Census tract · Sangamon County
Census Tract 42, Sangamon County, Illinois
Census Tract 42, GEOID 17167004200, in Sangamon County, Illinois, entirely within Springfield and Capital Township. 1,612 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±423); the 2020 Census counted 1,993.
Residents, 2020-2024
1,612
±423 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 1,993
Median household income
$25,556
±$11,809 (90% margin)
Sangamon County: $75,357
Median home value
$89,300
±$24,744 (90% margin)
Sangamon County: $176,300
Median gross rent
$849
±$338 (90% margin)
Sangamon County: $983
Where is Census Tract 42?
Census Tract 42 is one of 54 census tracts in Sangamon County, Illinois. It covers 0.72 square miles of land, 2,772 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 17167004200, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Springfield | 100% |
| Capital Township | 100% |
6 census tracts border Census Tract 42: Tract 8 ($35,927), Tract 14 ($30,871), Tract 16 ($22,063), Tract 18 ($50,893), Tract 23 ($22,593) and Tract 24 ($26,148). 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 42?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 42's population at 1,612 (±423) in 694 households; the 2020 Census counted 1,993 residents and 895 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 42 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,612 ±423 | 113,330 |
| Households | 694 ±173 | 51,040 |
| Average household size | 2.07 ±0.37 | 2.15 |
| Housing units | 887 ±177 | 57,424 |
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 42?
The median resident of Census Tract 42 is 41.0 years old; 27.9% are under 18 and 20.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 64.5%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 30.1%.
| Measure | Tract 42 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 ±13.6 | 41.0 |
| Under 18 years | 27.9% ±11.0 pts | 20.8% |
| 65 years and over | 20.7% ±5.4 pts | 19.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.8% ±2.5 pts | 3.4% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 30.1% ±10.0 pts | 69.3% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 64.5% ±10.7 pts | 19.1% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 3.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.1% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.5% ±2.7 pts | 4.3% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.8% |
| Born outside the United States | 1.0% ±1.5 pts | 4.9% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.5% ±3.5 pts | 6.1% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.4% ±2.9 pts | 6.5% |
| With a disability | 28.8% ±10.1 pts | 15.0% |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.8% ±7.0 pts | 4.1% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 78.6% ±9.9 pts | 93.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.2% ±6.8 pts | 36.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.8% ±5.6 pts | 15.6% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.2% ±13.8 pts | 87.3% |
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 Census Tract 42 earn?
Half of the 694 households in Census Tract 42 earn less than $25,556 a year (±$11,809), against $75,357 across Sangamon County: 51st highest of the county's 54 tracts with a reliable estimate. 48.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 42 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $25,556 ±$11,809 | $66,064 |
| Mean household income | $35,510 ±$7,486 | $92,959 |
| Per capita income | $18,369 ±$4,671 | $42,670 |
| People below the poverty line | 48.6% ±15.0 pts | 16.8% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 72.1% ±22.9 pts | 24.2% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 57.1% ±13.6 pts | 19.3% |
| Households with a computer | 89.2% ±6.1 pts | 94.6% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.4% ±7.4 pts | 90.1% |
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 Census Tract 42?
Owners occupy 46.4% of Census Tract 42's occupied homes and renters 53.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $89,300 by its owner (±$24,744). The median renter pays $849 a month including utilities, and 53.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 42 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $89,300 ±$24,744 | $162,100 |
| Median gross rent | $849 ±$338 | $975 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 53.0% ±18.9 pts | 38.6% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $835 ±$178 | $1,400 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 46.4% ±12.0 pts | 64.3% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 53.6% ±12.0 pts | 35.7% |
| Housing units | 887 ±177 | 57,424 |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.0% ±9.8 pts | 64.9% |
| Mobile homes | 2.6% ±3.6 pts | 3.4% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.4% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.8% ±3.3 pts | 4.5% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 30.0% ±10.2 pts | 17.7% |
| Households with no vehicle | 20.2% ±7.9 pts | 10.3% |
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 do people in Census Tract 42 get to work?
84.8% of Census Tract 42's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 20.5 minutes.
| Measure | Tract 42 | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 43.2% ±10.5 pts | 58.9% |
| Unemployment rate | 12.7% ±11.6 pts | 6.8% |
| Drove alone to work | 84.8% ±11.9 pts | 74.7% |
| Carpooled | 0.7% ±2.3 pts | 6.1% |
| Public transportation | 1.8% ±3.0 pts | 1.3% |
| Walked | 2.7% ±4.6 pts | 1.8% |
| Worked from home | 8.1% ±10.2 pts | 14.5% |
| Mean travel time to work | 20.5 min ±8.7 | 17.4 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 42 compare with the other tracts in Sangamon County?
Among Sangamon County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 42 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Sangamon County | In Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 51st of 54 | 36th of 39 |
| Residents per square mile | 19th of 54 | 18th of 39 |
| Median household income | 51st of 54 | 36th of 39 |
| Per capita income | 52nd of 54 | 37th of 39 |
| Median home value | 45th of 53 | 31st of 38 |
| Median gross rent | 44th of 53 | 32nd of 39 |
| Poverty rate | 2nd of 35 | 2nd of 28 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48th of 52 | 34th of 37 |
| Median age | 26th of 54 | 19th of 39 |
| Owner-occupied share | 44th of 53 | 29th of 38 |
The tracts next to it on Sangamon County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 8 | 48th | $35,927±$7,815 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 14 | 49th | $30,871±$8,914 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 24 | 50th | $26,148±$13,493 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 42 | 51st | $25,556±$11,809 |
| Tract 23 | 52nd | $22,593±$13,933 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 16 | 53rd | $22,063±$7,609 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 9 | 54th | $21,358±$13,391 · 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 42?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 42 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