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±16.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.4% ±5.0 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.8% ±7.6 pts | 35.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.8% ±5.0 pts | 3.3% | – |
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 Thomson building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Thomson in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 2.5 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 Thomson work and get to work?
83.9% of Thomson's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 17.5 minutes.
| Measure | Thomson | Carroll County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 9.8% ±2.7 pts | 50.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 8.9% ±8.5 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.9% ±10.4 pts | 79.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.7% ±9.7 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±22.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±22.0 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 1.3% ±2.3 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.5 min ±4.5 | 24.6 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 Thomson?
No census tract lies mostly in Thomson; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9606Carroll County | 2,601 | $68,281 |
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 Thomson) · Census block assignment files
How does Thomson compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Thomson is the 8,508th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 521st-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Thomson ranks 1,063rd 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 | 521st | 1,294 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 341st | 1,347 |
| Residents per square mile | 719th | 1,383 |
| Median household income | 1,063rd | 1,380 |
| Per capita income | 1,383rd | 1,383 |
| Median home value | 1,040th | 1,379 |
| Median gross rent | 704th | 1,280 |
| Poverty rate | 103rd | 1,119 |
| Median age | 726th | 1,383 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1,052nd | 1,382 |
| Travel time to work | 1,268th | 1,382 |
Thomson's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Thomson 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 Thomson?
21 of the 57 figures for Thomson 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 Thomson 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 Thomson.