PlainZIP

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
$66,337
Median income
$125,100
Median home value
23.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Decatur pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

41th 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.

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 Illinois average), while per-capita income is $38,059. The poverty rate stands at 13.7% and the unemployment rate at 5.2%. On housing, the median home value is $125,100 (35% below the state average) with median rent at $926 per month, and 74.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

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. To put 62521 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Macon County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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.

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 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

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 62521?

42.0

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

2.5%

Foreign-Born

White 77.8%
African American 14.8%
Asian 0.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.5%
Hispanic or Latino 2.5%

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

$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

$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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 59.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 23.2%

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

What does housing look like?

16,335

Total Housing Units

14,256

Occupied Units

2,079

Vacant Units

2.27

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 74.5%
Renter 25.5%

$125,100

Median Home Value

-35% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 62521 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 62521 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 62521 ranks #6 of 9 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
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

More ZIP Codes in Macon County

62526 standard
Decatur, IL
Pop: 34,075
62522 standard
Decatur, IL
Pop: 16,630
62549 standard
Mt Zion, IL
Pop: 6,269
62535 standard
Forsyth, IL
Pop: 3,534
62501 standard
Argenta, IL
Pop: 2,661
61756 standard
Maroa, IL
Pop: 2,337

Related Areas

Macon County Decatur, IL Illinois

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.