County · Illinois
McLean County, Illinois
McLean County, Illinois. McLean County had 171,419 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.1% since 2020, while Illinois shrank 0.8%. It holds 53 places (22 cities, villages and boroughs, 29 towns and townships and 2 census-designated) and 47 census tracts. GEOID 17113.
McLean County is the county of the Bloomington, IL metropolitan statistical area (the Census Bureau's July 2023 delineation).
Residents, July 2025 estimate
171,419
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 170,954 · ACS 2020-2024: 171,556
Median household income
$79,905
±$2,544 (90% margin)
Illinois: $83,390
Median home value
$208,400
±$3,688 (90% margin)
Illinois: $263,300
Median gross rent
$1,009
±$30 (90% margin)
Illinois: $1,274
How many people live in McLean County, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 170,954 residents in McLean County. The Census Bureau estimates 171,419 for July 1, 2025, up 0.1% since 2020, while Illinois shrank 0.8%. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 171,556 over 1,183 square miles of land.
| Measure | McLean County | Illinois | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 171,556 | 12,694,798 | −1,022 |
| Households | 70,220±669 | 5,036,449 | +4,375 |
| Average household size | 2.31±0.02 | 2.46 | −0.19 |
| Housing units | 75,305±125 | 5,457,452 | +2,921 |
McLean County's population since 2000
From 150,433 in 2000 to 171,419 in 2025: up 14.0%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov
What cities and towns are in McLean County?
McLean County holds 53 places: 22 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places), 29 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government) and 2 census-designated places. The largest is Bloomington with 78,804 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.
| Bloomington | 78,680 | $77,384 |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | 52,736 | $64,785 |
| Normal Township | 52,008 | $63,708 |
| Randolph Township | 4,253 | $110,439 |
| Empire Township | 3,994 | $87,896 |
| Le Roy | 3,512 | $81,875 |
| Old Town Township | 3,392 | $148,516 |
| Heyworth | 2,791 | $96,500 |
| Bloomington Township | 2,635 | $111,563 |
| Hudson Township | 2,482 | $113,897 |
| Lexington Township | 2,374 | $104,744 |
| Lexington | 2,090 | $99,167 |
| Towanda Township | 2,006 | $118,875 |
| Chenoa Township | 1,970 | $75,515 |
| Gridley Township | 1,902 | $63,148 |
| Danvers Township | 1,853 | $97,500 |
| Hudson | 1,753 | $110,000 |
| Chenoa | 1,720 | $65,769 |
| Dry Grove Township | 1,543 | $117,813 |
| Twin Grove | 1,524 | $116,250 |
| Gridley | 1,456 | $67,250 |
| Downs Township | 1,346 | $92,083 |
| Martin Township, McLean County | 1,206 | $81,250 |
| Downs | 1,201 | $110,625 |
| Dale TownshipGEOID 1711318381 | 1,191 | $132,803 |
| Danvers | 1,089 | $88,854 |
| Money Creek TownshipGEOID 1711349971 | 1,047 | $191,042 |
| Colfax | 996 | $70,625 |
| Mount Hope Township | 969 | $97,917 |
| Cheney's Grove Township | 922 | $63,409 |
| White Oak Township | 914 | $88,750 |
| Allin Township | 877 | $81,705 |
| McLean | 743 | $87,321 |
| Saybrook | 654 | $52,721 |
| Stanford | 600 | $84,821 |
| CarlockGEOID 1711215 | 548 | $85,625 |
| Bellflower Township | 541 | $76,667 |
| Arrowsmith Township | 498 | $98,438 |
| Towanda | 431 | $72,500 |
| Blue Mound Township, McLean County | 390 | $83,750 |
| Bellflower | 346 | $82,500 |
| Funks Grove TownshipGEOID 1711328209 | 283 | $104,091 |
| Anchor TownshipGEOID 1711301374 | 280 | $72,596 |
| Arrowsmith | 276 | $88,594 |
| Yates TownshipGEOID 1711383804 | 270 | not published |
| West Township, McLean CountyGEOID 1711379904 | 238 | $130,375 |
| Cropsey TownshipGEOID 1711317705 | 199 | $116,037 |
| EllsworthGEOID 1723555 | 184 | $77,750 |
| Lawndale TownshipGEOID 1711342353 | 168 | not published |
| AnchorGEOID 1701361 | 163 | $72,250 |
| CooksvilleGEOID 1716210 | 157 | $68,125 |
| ShirleyGEOID 1769628 | 135 | $36,490 |
| El Paso | 2,756 | $75,625 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in McLean County?
The median resident of McLean County is 34.3 years old; 21.2% are under 18 and 14.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 76.2%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 8.4%. 7.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | McLean County | Illinois | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.3±0.2 | 39.0 | +1.2 |
| Under 18 years | 21.2%±0.1 pts | 21.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 14.6%±0.1 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.4% | 18.8% | +1.5 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 76.2%±0.3 pts | 58.1% | −3.3 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.4%±0.3 pts | 13.3% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.2%±0.2 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.3%±0.4 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.1 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 7.6%±0.6 pts | 14.7% | +1.0 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 9.7%±0.6 pts | 24.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 5.3%±0.4 pts | 4.8% | – |
| With a disability | 10.1%±0.6 pts | 12.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.6%±0.5 pts | 6.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 95.9%±0.5 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 47.2%±1.1 pts | 37.8% | +2.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 16.2%±0.8 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.5%±0.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
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 McLean County earn?
Half of McLean County's 70,220 households earn less than $79,905 a year (±$2,544), against $83,390 in Illinois. In 2015-2019 the median was $83,287 in 2024 dollars, so it fell by $3,382 after inflation. 12.9% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | McLean County | Illinois | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $79,905±$2,544 | $83,390 | −$3,382 |
| Mean household income | $105,003±$3,372 | $115,638 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,372±$1,318 | $46,406 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 12.9%±0.9 pts | 11.8% | −2.0 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.4%±1.6 pts | 15.1% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.3%±0.9 pts | 13.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.0%±0.9 pts | 90.8% | – |
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 McLean County?
Owners occupy 65.1% of McLean County's occupied homes and renters 34.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $208,400 by its owner (±$3,688). The median renter pays $1,009 a month including utilities, and 39.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | McLean County | Illinois | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $208,400±$3,688 | $263,300 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,009±$30 | $1,274 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.1%±2.5 pts | 39.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,673±$28 | $1,987 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 65.1%±1.3 pts | 67.1% | no clear change |
| Housing units | 75,305±125 | 5,457,452 | +2,921 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.6%±0.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.5%±1.4 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 60.3%±1.2 pts | 58.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.6%±0.6 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.9%±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.8%±0.8 pts | 20.2% | – |
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 McLean County building?
Builders took permits for 269 new housing units across McLean County in 2025 (205 single-family), 1.6 per 1,000 residents.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in McLean County get to work?
69.1% of McLean County's workers drive alone and 17.5% work from home. The average trip to work takes 18.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.1%.
| Measure | McLean County | Illinois | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.8%±0.9 pts | 65.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1%±0.5 pts | 5.8% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 69.1%±1.3 pts | 65.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.8%±0.9 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.7%±0.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Walked | 4.0%±0.5 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 17.5%±1.0 pts | 15.9% | +12.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 18.3 min±0.5 | 27.8 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 are McLean County's census tracts?
McLean County is divided into 47 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $20,756 (Tract 2) to $202,350 (Tract 51.03).
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does McLean County compare with Illinois's other counties?
| Measure | Rank |
|---|---|
| Population | 13th of 102 |
| Growth 2020-2025 | 17th of 102 |
| Residents per square mile | 21st of 102 |
| Median household income | 19th of 102 |
| Median home value | 14th of 102 |
| Median gross rent | 18th of 102 |
| Poverty rate | 49th of 102 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 3rd of 102 |
| Median age | 99th of 102 |
Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 McLean County 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' school search.