Census tract · Stephenson County
Census Tract 7, Stephenson County, Illinois
Census Tract 7, GEOID 17177000700, in Stephenson County, Illinois, mostly within Freeport (77% of its census blocks). 1,031 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±214); the 2020 Census counted 1,474.
Residents, 2020-2024
1,031
±214 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 1,474
Median household income
$37,426
±$18,004 (90% margin)
Stephenson County: $64,043
Median home value
$64,300
±$14,134 (90% margin)
Stephenson County: $134,900
Median gross rent
$720
±$43 (90% margin)
Stephenson County: $798
Where is Census Tract 7?
Census Tract 7 is one of 13 census tracts in Stephenson County, Illinois. It covers 5.43 square miles of land, 271 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 17177000700, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Freeport | 77% |
| Lancaster Township | 20% |
| Silver Creek Township | 3% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 7: Tract 5 ($95,870), Tract 6 ($91,583), Tract 8 ($36,979) and Tract 13 ($55,407). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 7?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 7's population at 1,031 (±214) in 517 households; the 2020 Census counted 1,474 residents and 770 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 7 | Freeport |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,031 ±214 | 23,505 |
| Households | 517 ±132 | 10,841 |
| Average household size | 1.77 ±0.22 | 2.10 |
| Housing units | 790 ±131 | 12,056 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 7?
The median resident of Census Tract 7 is 53.7 years old. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 59.0%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 33.1%.
| Measure | Tract 7 | Freeport |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.7 ±12.0 | 42.8 |
| Under 18 years | 7.2% ±6.0 pts | 21.2% |
| 65 years and over | 29.5% ±11.9 pts | 24.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.7% ±1.2 pts | 7.6% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 59.0% ±9.7 pts | 67.8% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 33.1% ±10.8 pts | 14.6% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 1.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.7% ±7.2 pts | 8.0% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.6 pts | 0.7% |
| Born outside the United States | 0.7% ±1.3 pts | 3.3% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.7% ±1.2 pts | 3.9% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.0% ±7.9 pts | 7.2% |
| With a disability | 31.4% ±8.9 pts | 18.9% |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.7% ±9.7 pts | 6.0% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 75.7% ±11.0 pts | 91.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 5.7% ±4.0 pts | 19.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 2.8% ±2.7 pts | 6.2% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.6% ±3.4 pts | 84.5% |
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 Census Tract 7 earn?
Half of the 517 households in Census Tract 7 earn less than $37,426 a year (±$18,004), against $64,043 across Stephenson County: 12th highest of the county's 13 tracts with a reliable estimate. 24.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 7 | Freeport |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $37,426 ±$18,004 | $51,723 |
| Mean household income | $50,386 ±$11,763 | $67,923 |
| Per capita income | $24,365 ±$4,261 | $31,004 |
| People below the poverty line | 24.8% ±11.2 pts | 19.6% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±38.1 pts | 27.9% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 36.4% ±15.0 pts | 25.0% |
| Households with a computer | 76.0% ±11.8 pts | 90.8% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 71.8% ±13.5 pts | 84.9% |
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 Census Tract 7?
Owners occupy 76.2% of Census Tract 7's occupied homes and renters 23.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $64,300 by its owner (±$14,134). The median renter pays $720 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Tract 7 | Freeport |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $64,300 ±$14,134 | $92,100 |
| Median gross rent | $720 ±$43 | $793 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 27.6% ±28.9 pts | 32.3% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,114 ±$772 | $1,165 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 76.2% ±10.1 pts | 59.1% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 23.8% ±10.1 pts | 40.9% |
| Housing units | 790 ±131 | 12,056 |
| Single-family detached homes | 86.7% ±8.5 pts | 64.5% |
| Mobile homes | 3.3% ±4.1 pts | 5.2% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.6 pts | 0.1% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±4.6 pts | 2.7% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 68.5% ±10.1 pts | 33.9% |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.7% ±10.2 pts | 10.9% |
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 Census Tract 7 get to work?
87.3% of Census Tract 7's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 19.8 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 7 | Freeport |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 49.0% ±11.1 pts | 58.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 12.4% ±10.3 pts | 4.5% |
| Drove alone to work | 87.3% ±13.2 pts | 74.4% |
| Carpooled | 10.1% ±13.6 pts | 10.0% |
| Public transportation | 1.0% ±1.7 pts | 1.0% |
| Walked | 0.0% ±9.1 pts | 2.5% |
| Worked from home | 1.5% ±3.0 pts | 10.1% |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.8 min ±4.8 | 15.9 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
How does Census Tract 7 compare with the other tracts in Stephenson County?
Among Stephenson County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 7 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Stephenson County | In Freeport |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13th of 13 | 7th of 7 |
| Residents per square mile | 7th of 13 | 7th of 7 |
| Median household income | 12th of 13 | 6th of 7 |
| Per capita income | 12th of 13 | 6th of 7 |
| Median home value | 11th of 13 | 5th of 7 |
| Median gross rent | 8th of 11 | 5th of 6 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd of 13 | 3rd of 7 |
| Median age | 3rd of 13 | 2nd of 7 |
| Owner-occupied share | 7th of 13 | 1st of 7 |
The tracts next to it on Stephenson County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 13 | 9th | $55,407±$9,617 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 12 | 10th | $53,789±$2,180 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9 | 11th | $52,523±$14,691 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 7 | 12th | $37,426±$18,004 |
| Tract 8 | 13th | $36,979±$9,289 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 7?
4 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 7 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.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). 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 · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections