Carbondale

Population: 21,813
Median household income: $29,670
Median home value: $124,800

Carbondale is a community in Jackson County, Illinois, home to 21,813 residents. At $29,670, its median household income sits below Jackson County's $45,572.

Between 2019 and 2023, Carbondale's population declined 14.8% from 25,597 to 21,813, while its median home value rose 6.2% from $117,500 to $124,800.

64.0% of workers drive to work alone. 32.2% of homes are single-family detached houses.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 21,813
Median age: 24.9 yrs
Median household income: $29,670
Median home value: $124,800
Median gross rent: $750
Housing units: 12,275
Homeownership rate: 26.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 46.3%
Unemployment rate: 9.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

25,59721,813

Median household income

$22,152$29,670

Median home value

$117,500$124,800

Median gross rent

$714$750

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	25,597	$22,152	$117,500	$714
2020	25,400	$24,093	$122,700	$698
2021	22,388	$24,452	$117,200	$726
2022	22,039	$27,360	$124,900	$754
2023	21,813	$29,670	$124,800	$750

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 53.6%

5 to 179.8%

18 to 2437.3%

25 to 3416.1%

35 to 448.3%

45 to 546.7%

55 to 648.4%

65 to 745.8%

75 and over4.1%

	Count	Share
Under 5	787	3.6%
5 to 17	2,128	9.8%
18 to 24	8,130	37.3%
25 to 34	3,517	16.1%
35 to 44	1,815	8.3%
45 to 54	1,456	6.7%
55 to 64	1,829	8.4%
65 to 74	1,255	5.8%
75 and over	896	4.1%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	12,201	55.9%
Black or African American	6,017	27.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	23	0.1%
Asian	1,465	6.7%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	18	0.1%
Some other race	111	0.5%
Two or more races	793	3.6%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1,185	5.4%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma5.5%

High school graduate15.3%

Some college or associate's32.8%

Bachelor's degree22.8%

Graduate or professional degree23.6%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	592	5.5%
High school graduate	1,650	15.3%
Some college or associate's	3,536	32.8%
Bachelor's degree	2,451	22.8%
Graduate or professional degree	2,539	23.6%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 15 min

Drove alone64.0%

Carpooled10.1%

Public transit2.6%

Walked10.2%

Bicycle0.8%

Worked from home9.9%

Other means2.4%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	5,615	64.0%
Carpooled	889	10.1%
Public transit	227	2.6%
Walked	893	10.2%
Bicycle	73	0.8%
Worked from home	865	9.9%
Other means	211	2.4%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	4,536	57.4%
15 to 29 min	2,301	29.1%
30 to 44 min	718	9.1%
45 to 59 min	187	2.4%
60+ min	166	2.1%

Households

Average household size: 1.88
Poverty rate: 36.9% (6,854 of 18,590)

	Count	Share
Family households	3,168	32.1%
Nonfamily households	6,696	67.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1976

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	9,864	80.4%
Vacant	2,411	19.6%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	2,633	26.7%
Renter-occupied	7,231	73.3%

1-unit, detached32.2%

1-unit, attached2.7%

2 to 4 units19.2%

5 to 19 units23.1%

20 or more units16.9%

Mobile home & other5.9%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	3,954	32.2%
1-unit, attached	332	2.7%
2 to 4 units	2,351	19.2%
5 to 19 units	2,835	23.1%
20 or more units	2,074	16.9%
Mobile home & other	729	5.9%

Geography

Place GEOID: 1711163
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 17 sq mi
Water area: 0.44 sq mi
Center point: 37.7221, -89.2237