Monticello, IL · standard
ZIP Code 61856
Piatt County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 7,433
- 28/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $103,559
- Median income Above-median income area
- $230,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 42.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Monticello pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 17%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 48%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 28
- people per sq mi
- 86%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 61856 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 61856 (Monticello, IL) rose +8.7% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 177.0 in 2023 to 192.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 61856 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Monticello, Piatt County, Illinois, home to 7,433 residents across 270.3 square miles, a density of 28 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 61856 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $103,559 (29% above the average Illinois ZIP), while per-capita income is $51,286. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 4.5% and unemployment is 0.7%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $230,900 (20% above the average Illinois ZIP), while 85.7% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,398.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 42.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.9, and the average commute is 23 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Piatt County, so 61856 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 61856
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Monticello, IL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 61856.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
29 establishments
- Construction
Construction
25 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
21 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
19 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
18 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 61856, Monticello, 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
7,433
Population
270.3
Area (sq mi)
28
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 61856?
42.9
Median Age
51.0%
Male
49.0%
Female
2.2%
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?
$103,559
Median Household Income
+29% vs state ZIP avg
$51,286
Per Capita Income
4.5%
Poverty Rate
0.7%
Unemployment Rate
22.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 61856 ranks among Illinois ZIPs
Monticello, 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)
$103,559 Top 17% higher than 83% 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
3,546housing units
3,546
Total Housing Units
3,400
Occupied Units
146
Vacant Units
2.38
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$230,900
Median Home Value
+20% vs state ZIP avg
$1,398
Median Rent
1980
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
+8.7%
YoY Change (2024)
192
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+92%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 61856 have increased 8.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +92% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.0% | 138 |
| 2021 | +6.6% | 147 |
| 2022 | +14.7% | 168 |
| 2023 | +5.2% | 177 |
| 2024 | +8.7% | 192 |
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 191 business establishments in ZIP 61856, employing approximately 1,607 people with a combined annual payroll of $74,537,000.
191
Businesses
1,607
Employees
$74.5M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 29 | 15.2% |
| Construction | 25 | 13.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 21 | 11.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 19 | 9.9% |
| Accommodation and food services | 18 | 9.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 16 | 8.4% |
| Finance and insurance | 13 | 6.8% |
| Manufacturing | 12 | 6.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 9 | 4.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 7 | 3.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 3.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 6 | 3.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 4 | 2.1% |
| Educational services | 3 | 1.6% |
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 61856 vs 61813 →
ZIP 61856 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 61856
Monticello (61856)
7,433 residents
- 61813 1,971
Bement (61813)
1,971 residents
- 61818 1,665
Cerro Gordo (61818)
1,665 residents
- 61884 1,244
White Heath (61884)
1,244 residents
- 61839 586
De Land (61839)
586 residents
- 61830 478
Cisco (61830)
478 residents
- 61851 436
Ivesdale (61851)
436 residents
- 61855 96
Milmine (61855)
96 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 61856 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 61856 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 61884
White Heath (61884)
$106,250 median income
- 61856
Monticello (61856)
$103,559 median income
- 61818
Cerro Gordo (61818)
$84,375 median income
- 61813
Bement (61813)
$84,063 median income
- 61830
Cisco (61830)
$67,232 median income
- 61851
Ivesdale (61851)
$59,167 median income
- 61839
De Land (61839)
$56,389 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 61856 ranks #2 of 7 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 61856, 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 (7,433 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Piatt County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 61856 in?
ZIP code 61856 (Monticello) is located in Piatt County, Illinois. Piatt County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/piatt-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 61856?
ZIP code 61856 in Monticello, IL has a population of 7,433 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 61856?
The median household income in ZIP 61856 is $103,559, which is 36% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 61856?
The median home value in ZIP 61856 is $230,900, which is 17% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 61856?
The largest racial group in ZIP 61856 is White at 95.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 61856?
ZIP code 61856 has 191 business establishments employing approximately 1,607 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 61856?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 61856 are: Retail trade (29), Construction (25), Other services (except public administration) (21). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 61856?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 61856 increased by 8.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 92%. 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 61856?
In ZIP code 61856, 68.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 42.6% 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 61856?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 61856 is 22.9 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 61856?
In ZIP code 61856, approximately 85.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.3% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 61856?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 61856 is 4.5% 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 61856's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 61856 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Monticello, 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.