1st Advantage MortgageThe median Sangamon County household earns $75,357, and 13% of residents live below the poverty line. 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 Sangamon County
- What it costs to live in Sangamon County
- Income in Sangamon County compared with Illinois
- Work, industries and travel time in Sangamon County
- Regional comparison for Sangamon County
- Towns and communities in Sangamon County
- A Sangamon County household budget, worked through
- Borrowing situations common in Sangamon County
- People and households in Sangamon County
- A Sangamon County borrower's checklist
- Lender oversight for Sangamon County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Sangamon County
Roughly 194,947 residents live in Sangamon County, Illinois, 11th by population among the state's 102 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 868 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 225 per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Springfield, IL metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. The Census Bureau counts 26 places in the county (26 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Springfield, with about 113,330 residents, or 58% of the county.
What it costs to live in Sangamon County
A typical Sangamon County rental runs $983 a month including utilities, which is 23% below Illinois. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 46% of renter households here. Home values center on $176,300, or 2.3 years of median income. Owners occupy 71% of homes.
| Home costs | Sangamon County | Illinois | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $983/mo | $1,274/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $176,300 | $263,300 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 71% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 46% | 48% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 27% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 3.9% | 2.3% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 9% | 8% | n/a |
Income in Sangamon County compared with Illinois
Sangamon County households have a median income of $75,357 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 25th of 102 in Illinois.
| Income band | Share in Sangamon County | Difference from Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.3% | +1.4 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 40.5% | +3.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.3% | -0.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.9% | -3.9 pts |
Some 22% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 37% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 13.1% of Sangamon County residents in poverty, against 11.8% across Illinois. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.464 here. A household earning below the $75,357 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Work, industries and travel time in Sangamon County
By the Census industry count, 28% of employed Sangamon County residents work in education and health care and 14% in public administration. Compared with Illinois, the county leans toward public administration (14% against 4%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.4% in Sangamon County. 6% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 14% work from home. Only 7.6% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Sangamon County | Gap to Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.9% | +4.4 pts |
| Public administration | 14.1% | +10.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.9% | -3.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 9.5% | -0.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.5% | -0.7 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 6.9% | -0.6 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Regional comparison for Sangamon County
The six counties whose centers lie closest to Sangamon County's, from 20 to 36 miles away. 1 of the six report a higher median household income than Sangamon County; Menard County is highest at $82,176 and Christian County lowest at $62,611.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sangamon County | - | $75,357 | $983/mo | 71% |
| Menard County, IL | 20 mi | $82,176 | $885/mo | 79% |
| Christian County, IL | 25 mi | $62,611 | $785/mo | 75% |
| Morgan County, IL | 29 mi | $66,306 | $722/mo | 73% |
| Logan County, IL | 30 mi | $66,358 | $829/mo | 68% |
| Cass County, IL | 34 mi | $68,125 | $723/mo | 76% |
| Mason County, IL | 36 mi | $62,845 | $802/mo | 82% |
Towns and communities in Sangamon County
The table lists the 14 largest of 26 Census places in Sangamon County, by population. Together all 26 hold about 166,161 people, so roughly 15% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $48,819 in Grandview to $148,906 in Sherman. Median rent ranges from $643 in New Berlin to $2,041 in Sherman. This guide covers each of the 26 places and the rural areas around them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | city | 113,330 | $66,064 | $975 | 3 mi |
| Chatham | village | 14,639 | $106,773 | $1,256 | 6 mi |
| Sherman | village | 4,386 | $148,906 | $2,041 | 10 mi |
| Auburn | city | 4,306 | $81,411 | $1,011 | 13 mi |
| Rochester | village | 3,766 | $117,118 | $1,288 | 8 mi |
| Riverton | village | 3,513 | $80,920 | $981 | 9 mi |
| Virden | city | 3,171 | $80,577 | $864 | 18 mi |
| Pawnee | village | 2,738 | $81,103 | $838 | 12 mi |
| Jerome | village | 1,807 | $65,189 | $951 | 1 mi |
| Southern View | village | 1,751 | $57,270 | $1,240 | 1 mi |
| Leland Grove | city | 1,517 | $130,833 | $1,261 | 2 mi |
| New Berlin | village | 1,442 | $70,179 | $643 | 14 mi |
| Williamsville | village | 1,314 | $106,731 | $943 | 15 mi |
| Grandview | village | 1,243 | $48,819 | $1,069 | 5 mi |
A Sangamon County household budget, worked through
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Sangamon County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Start: $6,280 gross per month ($75,357 / 12)
- Less median rent of $983, which is 16% of it
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,717 a month
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Borrowing situations common in Sangamon County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Sangamon County borrowers.
- Tight rental budgets. With 46% of Sangamon County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
- Scams. A fee demanded before funding is a red flag; report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (spotting scams).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
People and households in Sangamon County
Degree holders: 37% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 3.6%, against 6.9% for Illinois.
| Sangamon County | Illinois | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.0 | 39.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 36.6% | 37.8% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 5.9% | 9.5% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 3.6% | 6.9% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 7.6% | 11.0% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 13.7% | 15.9% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.4% | 5.8% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Sangamon County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 33.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 50.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 9.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.8% |
| 60+ min | 3.7% |
A Sangamon County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for Sangamon County borrowers:
- Price the Sangamon County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Illinois borrowers.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Lender oversight for Sangamon County
Sangamon County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Illinois guide.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Illinois guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Sangamon County earn?
The median is $75,357; 37% earn $100,000 or more and 22% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Sangamon County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $983 a month; 46% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
What are the biggest places in Sangamon County?
By population: Springfield, Chatham, Sherman, Auburn, Rochester. The county has 26 Census places in all.
Are Sangamon County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.
Is there a Sangamon County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Illinois it is the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.