PlainZIP

Shirland, IL · standard

ZIP Code 61079

Winnebago County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

188
41/sq mi
$46,367
Median income
$123,200
Median home value
27.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Shirland pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

10th pct
household income, US ZIPs
18th pct
home value, US ZIPs
41
people per sq mi
84%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 61079 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 61079 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Shirland, Winnebago County, Illinois, home to just 188 residents across 4.6 square miles, a density of 41 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 61079 reports a modest median household income of $46,367 (42% below the Illinois average), while per-capita income is $32,004. Local economic indicators show a 7.6% poverty rate alongside 13.3% unemployment. Housing costs here run $123,200 for a typical home value (36% below the state average), with rent averaging $1,063 a month; 84.2% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 27.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 51.6, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 6 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 61079, plus 6 more within Winnebago County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 61079, Shirland, IL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

188

Population

4.6

Area (sq mi)

41

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 61079?

51.6

Median Age

51.9%

Male

48.1%

Female

0.0%

Foreign-Born

White 97.6%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 0.0%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$46,367

Median Household Income

-42% vs state

$32,004

Per Capita Income

7.6%

Poverty Rate

13.3%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 61079 ranks nationally

Shirland, IL household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$46,367 10th percentile higher than 10% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 58.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

101

Total Housing Units

101

Occupied Units

0

Vacant Units

2.08

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 84.2%
Renter 15.8%

$123,200

Median Home Value

-36% vs state

$1,063

Median Rent

1938

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 61079 vs 61072 →

ZIP 61079 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 61079 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 61079 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 61079 ranks #6 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
61072 Rockton, IL 11,797 3.4 mi
61024 Durand, IL 2,620 4.2 mi
61101 Rockford, IL 21,593 7.7 mi
61103 Rockford, IL 24,578 9.1 mi
53511 Beloit, WI 48,929 9.3 mi
61063 Pecatonica, IL 4,132 11.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Winnebago County

61107 standard
Rockford, IL
Pop: 30,439
61108 standard
Rockford, IL
Pop: 28,550
61109 standard
Rockford, IL
Pop: 28,333
61103 standard
Rockford, IL
Pop: 24,578
61111 standard
Loves Park, IL
Pop: 23,492
61115 standard
Machesney Park, IL
Pop: 23,180

Related Areas

Winnebago County Shirland, IL Illinois

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 61079 in? ▼
ZIP code 61079 (Shirland) is located in Winnebago County, Illinois. Winnebago County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/winnebago-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 61079? ▼
ZIP code 61079 in Shirland, IL has a population of 188 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 61079? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 61079 is $46,367, which is 39% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 61079? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 61079 is $123,200, which is 56% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 61079? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 61079 is White at 97.6%.
What is the education level in ZIP code 61079? ▼
In ZIP code 61079, 58.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 27.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 61079? ▼
In ZIP code 61079, approximately 84.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 61079? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 61079 is 7.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.