1st Advantage MortgageIn Knox County, Illinois, the typical household earns $57,030 a year and the typical rent is $788. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Illinois license first.
On this page
- Knox County at a glance
- Paychecks and income spread in Knox County
- Renting and owning in Knox County
- The Knox County job picture
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- Towns and communities in Knox County
- More Knox County figures
- Borrowing situations common in Knox County
- What a median Knox County budget can carry
- Who licenses lenders for Knox County residents
- A Knox County borrower's checklist
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Knox County at a glance
With an estimated 49,046 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Knox County ranks 29th of 102 in Illinois for population. Land area is 716 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 68 per square mile. Under the July 2023 OMB definitions, Knox County is not part of any metropolitan area. Galesburg is the biggest of its 17 Census places, at roughly 29,481 people (60% of the county total).
Paychecks and income spread in Knox County
Half of Knox County households take in less than $57,030 a year and half take in more, 32% below the Illinois median of $83,390. That places it 89th among Illinois's 102 county-level areas.
| Band | Knox County | Compared with Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 30.5% | +9.6 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.2% | +8.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.8% | -7.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.6% | -10.3 pts |
Some 31% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 24% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 14.6%, 3 points higher than the state's 11.8%. A household earning below the $57,030 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Renting and owning in Knox County
A typical Knox County rental runs $788 a month including utilities, which is 38% below Illinois. 52% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 26% spend half or more. With a median value of $111,900, a typical Knox County house costs 2.0 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 71% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1957.
| Housing | Knox County | Illinois statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $788/mo | $1,274/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $111,900 | $263,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 71% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 27% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.8% | 2.3% | n/a |
Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
The Knox County job picture
By the Census industry count, 31% of employed Knox County residents work in education and health care and 15% in retail trade. The sharpest difference from the state is in education and health care, at 31% locally and 24% for Illinois. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.1% in Knox County. 12% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 6% work from home.
| Where residents work | Knox County | Difference from Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 30.9% | +7.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 14.7% | +4.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.9% | -2.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.5% | +0.4 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.0% | +0.9 pts |
| Construction | 5.3% | 0.0 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
Neighboring counties at a glance
Distances run center to center, from Warren County at 22 miles out to Mercer County at 33. Mercer County leads the group on income ($74,182), Fulton County trails ($60,599), and Knox County out-earns 0 of the six.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | - | $57,030 | $788/mo | 71% |
| Warren County, IL | 22 mi | $67,385 | $788/mo | 75% |
| Stark County, IL | 25 mi | $62,878 | $735/mo | 80% |
| Peoria County, IL | 25 mi | $65,108 | $993/mo | 67% |
| Henry County, IL | 29 mi | $71,911 | $842/mo | 80% |
| Fulton County, IL | 32 mi | $60,599 | $785/mo | 77% |
| Mercer County, IL | 33 mi | $74,182 | $786/mo | 84% |
Towns and communities in Knox County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 17 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 86% of Knox County residents live in one of the 17. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $48,297 in Galesburg to $100,417 in Oak Run. Rent is cheapest in Yates City ($590) and steepest in East Galesburg ($1,046). No Knox County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 17.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galesburg | city | 29,481 | $48,297 | $801 | 9 mi |
| Abingdon | city | 3,443 | $61,653 | $732 | 13 mi |
| Knoxville | city | 3,211 | $82,863 | $623 | 4 mi |
| Oak Run | CDP | 800 | $100,417 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Oneida | city | 719 | $66,791 | $828 | 10 mi |
| East Galesburg | village | 713 | $79,333 | $1,046 | 5 mi |
| Wataga | village | 710 | $62,917 | $636 | 7 mi |
| Williamsfield | village | 531 | $82,417 | $617 | 10 mi |
| Yates City | village | 500 | $63,750 | $590 | 15 mi |
| Altona | village | 498 | $69,375 | $940 | 13 mi |
| London Mills | village | 328 | $53,125 | $1,107 | 15 mi |
| Henderson | village | 284 | $57,875 | $679 | 10 mi |
| Victoria | village | 254 | $59,375 | $794 | 10 mi |
| Rio | village | 205 | $72,500 | $775 | 16 mi |
More Knox County figures
21% of Knox County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 5.0% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Knox County | Illinois statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.0% | 37.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.1% | 9.5% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.0% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 8.6% | 11.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 14.6% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.1% | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 50.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 29.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 8.3% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.7% |
| 60+ min | 6.3% |
Borrowing situations common in Knox County
A few patterns in the Knox County data, and the practical point behind each:
- 52% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
What a median Knox County budget can carry
How much room does a median Knox County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- $4,752 a month: gross income for a household at the Knox County median
- 17% goes to median rent ($788)
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $923 left for all other debt payments
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,256 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Knox County's.
Who licenses lenders for Knox County residents
Before sharing details with a lender, a Knox County resident can confirm its license with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Illinois state guide for the statewide picture.
A Knox County borrower's checklist
Quick steps for Knox County:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Prequalify with soft pulls where offered, then compare in writing.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Illinois borrowers.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Illinois guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Knox County household make?
About $57,030 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 32% below the Illinois median.
How does Knox County rent compare with Illinois?
$788 locally versus $1,274 for the state, 38% below.
Which towns does the Knox County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 17 Census places: Galesburg, Abingdon, Knoxville, Oak Run, Oneida.
Will a Knox County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Illinois as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Where can someone in Knox County check a lender's license?
With the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.