Census tract · Jefferson County
Census Tract 503, Jefferson County, Illinois
Census Tract 503, GEOID 17081050300, in Jefferson County, Illinois, partly within Casner Township, Bald Hill Township, McClellan Township, Elk Prairie Township, Blissville Township, Waltonville, Shiloh Township, Jefferson County, Woodlawn, Nason, Spring Garden Township, Dodds Township and Grand Prairie Township. 4,171 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±294); the 2020 Census counted 4,243.
Residents, 2020-2024
4,171
±294 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 4,243
Median household income
$74,194
±$7,473 (90% margin)
Jefferson County: $63,118
Median home value
$144,100
±$18,002 (90% margin)
Jefferson County: $126,000
Median gross rent
$838
±$75 (90% margin)
Jefferson County: $885
Where is Census Tract 503?
Census Tract 503 is one of 11 census tracts in Jefferson County, Illinois. It covers 162.79 square miles of land, 26 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 17081050300, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Casner Township | 25% |
| Bald Hill Township | 19% |
| McClellan Township | 17% |
| Elk Prairie Township | 15% |
| Blissville Township | 13% |
| Waltonville | 10% |
| Shiloh Township, Jefferson County | 9% |
| Woodlawn | 8% |
| Nason | 4% |
| Spring Garden Township | 1% |
| Dodds Township | 0% |
| Grand Prairie Township | 0% |
9 census tracts border Census Tract 503: Tract 401 in Franklin County ($58,357), Tract 405 in Franklin County ($61,006), Tract 501 ($70,380), Tract 504 ($61,223), Tract 505 ($55,841), Tract 511 ($61,583), Tract 301 in Perry County ($66,419), Tract 9501 in Washington County ($80,147) and Tract 9504 in Washington County ($84,020). 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 503?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 503's population at 4,171 (±294) in 1,654 households; the 2020 Census counted 4,243 residents and 1,889 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 503 | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,171 ±294 | 36,550 |
| Households | 1,654 ±120 | 14,820 |
| Average household size | 2.51 ±0.13 | 2.37 |
| Housing units | 1,775 ±135 | 16,629 |
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 503?
The median resident of Census Tract 503 is 40.5 years old; 23.4% are under 18 and 18.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.4%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.4%.
| Measure | Tract 503 | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 ±1.8 | 41.2 |
| Under 18 years | 23.4% ±2.4 pts | 22.3% |
| 65 years and over | 18.9% ±2.0 pts | 20.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 2.8% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.4% ±2.3 pts | 83.6% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±0.9 pts | 5.8% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±0.5 pts | 1.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.4% ±1.5 pts | 6.0% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.9 pts | 0.4% |
| Born outside the United States | 0.7% ±0.6 pts | 1.9% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.5% ±1.0 pts | 3.6% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.1% ±2.0 pts | 7.7% |
| With a disability | 17.1% ±2.3 pts | 18.3% |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.9% ±1.5 pts | 7.2% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.2% ±1.8 pts | 92.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.7% ±4.1 pts | 18.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.6% ±2.1 pts | 6.7% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.1% ±1.9 pts | 89.1% |
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 503 earn?
Half of the 1,654 households in Census Tract 503 earn less than $74,194 a year (±$7,473), against $63,118 across Jefferson County: 2nd highest of the county's 11 tracts with a reliable estimate. 11.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 503 | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $74,194 ±$7,473 | $63,118 |
| Mean household income | $92,063 ±$9,213 | $80,324 |
| Per capita income | $37,938 ±$3,473 | $33,038 |
| People below the poverty line | 11.7% ±3.5 pts | 13.5% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 15.5% ±8.0 pts | 18.8% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.9% ±3.7 pts | 17.1% |
| Households with a computer | 93.3% ±2.5 pts | 92.6% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.3% ±2.8 pts | 85.7% |
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 503?
Owners occupy 87.0% of Census Tract 503's occupied homes and renters 13.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $144,100 by its owner (±$18,002). The median renter pays $838 a month including utilities, and 26.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 503 | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $144,100 ±$18,002 | $126,000 |
| Median gross rent | $838 ±$75 | $885 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 26.4% ±15.0 pts | 32.1% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,429 ±$136 | $1,278 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.0% ±4.4 pts | 71.7% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 13.0% ±4.4 pts | 28.3% |
| Housing units | 1,775 ±135 | 16,629 |
| Single-family detached homes | 72.1% ±4.9 pts | 69.0% |
| Mobile homes | 24.2% ±4.6 pts | 17.0% |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.8% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.1% ±2.4 pts | 5.0% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.2% ±3.0 pts | 11.1% |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.6% ±0.8 pts | 6.3% |
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 503 get to work?
82.3% of Census Tract 503's workers drive alone and 9.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.8 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.4%.
| Measure | Tract 503 | Jefferson County |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.7% ±3.4 pts | 59.0% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.4% ±2.4 pts | 5.8% |
| Drove alone to work | 82.3% ±4.2 pts | 82.3% |
| Carpooled | 5.1% ±2.0 pts | 9.9% |
| Public transportation | 1.1% ±0.7 pts | 0.3% |
| Walked | 0.9% ±0.6 pts | 0.7% |
| Worked from home | 9.2% ±3.2 pts | 5.4% |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.8 min ±1.9 | 19.6 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 503 compare with the other tracts in Jefferson County?
Among Jefferson County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 503 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Jefferson County |
|---|---|
| Population | 3rd of 11 |
| Residents per square mile | 11th of 11 |
| Median household income | 2nd of 11 |
| Per capita income | 4th of 11 |
| Median home value | 4th of 10 |
| Median gross rent | 8th of 11 |
| Poverty rate | 6th of 11 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4th of 10 |
| Median age | 6th of 11 |
| Owner-occupied share | 1st of 11 |
The tracts next to it on Jefferson County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 508 | 1st | $74,434±$8,316 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 503 | 2nd | $74,194±$7,473 |
| Tract 501 | 3rd | $70,380±$4,442 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 506 | 4th | $70,066±$11,532 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 507 | 5th | $66,536±$11,772 · 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 503?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 503 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