PlainZIP

West Frankfort, IL · standard

ZIP Code 62896

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

12,626
76/sq mi
$55,458
Median income
$88,900
Median home value
13.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

West Frankfort pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

22th pct
household income, US ZIPs
6th pct
home value, US ZIPs
76
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 62896 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 62896 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in West Frankfort, Franklin County, Illinois, home to 12,626 residents across 166.8 square miles, a density of 76 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 62896 reports a modest median household income of $55,458 (31% below the Illinois average), while per-capita income is $29,640. Poverty here runs at 23.4%, with unemployment measured at 11.2%. Housing costs here run $88,900 for a typical home value (54% below the state average), with rent averaging $681 a month; 72.4% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.3, and the average commute is 27 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Franklin County, so you can benchmark 62896 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 62896

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in West Frankfort, IL

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 62896.

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 62896, West Frankfort, 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

12,626

Population

166.8

Area (sq mi)

76

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 62896?

41.3

Median Age

50.6%

Male

49.4%

Female

1.1%

Foreign-Born

White 95.9%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.4%
Hispanic or Latino 1.0%

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?

$55,458

Median Household Income

-31% vs state

$29,640

Per Capita Income

23.4%

Poverty Rate

11.2%

Unemployment Rate

26.5 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 62896 ranks nationally

West Frankfort, IL household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$55,458 22nd percentile higher than 22% 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 49.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 13.4%

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

What does housing look like?

5,161

Total Housing Units

4,501

Occupied Units

660

Vacant Units

2.33

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 72.4%
Renter 27.6%

$88,900

Median Home Value

-54% vs state

$681

Median Rent

1964

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

+21.1%

YoY Change (2024)

233

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+133%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 62896 have increased 21.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +133% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -6.0% 160
2021 +9.6% 176
2022 +8.8% 191
2023 +0.7% 192
2024 +21.1% 233

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 221 business establishments in ZIP 62896, employing approximately 2,797 people with a combined annual payroll of $109,836,000.

221

Businesses

2,797

Employees

$109.8M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 39 17.6%
Other services (except public administration) 35 15.8%
Health care and social assistance 27 12.2%
Accommodation and food services 25 11.3%
Construction 22 9.9%
Finance and insurance 14 6.3%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 14 6.3%
Manufacturing 9 4.1%
Wholesale trade 9 4.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 9 4.1%
Information 5 2.3%
Transportation and warehousing 4 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.4%

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 62896 vs 62951 →

ZIP 62896 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 62896 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 62896 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 62896 ranks #5 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
62951 Johnston City, IL 5,352 4.7 mi
62874 Orient, IL 372 3.8 mi
62812 Benton, IL 11,265 7.4 mi
62841 Freeman Spur, IL 98 5.1 mi
62999 Zeigler, IL 1,829 7.4 mi
62856 Logan, IL 324 6.3 mi
62819 Buckner, IL 448 8.1 mi
62948 Herrin, IL 12,865 8.0 mi
62822 Christopher, IL 2,574 9.7 mi
62933 Energy, IL 1,230 10.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Franklin County

62812 standard
Benton, IL
Pop: 11,265
62884 standard
Sesser, IL
Pop: 2,940
62890 standard
Thompsonville, IL
Pop: 2,882
62822 standard
Christopher, IL
Pop: 2,574
62865 standard
Mulkeytown, IL
Pop: 2,018
62999 standard
Zeigler, IL
Pop: 1,829

Related Areas

Franklin County West Frankfort, IL Illinois

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 62896 in? ▼
ZIP code 62896 (West Frankfort) is located in Franklin County, Illinois. Franklin County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/franklin-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 62896? ▼
ZIP code 62896 in West Frankfort, IL has a population of 12,626 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 62896? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 62896 is $55,458, which is 27% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 62896? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 62896 is $88,900, which is 68% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 62896? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 62896 is White at 95.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 62896? ▼
ZIP code 62896 has 221 business establishments employing approximately 2,797 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 62896? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 62896 are: Retail trade (39), Other services (except public administration) (35), Health care and social assistance (27). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 62896? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 62896 increased by 21.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 133%. 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 62896? ▼
In ZIP code 62896, 49.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.4% 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 62896? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 62896 is 26.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 62896? ▼
In ZIP code 62896, approximately 72.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 27.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 62896? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 62896 is 23.4% 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.