Decatur, IL · standard
ZIP Code 62521
Macon County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 35,851
- 207/sq mi High-density area
- $66,337
- Median income Near-median income area
- $125,100
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 23.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Decatur pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- 41st pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 19th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 207
- people per sq mi
- 75%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 62521 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 62521 (Decatur, IL) rose +6.8% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 156.6 in 2023 to 167.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 62521 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Decatur, Macon County, Illinois, with 35,851 residents across 173.4 square miles, a density of 207 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 62521 reports a modest median household income of $66,337 (17% below the average Illinois ZIP), while per-capita income is $38,059. The poverty rate is 13.7%, with unemployment at 5.2%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $125,100 (35% below the average Illinois ZIP), and median rent is $926; owner occupancy is 74.5%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42, and the average commute is 18 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Macon County, so 62521 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 62521
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Decatur, IL
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 62521.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
81 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
77 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
71 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
65 establishments
- Construction
Construction
54 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 62521, Decatur, 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
35,851
Population
173.4
Area (sq mi)
207
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 62521?
42.0
Median Age
48.5%
Male
51.5%
Female
2.5%
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?
$66,337
Median Household Income
-17% vs state ZIP avg
$38,059
Per Capita Income
13.7%
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Unemployment Rate
18.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 62521 ranks nationally
Decatur, IL household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$66,337 41st percentile higher than 41% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
16,335housing units
16,335
Total Housing Units
14,256
Occupied Units
2,079
Vacant Units
2.27
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$125,100
Median Home Value
-35% vs state ZIP avg
$926
Median Rent
1962
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
+6.8%
YoY Change (2024)
167
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+67%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 62521 have increased 6.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +67% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.0% | 122 |
| 2021 | +9.2% | 133 |
| 2022 | +9.4% | 145 |
| 2023 | +7.7% | 157 |
| 2024 | +6.8% | 167 |
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 544 business establishments in ZIP 62521, employing approximately 9,434 people with a combined annual payroll of $533,556,000.
544
Businesses
9,434
Employees
$533.6M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 81 | 14.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 77 | 14.2% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 71 | 13.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 65 | 11.9% |
| Construction | 54 | 9.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 38 | 7.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 25 | 4.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 24 | 4.4% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 21 | 3.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 18 | 3.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 17 | 3.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 14 | 2.6% |
| Manufacturing | 13 | 2.4% |
| Information | 9 | 1.6% |
| Educational services | 7 | 1.3% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.6% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.6% |
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 62521 vs 62523 →
ZIP 62521 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 62521
Decatur (62521)
35,851 residents
- 62526
Decatur (62526)
34,075 residents
- 62522
Decatur (62522)
16,630 residents
- 62549 6,269
Mt Zion (62549)
6,269 residents
- 62535 3,534
Forsyth (62535)
3,534 residents
- 62544 1,776
Macon (62544)
1,776 residents
- 62554 1,563
Oreana (62554)
1,563 residents
- 62523 1,237
Decatur (62523)
1,237 residents
- 61925 912
Dalton City (61925)
912 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 62521 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 62521 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 62535
Forsyth (62535)
$112,000 median income
- 62549
Mt Zion (62549)
$100,566 median income
- 62554
Oreana (62554)
$95,625 median income
- 62544
Macon (62544)
$89,167 median income
- 61925
Dalton City (61925)
$81,316 median income
- 62521
Decatur (62521)
$66,337 median income
- 62514
Boody (62514)
$53,333 median income
- 62522
Decatur (62522)
$50,669 median income
- 62526
Decatur (62526)
$49,062 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 62521 ranks #6 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62523 | Decatur, IL | 1,237 | 2.5 mi |
| 62549 | Mt Zion, IL | 6,269 | 4.4 mi |
| 62532 | Elwin, IL | 105 | 4.9 mi |
| 62522 | Decatur, IL | 16,630 | 6.7 mi |
| 62526 | Decatur, IL | 34,075 | 6.8 mi |
| 62544 | Macon, IL | 1,776 | 7.8 mi |
| 62535 | Forsyth, IL | 3,534 | 7.9 mi |
| 62514 | Boody, IL | 252 | 7.6 mi |
| 61925 | Dalton City, IL | 912 | 7.9 mi |
| 62554 | Oreana, IL | 1,563 | 9.7 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 62521, 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 (35,851 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Macon County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 62521 in?
ZIP code 62521 (Decatur) is located in Macon County, Illinois. Macon County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/macon-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 62521?
ZIP code 62521 in Decatur, IL has a population of 35,851 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 62521?
The median household income in ZIP 62521 is $66,337, which is 13% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 62521?
The median home value in ZIP 62521 is $125,100, which is 55% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 62521?
The largest racial group in ZIP 62521 is White at 77.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 62521?
ZIP code 62521 has 544 business establishments employing approximately 9,434 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 62521?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 62521 are: Retail trade (81), Health care and social assistance (77), Other services (except public administration) (71). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 62521?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 62521 increased by 6.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 67%. 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 62521?
In ZIP code 62521, 59.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.2% 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 62521?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 62521 is 18.4 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 62521?
In ZIP code 62521, approximately 74.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.5% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 62521?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 62521 is 13.7% 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 62521's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 62521 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Decatur, 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.