1st Advantage MortgageIn Johnson County, Illinois, the typical household earns $62,528 a year and the typical rent is $781. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Who lives in Johnson County
- What Johnson County households earn
- Jobs and commutes in Johnson County
- Johnson County housing compared with Illinois
- Counties near Johnson County
- Johnson County towns compared
- Room for a loan payment in Johnson County
- What the numbers mean for Johnson County borrowers
- More Johnson County figures
- Illinois rules that apply in Johnson County
- Checklist for Johnson County applicants
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Johnson County
With an estimated 13,376 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Johnson County ranks 79th of 102 in Illinois for population. Spread over 344 square miles, that works out to roughly 38.9 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 7 Census places inside Johnson County, Vienna leads by population with about 1,873; 7 of the 7 are incorporated.
What Johnson County households earn
Johnson County households have a median income of $62,528 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 72nd of 102 in Illinois.
| Band | Johnson County | Compared with Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.0% | +7.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.2% | +7.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 23.1% | -5.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.7% | -9.1 pts |
Some 28% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 28% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 17.6% of Johnson County residents in poverty, against 11.8% across Illinois. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.436 here. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Johnson County median.
Jobs and commutes in Johnson County
Education and health care employs 29% of working residents, the largest share; public administration is next with 10%. The sharpest difference from the state is in public administration, at 10% locally and 4% for Illinois. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 3.5% in Johnson County. Long commutes are the exception here: 15% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 4.3% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Johnson County | Gap to Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.7% | +5.2 pts |
| Public administration | 10.5% | +6.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.4% | 0.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.7% | +1.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.3% | -3.2 pts |
| Construction | 7.0% | +1.6 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Johnson County housing compared with Illinois
Renters in Johnson County pay a median of $781 a month, 39% below the Illinois figure of $1,274. By the Census definition, 43% of Johnson County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $160,500, a typical Johnson County house costs 2.6 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 82%.
| Home costs | Johnson County | Illinois | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $781/mo | $1,274/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $160,500 | $263,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 82% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 43% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 27% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 26% | 8% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Johnson County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Counties near Johnson County
Six nearby counties, 19 to 27 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Williamson County leads the group on income ($65,604), Pulaski County trails ($42,463), and Johnson County out-earns 4 of the six.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | - | $62,528 | $781/mo | 82% |
| Williamson County, IL | 19 mi | $65,604 | $930/mo | 71% |
| Pope County, IL | 19 mi | $60,050 | $449/mo | 86% |
| Massac County, IL | 19 mi | $65,116 | $756/mo | 76% |
| Union County, IL | 20 mi | $55,728 | $648/mo | 77% |
| Pulaski County, IL | 22 mi | $42,463 | $634/mo | 68% |
| Saline County, IL | 27 mi | $53,117 | $726/mo | 73% |
Johnson County towns compared
The table lists the 7 largest of 7 Census places in Johnson County, by population. Together all 7 hold about 4,007 people, so roughly 70% of residents live outside any named place. This guide covers each of the 7 places and the rural areas around them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vienna | city | 1,873 | $40,750 | $671 | 3 mi |
| Goreville | village | 1,236 | $68,798 | $968 | 8 mi |
| Buncombe | village | 329 | $62,500 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Cypress | village | 252 | $52,083 | $1,078 | 10 mi |
| New Burnside | village | 162 | $62,250 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Belknap | village | 115 | $67,500 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Simpson | village | 40 | $36,250 | n/a | 7 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Johnson County
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Johnson County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $5,211 gross per month ($62,528 / 12)
- Rent at the median, $781, takes 15% of that
- $1,303: what a 40% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
What the numbers mean for Johnson County borrowers
Based on the Johnson County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 27% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
More Johnson County figures
College graduates make up 20% of the adult population. 8.1% of residents have no health coverage.
| People and households | Johnson County | Illinois | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.6% | 37.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 14.6% | 9.5% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.1% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.3% | 11.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.5% | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 21.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 28.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 35.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.5% |
| 60+ min | 6.5% |
Illinois rules that apply in Johnson County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Johnson County, check the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. Statewide data and rules: Illinois guide.
Checklist for Johnson County applicants
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Illinois guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Johnson County household make?
About $62,528 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 25% below the Illinois median.
Is Johnson County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $781 against $1,274 statewide, and 43% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I live in a small Johnson County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Vienna, Goreville, Buncombe, Cypress, New Burnside and 2 more.
Is the fit check different in Johnson County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Is there a Johnson County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Illinois it is the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.