PlainZIP

Decatur, IL · standard

ZIP Code 62526

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

34,075
213/sq mi
$49,062
Median income
$95,100
Median home value
20.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Decatur pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

13th pct
household income, US ZIPs
8th pct
home value, US ZIPs
213
people per sq mi
61%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 62526 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 62526 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Decatur, Macon County, Illinois, with 34,075 residents across 159.8 square miles, a density of 213 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 62526 reports a modest median household income of $49,062 (39% below the Illinois average), while per-capita income is $31,798. Local economic indicators show a 18.2% poverty rate alongside 8.5% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $95,100 (50% below the state average); renters pay a median of $833 monthly, and 60.8% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.2, and the average commute is 17 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Macon County, letting you compare 62526 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline 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 62526

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Decatur, IL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 62526.

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 62526, 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

34,075

Population

159.8

Area (sq mi)

213

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 62526?

42.2

Median Age

46.5%

Male

53.5%

Female

3.8%

Foreign-Born

White 66.3%
African American 22.4%
Asian 2.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%

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?

$49,062

Median Household Income

-39% vs state

$31,798

Per Capita Income

18.2%

Poverty Rate

8.5%

Unemployment Rate

17.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 62526 ranks nationally

Decatur, IL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$49,062 13th percentile higher than 13% 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 64.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.7%

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

What does housing look like?

16,255

Total Housing Units

13,988

Occupied Units

2,267

Vacant Units

2.10

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 60.8%
Renter 39.2%

$95,100

Median Home Value

-50% vs state

$833

Median Rent

1966

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

+6.2%

YoY Change (2024)

163

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+63%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 62526 have increased 6.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +63% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.3% 116
2021 +8.6% 126
2022 +11.1% 140
2023 +9.7% 154
2024 +6.2% 163

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 790 business establishments in ZIP 62526, employing approximately 19,609 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,343,399,000.

790

Businesses

19,609

Employees

$1.3B

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 133 16.8%
Retail trade 107 13.5%
Other services (except public administration) 104 13.2%
Accommodation and food services 76 9.6%
Wholesale trade 52 6.6%
Manufacturing 44 5.6%
Transportation and warehousing 42 5.3%
Finance and insurance 42 5.3%
Construction 38 4.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 38 4.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 31 3.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 26 3.3%
Management of companies and enterprises 20 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 1.8%
Educational services 10 1.3%
Information 7 0.9%
Utilities 6 0.8%

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 62526 vs 62535 →

ZIP 62526 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 62526 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 62526 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 62526 ranks #9 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
62535 Forsyth, IL 3,534 1.9 mi
62523 Decatur, IL 1,237 4.4 mi
62573 Warrensburg, IL 1,513 5.5 mi
62522 Decatur, IL 16,630 6.0 mi
62532 Elwin, IL 105 9.5 mi
61756 Maroa, IL 2,337 9.0 mi
62521 Decatur, IL 35,851 6.8 mi
62537 Harristown, IL 92 6.6 mi
62554 Oreana, IL 1,563 7.0 mi
62514 Boody, IL 252 10.2 mi

More ZIP Codes in Macon County

62521 standard
Decatur, IL
Pop: 35,851
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 62526 in? ▼
ZIP code 62526 (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 62526? ▼
ZIP code 62526 in Decatur, IL has a population of 34,075 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 62526? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 62526 is $49,062, which is 36% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 62526? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 62526 is $95,100, which is 66% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 62526? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 62526 is White at 66.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 62526? ▼
ZIP code 62526 has 790 business establishments employing approximately 19,609 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 62526? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 62526 are: Health care and social assistance (133), Retail trade (107), Other services (except public administration) (104). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 62526? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 62526 increased by 6.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 63%. 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 62526? ▼
In ZIP code 62526, 64.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.7% 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 62526? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 62526 is 17.3 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 62526? ▼
In ZIP code 62526, approximately 60.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 39.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 62526? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 62526 is 18.2% 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.