Douglas County vs Shelby County
A side-by-side comparison of Douglas County and Shelby County: population, income, housing, and more.
Douglas County and Shelby County are counties in Illinois. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Shelby County has the higher population (20,867 vs 19,686 in Douglas County). Douglas County has the higher median household income ($74,186 vs $68,457 in Shelby County). Douglas County has the higher median home value ($142,600 vs $130,400 in Shelby County).
Population, income & housing
| Douglas County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,686 | 20,867 |
| Median age | 38.9 yrs | 45.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $74,186 | $68,457 |
| Median home value | $142,600 | $130,400 |
| Median gross rent | $818 | $762 |
| Housing units | 8,492 | 10,054 |
| Homeownership rate | 79.1% | 78.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.2% | 17.6% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Douglas County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,623 → 19,686 (+0.3%) | 21,737 → 20,867 (-4.0%) |
| Median household income | $56,714 → $74,186 (+30.8%) | $52,953 → $68,457 (+29.3%) |
| Median home value | $111,400 → $142,600 (+28.0%) | $96,500 → $130,400 (+35.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $724 → $818 (+13.0%) | $653 → $762 (+16.7%) |
Douglas County
19,62319,686
$56,714$74,186
$111,400$142,600
$724$818
Shelby County
21,73720,867
$52,953$68,457
$96,500$130,400
$653$762
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Douglas County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.7% | 5.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.9% | 16.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.1% | 6.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.4% | 10.5% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.5% | 11.4% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.0% | 11.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.6% | 13.4% |
| 75 and over | 7.9% | 10.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Douglas County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.9% | 96.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.2% | 0.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Asian | 0.5% | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Two or more races | 1.8% | 1.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.1% | 1.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Douglas County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 13.9% | 5.5% |
| High school graduate | 33.0% | 42.5% |
| Some college or associate's | 32.9% | 34.4% |
| Bachelor's degree | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.3% | 4.4% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Douglas County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 74.2% | 83.7% |
| Carpooled | 10.1% | 6.6% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.2% |
| Walked | 4.2% | 2.1% |
| Bicycle | 4.4% | 1.0% |
| Worked from home | 4.7% | 5.8% |
| Other means | 2.3% | 0.6% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Douglas County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 86.0% | 84.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.4% | 1.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 3.3% | 2.3% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.6% | 3.2% |
| 20 or more units | 1.8% | 0.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 4.0% | 7.4% |
Poverty & households
| Douglas County | Shelby County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 10.0% |
| Average household size | 2.49 | 2.35 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 21 | 21 |
| Median year structure built | 1968 | 1965 |
Full profiles
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