Census tract · Jefferson County
Census Tract 509, Jefferson County, Illinois
Census Tract 509, GEOID 17081050900, in Jefferson County, Illinois, mostly within Mount Vernon (96% of its census blocks). 2,454 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±387); the 2020 Census counted 2,351.
Residents, 2020-2024
2,454
±387 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 2,351
Median household income
$43,850
±$10,701 (90% margin)
Jefferson County: $63,118
Median home value
$49,600
±$18,720 (90% margin)
Jefferson County: $126,000
Median gross rent
$796
±$82 (90% margin)
Jefferson County: $885
Where is Census Tract 509?
Census Tract 509 is one of 11 census tracts in Jefferson County, Illinois. It covers 0.75 square miles of land, 3,147 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 17081050900, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
| Place | Share of the tract |
|---|---|
| Mount Vernon | 96% |
| Mount Vernon Township | 94% |
| Shiloh Township, Jefferson County | 6% |
4 census tracts border Census Tract 509: Tract 505 ($55,841), Tract 506 ($70,066), Tract 510 ($35,294) and Tract 511 ($61,583). 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 509?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 509's population at 2,454 (±387) in 1,089 households; the 2020 Census counted 2,351 residents and 1,150 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 509 | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,454 ±387 | 14,090 |
| Households | 1,089 ±190 | 6,108 |
| Average household size | 2.25 ±0.29 | 2.22 |
| Housing units | 1,239 ±191 | 7,131 |
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 509?
The median resident of Census Tract 509 is 34.5 years old; 25.3% are under 18 and 16.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 64.1%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 16.1%.
| Measure | Tract 509 | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.5 ±3.6 | 38.9 |
| Under 18 years | 25.3% ±4.1 pts | 22.6% |
| 65 years and over | 16.5% ±6.2 pts | 19.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.4% ±4.3 pts | 4.5% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 64.1% ±7.9 pts | 75.7% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 16.1% ±5.0 pts | 11.0% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.5% ±1.6 pts | 1.0% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 4.2% ±4.4 pts | 0.7% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.0% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 8.6% ±4.4 pts | 6.8% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.2 pts | 0.3% |
| Born outside the United States | 4.1% ±3.1 pts | 2.5% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 4.6% ±3.3 pts | 2.7% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.9% ±6.4 pts | 8.2% |
| With a disability | 23.6% ±6.3 pts | 19.0% |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.7% ±3.3 pts | 5.4% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 88.9% ±4.2 pts | 94.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 5.9% ±3.8 pts | 18.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.4% ±1.7 pts | 6.8% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 82.9% ±8.3 pts | 83.4% |
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 Census Tract 509 earn?
Half of the 1,089 households in Census Tract 509 earn less than $43,850 a year (±$10,701), against $63,118 across Jefferson County: 10th highest of the county's 11 tracts with a reliable estimate. 18.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 509 | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,850 ±$10,701 | $55,357 |
| Mean household income | $47,186 ±$6,225 | $71,348 |
| Per capita income | $20,711 ±$2,177 | $31,841 |
| People below the poverty line | 18.1% ±7.1 pts | 17.3% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.1% ±11.9 pts | 25.1% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 36.4% ±9.9 pts | 22.4% |
| Households with a computer | 85.7% ±8.2 pts | 94.1% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 73.4% ±10.9 pts | 87.6% |
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 509?
Owners occupy 46.1% of Census Tract 509's occupied homes and renters 53.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $49,600 by its owner (±$18,720). The median renter pays $796 a month including utilities, and 30.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 509 | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $49,600 ±$18,720 | $99,800 |
| Median gross rent | $796 ±$82 | $910 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 30.2% ±15.6 pts | 32.8% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,131 ±$132 | $1,150 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 46.1% ±9.6 pts | 53.1% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 53.9% ±9.6 pts | 46.9% |
| Housing units | 1,239 ±191 | 7,131 |
| Single-family detached homes | 86.3% ±6.8 pts | 68.4% |
| Mobile homes | 4.8% ±4.5 pts | 5.0% |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5% ±1.1 pts | 1.2% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±3.0 pts | 2.0% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 36.6% ±12.1 pts | 15.5% |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.7% ±5.8 pts | 8.4% |
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 509 get to work?
79.4% of Census Tract 509's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 15.6 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 15.6%.
| Measure | Tract 509 | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.9% ±9.9 pts | 61.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 15.6% ±7.0 pts | 6.3% |
| Drove alone to work | 79.4% ±8.6 pts | 80.1% |
| Carpooled | 7.3% ±4.8 pts | 12.8% |
| Public transportation | 1.4% ±1.7 pts | 0.4% |
| Walked | 3.6% ±4.4 pts | 0.7% |
| Worked from home | 4.3% ±5.5 pts | 4.0% |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.6 min ±4.4 | 14.0 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 509 compare with the other tracts in Jefferson County?
Among Jefferson County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 509 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In Jefferson County | In Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9th of 11 | 5th of 7 |
| Residents per square mile | 1st of 11 | 1st of 7 |
| Median household income | 10th of 11 | 6th of 7 |
| Per capita income | 11th of 11 | 7th of 7 |
| Median home value | 10th of 10 | 6th of 6 |
| Median gross rent | 9th of 11 | 7th of 7 |
| Poverty rate | 3rd of 11 | 3rd of 7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10th of 10 | 6th of 6 |
| Median age | 11th of 11 | 7th of 7 |
| Owner-occupied share | 9th of 11 | 5th of 7 |
The tracts next to it on Jefferson County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 504 | 7th | $61,223±$4,981 |
| Tract 502 | 8th | $59,028±$6,402 |
| Tract 505 | 9th | $55,841±$6,528 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 509 | 10th | $43,850±$10,701 |
| Tract 510 | 11th | $35,294±$20,811 · 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 509?
3 of the 18 figures for Census Tract 509 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