Village · Illinois
Wapella, Illinois
Wapella, village, in De Witt County, Illinois. Wapella had 497 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 513 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 480 (±80). GEOID 1778773.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
497
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 513 · ACS 2020-2024: 480 ±80
Median household income
$51,818
±$14,725 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$98,500
±$10,992 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$925
±$238 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
Where is Wapella and what county is it in?
Wapella is a village in De Witt County, Illinois. It covers 0.6 square miles of land, 931 residents per square mile in 2020.
Wapella lies entirely within Wapella 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 Wapella, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 497 people lived in Wapella on July 1, 2025, down 3.1% since 2020, a steeper fall than Illinois's (−0.8%). The 2020 Census counted 513 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 480 (±80).
| Measure | Wapella | De Witt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 480 ±80 | 15,373 | no clear change |
| Households | 224 ±39 | 6,595 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.14 ±0.29 | 2.30 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 250 ±43 | 7,320 | no clear change |
Wapella's population since 2000
From 651 in 2000 to 497 in 2025: down 23.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Wapella 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 Wapella?
The median resident of Wapella is 37.8 years old; 22.9% are under 18 and 20.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.1%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.6%.
| Measure | Wapella | De Witt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 ±8.0 | 43.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.9% ±6.8 pts | 21.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.6% ±8.6 pts | 20.7% | – |
| Male | 52.7% ±6.8 pts | 49.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.6% ±6.9 pts | 3.5% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.1% ±7.1 pts | 92.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9% ±2.5 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±7.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.4% ±4.0 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 13.0% ±5.4 pts | 10.0% | – |
| With a disability | 12.9% ±6.4 pts | 13.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.8% ±2.4 pts | 3.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.4% ±4.6 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.5% ±5.7 pts | 23.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.0% ±3.3 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 94.9% ±4.5 pts | 91.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±7.6 pts | 1.4% | – |
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 Wapella earn?
Half of Wapella's 224 households earn less than $51,818 a year (±$14,725), against $71,678 in De Witt County and $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 the median was $72,201 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $20,383 after inflation. 3.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Wapella | De Witt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,818 ±$14,725 | $71,678 | −$20,383 |
| Mean household income | $83,131 ±$14,678 | $86,800 | – |
| Per capita income | $38,961 ±$6,165 | $38,005 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 3.8% ±2.5 pts | 10.0% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±28.2 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 4.9% ±3.4 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 95.5% ±3.2 pts | 93.7% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.4% ±5.4 pts | 86.0% | – |
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 Wapella?
Owners occupy 89.7% of Wapella's occupied homes and renters 10.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $98,500 by its owner (±$10,992). The median renter pays $925 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Wapella | De Witt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $98,500 ±$10,992 | $130,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $925 ±$238 | $903 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 23.8% ±26.5 pts | 21.7% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $981 ±$114 | $1,260 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 89.7% ±6.9 pts | 78.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 10.3% ±6.9 pts | 21.5% | – |
| Housing units | 250 ±43 | 7,320 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 7.0% ±7.4 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±66.4 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 88.8% ±7.0 pts | 87.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.8% ±4.3 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±13.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.8% ±1.2 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 15.6% ±6.5 pts | 31.7% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 8.0% ±6.0 pts | 3.8% | – |
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 Wapella building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Wapella in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 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 Wapella work and get to work?
72.6% of Wapella's workers drive alone and 10.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.2 minutes.
| Measure | Wapella | De Witt County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 75.5% ±7.5 pts | 61.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.7% ±2.8 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.6% ±9.3 pts | 80.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.4% ±5.0 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±12.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 3.5% ±2.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.5% ±5.4 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.2 min ±4.4 | 23.3 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 Wapella?
No census tract lies mostly in Wapella; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9715De Witt County | 2,565 | $76,607 |
| Tract 9716De Witt County | 3,622 | $86,744 |
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 Wapella) · Census block assignment files
How does Wapella compare with other places in Illinois?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Wapella is the 13,220th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 865th-most populous of 1,294 in Illinois.
Wapella is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 865th | 1,294 |
Wapella's figures with every place in Illinois (CSV)
Every place in Illinois, sortable · Compare Wapella 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 Wapella?
24 of the 57 figures for Wapella 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 Wapella 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 Wapella.