PlainZIP

Charleston, IL · standard

ZIP Code 61920

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

25,594
66/sq mi
$52,429
Median income
$149,200
Median home value
34.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Charleston pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

17th pct
household income, US ZIPs
25th pct
home value, US ZIPs
66
people per sq mi
53%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 61920 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 61920 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Charleston, Coles County, Illinois, with 25,594 residents across 387.8 square miles, a density of 66 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 61920 reports a modest median household income of $52,429 (35% below the Illinois average), while per-capita income is $33,403. The poverty rate stands at 21.7% and the unemployment rate at 5.7%. On housing, the median home value is $149,200 (22% below the state average) with median rent at $812 per month, and 53.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 34.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.6, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Coles County, so you can benchmark 61920 against its immediate geography rather than a 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 →

Top industries in ZIP 61920

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Charleston, IL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 61920.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 61920, Charleston, 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

25,594

Population

387.8

Area (sq mi)

66

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 61920?

30.6

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

3.7%

Foreign-Born

White 87.0%
African American 5.6%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.1%

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?

$52,429

Median Household Income

-35% vs state

$33,403

Per Capita Income

21.7%

Poverty Rate

5.7%

Unemployment Rate

16.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 61920 ranks nationally

Charleston, IL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$52,429 17th percentile higher than 17% 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 62.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 34.9%

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

What does housing look like?

9,621

Total Housing Units

8,843

Occupied Units

778

Vacant Units

1.99

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 53.3%
Renter 46.7%

$149,200

Median Home Value

-22% vs state

$812

Median Rent

1979

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

+11.6%

YoY Change (2024)

180

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+80%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 61920 have increased 11.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +80% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.8% 123
2021 +7.6% 133
2022 +12.9% 150
2023 +7.9% 162
2024 +11.6% 180

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 429 business establishments in ZIP 61920, employing approximately 5,547 people with a combined annual payroll of $190,841,000.

429

Businesses

5,547

Employees

$190.8M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 95 22.1%
Retail trade 62 14.4%
Other services (except public administration) 54 12.6%
Accommodation and food services 46 10.7%
Construction 37 8.6%
Finance and insurance 23 5.4%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 23 5.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 22 5.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 21 4.9%
Manufacturing 15 3.5%
Wholesale trade 10 2.3%
Transportation and warehousing 8 1.9%
Information 6 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.2%

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 61920 vs 61912 →

ZIP 61920 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 61920 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 61920 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 61920 ranks #3 of 3 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
61912 Ashmore, IL 1,344 7.1 mi
62440 Lerna, IL 1,316 9.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Coles County

61938 standard
Mattoon, IL
Pop: 22,409
61912 standard
Ashmore, IL
Pop: 1,344
62440 standard
Lerna, IL
Pop: 1,316
61931 standard
Humboldt, IL
Pop: 1,255

Related Areas

Coles County Charleston, IL Illinois

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 61920 in? ▼
ZIP code 61920 (Charleston) is located in Coles County, Illinois. Coles County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/coles-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 61920? ▼
ZIP code 61920 in Charleston, IL has a population of 25,594 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 61920? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 61920 is $52,429, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 61920? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 61920 is $149,200, which is 46% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 61920? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 61920 is White at 87.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 61920? ▼
ZIP code 61920 has 429 business establishments employing approximately 5,547 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 61920? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 61920 are: Health care and social assistance (95), Retail trade (62), Other services (except public administration) (54). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 61920? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 61920 increased by 11.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 80%. 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 61920? ▼
In ZIP code 61920, 62.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 34.9% 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 61920? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 61920 is 16.5 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 61920? ▼
In ZIP code 61920, approximately 53.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 46.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 61920? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 61920 is 21.7% 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.