Fulton, IL · standard
ZIP Code 61252
Whiteside County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 5,436
- 36/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $59,861
- Median income Below-median income area
- $141,500
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 22.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Fulton pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 29th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 23rd pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 36
- people per sq mi
- 80%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 61252 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 61252 (Fulton, IL) rose +7.0% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 169.2 in 2023 to 181.1 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 61252 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Fulton, Whiteside County, Illinois, home to 5,436 residents across 152.7 square miles, a density of 36 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 61252 reports a modest median household income of $59,861 (25% below the average Illinois ZIP), while per-capita income is $38,321. The poverty rate is 10.8%, with unemployment at 4.7%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $141,500 (26% below the average Illinois ZIP), and median rent is $949; owner occupancy is 80.2%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 45, and the average commute is 17 minutes. The page also surfaces 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Whiteside County, so 61252 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 →
Top industries in ZIP 61252
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Fulton, IL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 61252.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
21 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
14 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
12 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
10 establishments
- Construction
Construction
9 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
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 61252, Fulton, 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
5,436
Population
152.7
Area (sq mi)
36
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 61252?
45.0
Median Age
49.1%
Male
50.9%
Female
1.3%
Foreign-Born
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?
$59,861
Median Household Income
-25% vs state ZIP avg
$38,321
Per Capita Income
10.8%
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Unemployment Rate
16.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 61252 ranks among Illinois ZIPs
Fulton, IL household income vs. every Illinois ZIP code
Median household income among 1,334 reporting Illinois ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$59,861 22nd percentile higher than 22% of 1,334 Illinois ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Illinois 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
2,675housing units
2,675
Total Housing Units
2,318
Occupied Units
357
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$141,500
Median Home Value
-26% vs state ZIP avg
$949
Median Rent
1964
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+7.0%
YoY Change (2024)
181
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+81%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 61252 have increased 7.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +81% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.3% | 144 |
| 2021 | +5.5% | 152 |
| 2022 | +12.3% | 170 |
| 2023 | -0.7% | 169 |
| 2024 | +7.0% | 181 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 105 business establishments in ZIP 61252, employing approximately 1,418 people with a combined annual payroll of $69,214,000.
105
Businesses
1,418
Employees
$69.2M
Annual Payroll
12
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 21 | 20.0% |
| Retail trade | 14 | 13.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 12 | 11.4% |
| Manufacturing | 10 | 9.5% |
| Construction | 9 | 8.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 7 | 6.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 7 | 6.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 4 | 3.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 3.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 3.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 2.9% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 61252 vs 61251 →
ZIP 61252 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 52732
Clinton (52732)
28,293 residents
- 61252 5,436
Fulton (61252)
5,436 residents
- 61285 1,631
Thomson (61285)
1,631 residents
- 61230 1,232
Albany (61230)
1,232 residents
- 61251 347
Fenton (61251)
347 residents
- 52701 108
Andover (52701)
108 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 61252 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 61252 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 61251
Fenton (61251)
$79,464 median income
- 61285
Thomson (61285)
$68,500 median income
- 61230
Albany (61230)
$62,344 median income
- 52732
Clinton (52732)
$61,105 median income
- 61252
Fulton (61252)
$59,861 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 61252 ranks #5 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 61252, both outside IL so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (5,436 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Whiteside County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 61252 in?
ZIP code 61252 (Fulton) is located in Whiteside County, Illinois. Whiteside County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/whiteside-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 61252?
ZIP code 61252 in Fulton, IL has a population of 5,436 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 61252?
The median household income in ZIP 61252 is $59,861, which is 22% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 61252?
The median home value in ZIP 61252 is $141,500, which is 49% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 61252?
The largest racial group in ZIP 61252 is White at 91.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 61252?
ZIP code 61252 has 105 business establishments employing approximately 1,418 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 61252?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 61252 are: Other services (except public administration) (21), Retail trade (14), Accommodation and food services (12). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 61252?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 61252 increased by 7.0% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 81%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 61252?
In ZIP code 61252, 64.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 61252?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 61252 is 16.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 61252?
In ZIP code 61252, approximately 80.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 61252?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 61252 is 10.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 61252's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 61252 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Fulton, IL ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.