Illinois · GEOID 17003

Alexander County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 4,875 · 2,938 housing units

Median household income

$47,043

State $84,845

Median home value

$59,800

State $269,776

Median gross rent

$656

State $1,303

Homeownership rate

77.6%

State 67.1%

Renter cost-burden rate

20.4%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

16.9%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

3.4%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

13.7%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

35.2%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

1.27

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	Alexander County	Illinois
Population	4,875	12,694,798
Population density (per sq. mi.)	20.71	—
Median household income	$47,043	$84,845
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$90,200	—
Households	1,904	—
Average household size	2.50 people	—
Owner-occupied	77.6%	67.1%
Renter-occupied	22.4%	32.9%
Race	63.0% White · 33.1% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

Alexander County compared with Illinois.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

12.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 37.8%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	16.4%	$48,571	$1,214	$149,778
1 earner	45.2%	$52,606	$1,315	$164,798
2 earners	29.3%	$92,969	$2,324	$315,043
3+ earners	9.2%	$138,611	$3,465	$484,938

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

1,904

Average size: 2.50 people

Households with children

293

15.4% of households

Per-capita income

$29,379

Poverty rate: 18.2%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

77.6% owner-occupied vs. state average 67.1%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 77.0% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 4.5%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

66.0% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,969.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $59,800.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $656.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 1,034 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 5.0% · For rent 6.6% · Seasonal 14.8% · Other 73.6%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

11.6% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 88.4% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

5.2%

153 units of 2,938 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

25.9%

761 units of 2,938 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$37,634

100% MHI$47,043

120% MHI$56,452

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in Alexander County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$50,550	$57,750	$72,150
100% AMI	$63,140	$72,160	$90,200
120% AMI	$75,750	$86,600	$108,250

HUD FMR Area: Cape Girardeau, MO-IL MSA. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

20.4% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (6.8% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

16.9% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in Alexander County.

Covered employment

381

Across 7 sectors

Establishments

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$51,947

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	118	$60,662	$194,785	+$134,985	$1,517
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	88	$41,717	$124,265	+$64,465	$1,043
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	72	$22,354	$52,190	−$7,610	$559
NAICS 22 Utilities NAICS 22	47	$92,776	$314,324	+$254,524	$2,319
NAICS 11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting NAICS 11	27	$69,010	$225,859	+$166,059	$1,725
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	15	$61,813	$199,069	+$139,269	$1,545
NAICS 81 Other services (except public administration) NAICS 81	14	$14,448	$22,761	−$37,039	$361

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 921 Executive, legislative, and other general government support NAICS 921	85	$40,577	$120,022	+$60,222	$1,014
NAICS 321 Wood product manufacturing NAICS 321	57	$43,894	$132,369	+$72,569	$1,097
NAICS 221 Utilities NAICS 221	47	$92,776	$314,324	+$254,524	$2,319
NAICS 445 Food and beverage retailers NAICS 445	17	$21,230	$48,006	−$11,794	$531
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	15	$61,813	$199,069	+$139,269	$1,545
NAICS 424 Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods NAICS 424	4	$90,373	$305,379	+$245,579	$2,259
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	3	$74,014	$244,486	+$184,686	$1,850

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	520	(550)	(51%)	$14.93	$31,050	$84,559	$776
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	1,270	(150)	(11%)	$14.96	$31,120	$84,820	$778
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	140	(110)	(44%)	$15.07	$31,350	$85,676	$784
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	1,460	(430)	(23%)	$16.52	$34,370	$96,917	$859
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	510	(240)	(32%)	$17.02	$35,390	$100,714	$885
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	680	(270)	(28%)	$17.64	$36,700	$105,590	$918
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	820	(140)	(15%)	$17.73	$36,880	$106,260	$922
Tellers SOC 43-3071	190	0	0%	$17.84	$37,110	$107,117	$928
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	850	60	8%	$20.60	$42,840	$128,446	$1,071
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	1,030	520	102%	—	$51,930	$162,282	$1,298
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	490	110	29%	$25.49	$53,020	$166,339	$1,326
Paramedics SOC 29-2043	30	—	—	$25.69	$53,440	$167,902	$1,336
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	150	(40)	(21%)	$26.26	$54,620	$172,295	$1,366
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	730	60	9%	$26.51	$55,150	$174,268	$1,379
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	220	(80)	(27%)	$27.99	$58,230	$185,732	$1,456
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	180	(50)	(22%)	$31.47	$65,450	$212,608	$1,636
Electricians SOC 47-2111	150	(10)	(6%)	$32.21	$66,990	$218,340	$1,675
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	120	70	140%	$34.45	$71,660	$235,723	$1,792
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	1,470	(90)	(6%)	$41.42	$86,160	$289,697	$2,154

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 17003 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.