Viola, IL · standard
ZIP Code 61486
Mercer County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,552
- 14/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $78,889
- Median income Near-median income area
- $134,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 17.8%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Viola pairs an above-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 39%
- household income, US ZIPs
- 21st pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 14
- people per sq mi
- 90%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 61486 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 61486 covers 111.7 square miles in Viola, Mercer County, Illinois (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 1,552 residents on file, a density of 14 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 61486 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $78,889 (1% below the average Illinois ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,532. The poverty rate is 6.9%, with unemployment at 7.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $134,800 (30% below the average Illinois ZIP), and median rent is $1,000; owner occupancy is 90.2%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.6, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Mercer County, so 61486 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 61486
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Viola, IL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 61486.
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
3 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
3 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
3 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 61486, Viola, 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
1,552
Population
111.7
Area (sq mi)
14
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 61486?
46.6
Median Age
52.4%
Male
47.6%
Female
3.1%
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?
$78,889
Median Household Income
-1% vs state ZIP avg
$40,532
Per Capita Income
6.9%
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Unemployment Rate
29.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 61486 ranks among Illinois ZIPs
Viola, 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)
$78,889 Top 44% higher than 56% 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
662housing units
662
Total Housing Units
572
Occupied Units
90
Vacant Units
2.33
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$134,800
Median Home Value
-30% vs state ZIP avg
$1,000
Median Rent
1968
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
-10.3%
YoY Change (2024)
171
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+71%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 61486 have decreased 10.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +71% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +11.5% | 143 |
| 2020 | -8.2% | 132 |
| 2021 | +10.3% | 145 |
| 2022 | -10.3% | 130 |
| 2024 | – | 171 |
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 20 business establishments in ZIP 61486, employing approximately 151 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,808,000.
20
Businesses
151
Employees
$6.8M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Wholesale trade | 3 | 15.0% |
| Retail trade | 3 | 15.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3 | 15.0% |
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 61486 vs 61263 →
ZIP 61486 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 61231
Aledo (61231)
5,627 residents
- 61281
Sherrard (61281)
2,597 residents
- 61486 1,552
Viola (61486)
1,552 residents
- 61412 1,321
Alexis (61412)
1,321 residents
- 61465 1,213
New Windsor (61465)
1,213 residents
- 61263 530
Matherville (61263)
530 residents
- 61466 342
North Henderson (61466)
342 residents
- 61276 138
Preemption (61276)
138 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 61486 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 61486 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 61281
Sherrard (61281)
$102,639 median income
- 61276
Preemption (61276)
$87,750 median income
- 61263
Matherville (61263)
$86,500 median income
- 61412
Alexis (61412)
$82,143 median income
- 61486
Viola (61486)
$78,889 median income
- 61466
North Henderson (61466)
$73,462 median income
- 61231
Aledo (61231)
$70,991 median income
- 61465
New Windsor (61465)
$56,875 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 61486 ranks #5 of 8 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 61486, 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 (1,552 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Mercer County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 61486 in?
ZIP code 61486 (Viola) is located in Mercer County, Illinois. Mercer County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mercer-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 61486?
ZIP code 61486 in Viola, IL has a population of 1,552 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 61486?
The median household income in ZIP 61486 is $78,889, which is 3% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 61486?
The median home value in ZIP 61486 is $134,800, which is 52% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 61486?
The largest racial group in ZIP 61486 is White at 87.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 61486?
ZIP code 61486 has 20 business establishments employing approximately 151 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 61486?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 61486 are: Wholesale trade (3), Retail trade (3), Other services (except public administration) (3). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 61486?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 61486 decreased by 10.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 71%. 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 61486?
In ZIP code 61486, 51.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.8% 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 61486?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 61486 is 29.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 61486?
In ZIP code 61486, approximately 90.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 9.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 61486?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 61486 is 6.9% 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 61486's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 61486 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Viola, 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.