1st Advantage MortgageThe median McDonough County household earns $52,795, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. County medians do not set your terms. Shop at least three lenders, including a credit union serving McDonough County, and confirm each one's Illinois license.
On this page
- Population and place: McDonough County
- Earnings across McDonough County households
- Labor force snapshot: McDonough County
- What stands out in McDonough County
- Renting and owning in McDonough County
- McDonough County towns compared
- McDonough County next to its neighbors
- Debt-to-income at McDonough County's medians
- Borrowing situations common in McDonough County
- People and households in McDonough County
- Before you sign
- Verifying a lender from McDonough County
- Other Illinois guides
- Frequently asked questions
Population and place: McDonough County
The latest five-year Census estimate puts McDonough County's population at 26,920; only 49 of Illinois's 102 county-level areas are larger. Land area is 589 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 46 per square mile. No metropolitan area includes McDonough County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Macomb (14,894 people) heads the county's list of 11 Census places, 10 incorporated and 1 census-designated.
Earnings across McDonough County households
McDonough County households have a median income of $52,795 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 99th of 102 in Illinois.
| Yearly household income | McDonough County | Gap to Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 34.6% | +13.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.9% | +4.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 19.1% | -9.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.5% | -9.3 pts |
On the low end, 35% of McDonough County households report under $35,000; at the top, 24% report $100,000-plus. McDonough County counts about 4,632 residents below the poverty line, 17.2% of the population. For a borrower in McDonough County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
Labor force snapshot: McDonough County
Education and health care employs 27% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 14%. Relative to Illinois (10%), retail trade is 4 points bigger in McDonough County (14%). Averaged over the five survey years, 7.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 10% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 7% work from home.
| Sector | McDonough County | Compared with Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.2% | +3.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 14.1% | +3.8 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.7% | +0.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.8% | +2.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 5.9% | -7.0 pts |
| Other services | 5.7% | +1.1 pts |
Self-employed in McDonough County? Two years of tax returns usually stand in for pay stubs.
What stands out in McDonough County
- Few Illinois counties match McDonough County on the ACS unemployment rate: 7.9% here, 5.8% for the state, ranking 3rd highest of 102. If work is uncertain, keep any loan small and the term short.
- Median household income: $52,795 in McDonough County. Only 3 of 102 Illinois counties are lower. A lean local median makes the size of the loan the most important choice.
- Few Illinois counties match McDonough County on homeownership: 63% here, 67% for the state, ranking 6th lowest of 102. Many renters means few borrowers have home equity to fall back on.
Renting and owning in McDonough County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $761 in McDonough County versus $1,274 statewide. About 5 in 10 McDonough County renters pay 30% or more of income for rent. McDonough County homes are worth $107,500 at the median, a 2.0-to-1 ratio to income. The ownership rate is 63%. Median construction year: 1965.
| Cost | McDonough County | Illinois figure | Higher or lower |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $761/mo | $1,274/mo | 40% lower |
| Median home value | $107,500 | $263,300 | 59% lower |
| Owners | 63% | 67% | -3.6 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 48% | 48% | +0.2 pts |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 27% | -4.6 pts |
McDonough County towns compared
Places, by size: the top 11 of 11. Roughly 21% of McDonough County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $44,411 in Macomb to $67,518 in Bushnell. Rent is cheapest in Bushnell ($648) and steepest in Blandinsville ($1,059). Macomb and every other McDonough County community use this county guide.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macomb | city | 14,894 | $44,411 | $765 | 1 mi |
| Bushnell | city | 2,677 | $67,518 | $648 | 11 mi |
| Colchester | city | 1,128 | $63,981 | $808 | 6 mi |
| Blandinsville | village | 666 | $52,375 | $1,059 | 12 mi |
| Industry | village | 569 | $51,250 | $790 | 10 mi |
| Good Hope | village | 438 | $73,636 | $788 | 7 mi |
| Prairie City | village | 378 | $60,694 | $717 | 16 mi |
| Adair | CDP | 215 | n/a | n/a | 10 mi |
| Bardolph | village | 204 | $28,750 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Tennessee | village | 160 | $77,500 | $1,075 | 9 mi |
| Sciota | village | 72 | $122,639 | n/a | 8 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
McDonough County next to its neighbors
The six counties whose centers lie closest to McDonough County's, from 21 to 34 miles away. Richest neighbor: Brown County, $67,917. Poorest: Fulton County, $60,599. McDonough County: $52,795.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonough County | - | $52,795 | $761/mo | 63% |
| Schuyler County, IL | 21 mi | $65,948 | $853/mo | 79% |
| Fulton County, IL | 25 mi | $60,599 | $785/mo | 77% |
| Hancock County, IL | 26 mi | $65,865 | $782/mo | 81% |
| Warren County, IL | 27 mi | $67,385 | $788/mo | 75% |
| Henderson County, IL | 28 mi | $62,227 | $764/mo | 81% |
| Brown County, IL | 34 mi | $67,917 | $698/mo | 72% |
Debt-to-income at McDonough County's medians
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to McDonough County's medians:
- $4,400 a month: gross income for a household at the McDonough County median
- Median rent: $761, or 17 cents of every gross dollar
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,131 left for all other debt payments
These are gross figures; take-home pay in McDonough County will be lower after taxes and deductions.
Borrowing situations common in McDonough County
A few patterns in the McDonough County data, and the practical point behind each:
- 48% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a McDonough County borrower sees (free reports).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
People and households in McDonough County
In McDonough County, 31% of adults have at least a four-year degree (38% in Illinois). 7.4% of residents have no health coverage.
| McDonough County | vs Illinois | vs U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.9 | -4.1 yrs | -6.6 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 31.4% | -6.4 pts | +9.3 pts |
| No high school diploma | 5.8% | -3.7 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.4% | +0.5 pts | -0.5 pts |
| No vehicle | 9.4% | -1.6 pts | +4.0 pts |
| Work from home | 6.9% | -9.0 pts | -1.8 pts |
| Poverty rate | 17.2% | +5.4 pts | +4.0 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 7.9% | +2.0 pts | +3.5 pts |
| Minutes to work | McDonough County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 53.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 26.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 9.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.6% |
| 60+ min | 6.1% |
Before you sign
Steps that save money for McDonough County residents:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Illinois borrowers.
- Ask a McDonough County credit union about member loans.
Verifying a lender from McDonough County
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is the place to verify any lender's Illinois license. If a McDonough County lender ignores a dispute, the CFPB complaint portal is the federal backstop. See the Illinois state guide for the statewide picture.
Other Illinois guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Illinois guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in McDonough County?
$52,795 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $83,390 for Illinois. It ranks 99th of 102 in the state.
How does McDonough County rent compare with Illinois?
$761 locally versus $1,274 for the state, 40% below.
Is Sciota covered?
Yes. Sciota is one of 11 Census places in McDonough County, and this guide covers all of them.
Will a McDonough County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Illinois as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
How do I know a lender is legitimate in McDonough County?
Look it up with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, read the written offer, and refuse any fee before funding.