Johnson County

Johnson County is a small, predominantly rural county in southern Illinois, situated at the northern edge of the state’s “Little Egypt” region between the Shawnee National Forest and the lower Ohio River corridor. Created in 1812 from parts of Randolph and Gallatin counties, it developed as an agricultural and timber-producing area shaped by upland terrain, creeks, and forested ridges. The county seat is Vienna, which serves as the primary administrative and service center. Johnson County’s landscape includes a mix of farmland, woodlands, and recreational natural areas, reflecting the broader geography of southern Illinois. The local economy has historically been tied to farming, forestry, and small-scale manufacturing and services, with regional travel supported by nearby transportation routes. Culturally, the county reflects southern Illinois traditions rooted in small-town communities, outdoor recreation, and regional heritage.

Johnson County is located in far southern Illinois in the state’s “Little Egypt” region, with Vienna as the county seat. The county lies within the greater Southern Illinois area and is administered locally through county government based in Vienna; for local government resources, visit the Johnson County, Illinois official website.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov), Johnson County’s population size is reported in standard Census profile tables (Decennial Census and American Community Survey). Exact figures vary by dataset/year; a single definitive number is not stated here because no specific reference year or table output was provided.

Age & Gender

County-level age distribution and gender ratio are published by the U.S. Census Bureau in American Community Survey profile tables accessible via data.census.gov (commonly through “ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates” and “Selected Social Characteristics” profiles). Exact percentages and ratios are not stated here because no specific year/table values were provided.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

Johnson County’s racial and ethnic composition is available in U.S. Census Bureau datasets (Decennial Census and ACS), including separate reporting for race and Hispanic or Latino origin, via the Census Bureau’s data portal. Exact county-level shares are not stated here because no specific year/table values were provided.

Household Data

Household characteristics (e.g., number of households, average household size, family vs. nonfamily households) are published in ACS profile tables for Johnson County on data.census.gov. Exact values are not stated here because no specific year/table values were provided.

Housing Data

Housing statistics (e.g., total housing units, occupancy/vacancy, owner- vs. renter-occupied units) are published by the U.S. Census Bureau for Johnson County through ACS and Decennial Census housing tables on data.census.gov. Exact values are not stated here because no specific year/table values were provided.

Johnson County is a sparsely populated, largely rural county in southern Illinois; longer distances between homes and fewer providers can constrain last‑mile infrastructure, shaping reliance on email and other digital communication.

Direct county-level email usage statistics are not routinely published, so email adoption is inferred from proxy indicators such as household broadband subscriptions and computer availability reported by the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey). County profile tables from the U.S. Census Bureau data portal provide the most comparable measures for broadband and device access.

Age structure also influences email adoption: older age cohorts tend to have lower digital adoption than working‑age adults, and Johnson County’s age distribution from ACS demographic profiles is a practical proxy for expected email use patterns. Gender distribution is generally less predictive of email adoption than age and access; county sex composition is available via the same ACS profiles.

Connectivity constraints are reflected in rural broadband availability and speed limitations tracked by the FCC National Broadband Map, a key source for identifying unserved and underserved areas that can reduce consistent email access.

Johnson County is in southern Illinois, part of the state’s “Little Egypt” region, with most settlement concentrated around small towns (notably Vienna) and extensive rural areas, forests, and rolling terrain associated with the Shawnee National Forest. This low population density and uneven topography can reduce cell-site density and increase signal variability compared with metropolitan Illinois, affecting both mobile network availability (coverage and performance) and household adoption (whether residents subscribe to mobile service and use it for internet access).

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

• Network availability refers to where mobile operators report 4G/5G coverage and where measured speeds/latency support particular services.
• Household adoption refers to whether households actually have mobile subscriptions and whether they use mobile service as their primary internet connection.

County-specific adoption statistics for mobile service are often limited or published only in broader geographies (state, multi-county regions, or PUMAs). Where Johnson County–specific figures are not publicly available in standard federal tables, the limitations are stated below.

Mobile penetration / access indicators (adoption)

What is available at county level

• The most consistent county-level indicators for “access” are broadband subscription measures from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). These tables focus on internet subscriptions rather than “mobile penetration” in the telecom industry sense (SIMs per person).
• County-level ACS typically distinguishes between:
  • households with an internet subscription
  • type of subscription such as cellular data plan, cable/fiber/DSL, satellite, and other categories (availability varies by ACS table/year).

Primary sources:

• The Census Bureau’s ACS internet subscription tables and profiles: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
• Data access portal commonly used to extract county measures: data.census.gov

Limitations for “mobile penetration” in Johnson County

• County-level “mobile phone ownership” (device ownership) is not routinely published by the Census as a standalone county statistic. ACS emphasizes household internet subscription rather than handset counts.
• Industry penetration metrics (e.g., subscriptions per 100 residents) are generally published at national/state levels, not reliably at the county level for public use.

Mobile internet usage patterns and connectivity (availability)

4G LTE availability

• Reported 4G LTE coverage can be reviewed using the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC) maps, which display provider-reported mobile broadband availability by location and technology.
• The FCC maps distinguish between providers and technologies and allow viewing coverage footprints relevant to Johnson County.

Source:

• FCC National Broadband Map (mobile and fixed availability)

Availability vs. usage limitation: FCC BDC indicates where service is reported available, not how many residents subscribe or the typical speeds they experience.

5G availability

• 5G presence in rural southern Illinois tends to be more variable than in metro regions; however, definitive county-level statements require map-based confirmation because deployment can be limited to specific corridors and town centers.
• The FCC map can be used to identify reported 5G availability (technology categories and provider footprints) within Johnson County.

Source:

• FCC National Broadband Map (5G availability by provider)

Performance and real-world experience (measured, not reported)

• Measured mobile performance (download/upload/latency) is typically available as statewide or metro-area aggregates rather than county-specific public datasets. Some third-party measurement entities publish regional summaries, but county-level detail may be limited, paywalled, or method-dependent.
• The FCC also maintains speed test initiatives and challenge processes for availability reporting, but these are not direct adoption statistics.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

What can be stated reliably

• In the United States overall, smartphones are the dominant mobile device type for consumer mobile internet access; however, county-specific device-type shares (smartphone vs. feature phone vs. tablet-only cellular) are not commonly published for Johnson County in standard federal datasets.
• The ACS “internet subscription” measures can identify households relying on a cellular data plan, but they do not directly enumerate smartphone ownership versus other cellular-capable devices.

Source context for household internet access definitions:

• ACS documentation and tables (internet subscription concepts)

Limitation: Without a county-level device survey, definitive Johnson County smartphone/feature-phone shares cannot be stated from public federal tables alone.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Rural settlement pattern and tower economics (availability and performance)

• Lower population density increases per-user infrastructure costs and can result in fewer cell sites and more reliance on lower-band spectrum for broader coverage, with less consistent high-capacity performance away from population centers.
• Forested areas and uneven terrain can attenuate signal and produce localized dead zones or weaker indoor coverage.

Geographic context sources:

• Census QuickFacts (Johnson County, Illinois) (population and density context)

Socioeconomic factors (adoption and reliance on mobile)

• Household income, age distribution, and housing patterns influence whether households maintain multiple internet options (fixed + mobile) or rely primarily on mobile data plans.
• ACS tables can be used to compare Johnson County to Illinois on:
  • percent of households with any internet subscription
  • percent with cellular data plans
  • households with no internet subscription (a proxy for digital access gaps)

Source:

• data.census.gov (county vs. state comparisons using ACS)

Transportation corridors and town centers (availability)

• Mobile network investment often concentrates around highways, town centers, and areas with higher traffic volumes, leading to better reported availability and capacity in and near Vienna and along major routes, with more variability in sparsely populated areas.
  Limitation: Specific corridor-level conclusions require map-based verification using FCC BDC or carrier coverage disclosures rather than generalized statements.

Public planning and broadband context (useful for corroboration)

State and federal broadband planning resources can provide context on regional coverage challenges, priorities, and programmatic efforts, though they often emphasize fixed broadband and unserved/underserved definitions rather than mobile adoption.

Sources:

• Illinois Office of Broadband (Connect Illinois)
• FCC Broadband Data Collection (methodology and reporting)

Summary (what is known vs. not available at county resolution)

• Network availability: County-area 4G/5G availability can be identified using FCC BDC maps, which reflect provider-reported coverage by technology and location.
• Household adoption: County-level indicators exist primarily through ACS household internet subscription statistics, including households reporting cellular data plans as a subscription type in relevant tables.
• Device mix: Public, definitive county-level smartphone vs. non-smartphone device shares are generally not available in standard federal publications; ACS captures subscription types rather than handset types.
• Drivers: Johnson County’s rural geography, forests/terrain, and low density are consistent structural factors affecting coverage consistency and infrastructure density; demographic drivers of adoption are best quantified using ACS comparisons rather than handset-centric metrics.

Johnson County is a rural county in far southern Illinois (the “Little Egypt” region) with its county seat in Vienna and proximity to the Shawnee National Forest. The county’s older age profile, lower population density, and commuting ties to nearby regional hubs tend to align social media use more closely with national rural patterns than with Chicago-area norms.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

• Local (county-specific) social media penetration: No publicly released, statistically reliable dataset regularly reports county-level social media penetration for Johnson County, Illinois.
• Best-available benchmark for inference (U.S. adults):
  • 69% of U.S. adults use at least one social media site (Pew Research Center). This is the most commonly cited national penetration figure and is frequently used as a baseline when county-level data are unavailable. Source: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.
• Contextual rural pattern: Pew reports lower usage among rural adults than suburban/urban adults in many internet-adoption and platform-use cuts, consistent with expectations for a rural county. Source: Pew Research Center (demographic breaks in the social media fact sheet).

Age group trends

National age gradients are pronounced and are the most reliable proxy for expected age-patterning in Johnson County:

• 18–29: Highest usage across most platforms.
• 30–49: High usage, typically second to 18–29.
• 50–64: Moderate usage; strongest on Facebook.
• 65+: Lowest overall usage, but Facebook remains the most common platform in this group.

These patterns are consistently documented in Pew’s platform-by-age tables: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.

Gender breakdown

Nationally, gender skews vary by platform more than in overall “any social media” use:

• Women tend to over-index on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
• Men tend to over-index on YouTube and Reddit (and are more concentrated in some discussion-forward communities). These relationships are summarized in Pew’s platform demographic tables: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.

Most-used platforms (percent using among U.S. adults)

County-level platform shares are not published in major public datasets; the most reliable comparable percentages come from national survey measurement:

• YouTube: 83%
• Facebook: 68%
• Instagram: 47%
• Pinterest: 35%
• TikTok: 33%
• LinkedIn: 30%
• X (Twitter): 22%
• WhatsApp: 21%
• Snapchat: 27%
• Reddit: 22%

Source for the above platform penetration figures: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Facebook-centric local information flow: In rural counties, community information exchange commonly concentrates in Facebook feeds and groups (events, local news, school and civic updates), reflecting Facebook’s older-skewing user base and broad adoption. Pew’s platform reach and age profile support this as the most likely dominant “local utility” platform. Source: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.
• Video as a high-reach format: YouTube’s broad penetration makes video a primary channel for information, entertainment, and how-to content, including on mobile devices. Source: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.
• Younger users’ multi-platform behavior: Adults 18–29 show high cross-platform usage (notably Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat alongside YouTube), producing faster trend cycles and higher short-form video consumption compared with older cohorts. Source: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.
• Messaging and small-network sharing: Messaging-app use (including WhatsApp) is substantial nationally and often complements public posting, with sharing shifting toward private or semi-private channels as users age. Source: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet.
• Rural connectivity constraints shaping engagement: Lower density and infrastructure variability typical of rural regions can correlate with heavier reliance on mobile-first browsing and more asynchronous engagement (scrolling/reading over posting), consistent with broader rural digital access findings reported across Pew internet research. Reference portal: Pew Research Center: Internet & Technology.

Johnson County, Illinois maintains family and associate-related public records through county offices and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Birth and death records (vital records) are created and locally issued by the county clerk, while state-level administration follows IDPH rules. Adoption records are handled through the circuit court and are generally not public, with access controlled by statute and court order.

Public-facing databases commonly include court case information and recorded property documents. The Johnson County, Illinois official website provides departmental contacts and in-person service information. Court filings, orders, and related associate records are maintained by the Johnson County Circuit Clerk; access to case records is also available through the statewide Illinois Courts Odyssey Public Access portal. Recorded land records, liens, and similar documents are maintained by the Johnson County Recorder.

Residents access certified vital records primarily in person or by mail through the county clerk; statewide vital-record policies are described by IDPH Vital Records. Privacy restrictions apply to sensitive records: recent birth/death certificates are limited to eligible requesters, adoption files are typically sealed, and some court matters (e.g., juveniles, certain family cases) may be restricted or redacted.

Types of records available

• Marriage licenses and marriage certificates (Johnson County, Illinois)

  • Marriage records originate as marriage license applications and licenses issued by the county.
  • After the ceremony, the officiant returns the completed license for recording; the county maintains the recorded marriage and can issue certified copies.

• Divorce records (Johnson County, Illinois)

  • Divorce is recorded through circuit court case files and results in a judgment for dissolution of marriage (commonly called a divorce decree).
  • The court file may also include orders on property, support, and parenting issues.

• Annulments (Illinois)

  • Illinois treats annulment as a court action for declaration of invalidity of marriage. Records are maintained as circuit court case files and result in a judgment/order declaring the marriage invalid.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Marriage records

  • Filed/maintained by: Johnson County Clerk (marriage licenses and recorded marriages).
  • Access: Copies are requested from the County Clerk’s office. Certified copies are issued by the Clerk as the custodian of the county marriage record.

• Divorce and annulment records

  • Filed/maintained by: Johnson County Circuit Clerk (court case records for dissolution of marriage and declarations of invalidity).
  • Access: Court records are accessed through the Circuit Clerk’s records request processes. Some information may be available through court index/public access systems where maintained, with document access subject to court rules and any sealing/redaction orders.

• State-level records

  • Illinois maintains statewide indexes for certain vital events through the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Vital Records. County offices remain the primary record custodians for local originals and certified copies of county-held marriage records.

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license/record

  • Full names of both parties (including prior names as reported)
  • Date and place of marriage
  • Date of license issuance and license number or book/page reference (format varies by era and system)
  • Officiant name/title and certification/return information
  • Parties’ ages or dates of birth as recorded, and other identifying information collected under Illinois marriage licensing requirements (content varies by time period and form version)

• Divorce decree (judgment for dissolution of marriage)

  • Court name and case number
  • Names of the parties
  • Date of judgment and findings required by Illinois law (for example, dissolution grounds under Illinois’ no-fault framework)
  • Orders and allocations that may include: parenting responsibilities/parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, allocation of property and debts, name restoration, and other relief granted

• Annulment (declaration of invalidity of marriage) order

  • Court name and case number
  • Names of the parties
  • Date of judgment and the legal basis for invalidity as determined by the court
  • Related orders addressing property, support, and parenting matters where applicable

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Marriage records

  • Marriage records are generally treated as public records in Illinois, but access to certified copies is controlled by the custodian office’s identification and issuance rules. Older records are commonly available for genealogical and public record purposes; more recent records may have practical access limits tied to certification requirements.

• Divorce and annulment court records

  • Illinois court records are generally public, but access can be limited by:
    • Sealed cases/sealed documents by court order
    • Confidential information rules requiring redaction of personal identifiers (such as Social Security numbers and certain financial account information) and protection of minors’ information in specific contexts
    • Statutory confidentiality for particular filings or exhibits (for example, certain health information, child-related evaluations, or protected addresses), when applicable
  • Certified copies of judgments are issued by the Circuit Clerk under court record certification procedures.

• Certified vs. informational copies

  • County clerks and circuit clerks distinguish between certified copies (court- or office-certified for legal use) and informational/plain copies (where available). Legal acceptance typically requires certified copies.

Johnson County is a rural county in far southern Illinois (the “Little Egypt” region) anchored by the Vienna area, with widely dispersed small communities and extensive agricultural and forested land. Population levels are small relative to most Illinois counties and have generally trended downward over recent decades; the county’s settlement pattern and services reflect a rural context with long travel distances between towns and school campuses. (For baseline geography and demographics, see the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile for Johnson County.)

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Johnson County’s public K–12 education is primarily served by two districts:

• Johnson County Community Unit School District 1 (JC CUSD 1) – commonly known as the Johnson County schools (Vienna area), including Johnson County Grade School and Johnson County High School.
• Goreville Community Unit School District 1 (Goreville CUSD 1) – serving the Goreville area, including Goreville Grade School and Goreville High School.

School listings and district footprints are reflected in the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) School Directory.
Proxy note: A countywide count of “public schools” varies by how campuses are counted (elementary/grade, middle, high, attendance centers); the directory is the authoritative source for current campus rosters.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: District and school-level ratios are reported in ISBE “School Report Card” profiles; rural southern Illinois districts typically fall in the low-to-mid teens students per teacher. The most current district-specific ratios should be taken from the relevant district report cards in the Illinois Report Card system.
• Graduation rates: Four-year high school graduation rates are also published in the Illinois Report Card. Johnson County’s graduation outcomes are generally comparable to or above many rural-state averages, but the definitive, most recent rates are the school- and cohort-specific figures in the Report Card.

Data availability note: A single countywide student–teacher ratio and countywide graduation rate are not always presented as a consolidated statistic by ISBE; district-level and school-level values are the standard reporting unit.

Adult educational attainment (high school, bachelor’s+)

Adult education levels are available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and summarized in QuickFacts:

• High school diploma or higher (age 25+): reported in QuickFacts (ACS 5-year estimates).
• Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): reported in QuickFacts (ACS 5-year estimates).

These measures are generally lower in rural southern Illinois counties than the Illinois statewide average, reflecting the region’s occupational mix and distance from major metro labor markets. The most recent county percentages are shown directly in QuickFacts.

Notable programs (STEM, CTE/vocational, AP/dual credit)

District program offerings commonly documented in Illinois Report Card and local district materials include:

• Career and Technical Education (CTE): agriculture, industrial/technical pathways, and workforce-oriented course sequences are typical in rural districts; CTE participation and course offerings are reflected in the Illinois Report Card indicators where available.
• Advanced Placement (AP) and dual credit: AP course availability varies by small-district staffing and enrollment; dual credit partnerships are common in Illinois through local community colleges and are reported in district materials and, in some cases, in state reporting.
• STEM enrichment: offerings are often embedded in science, technology, and applied learning coursework; small districts frequently use regional cooperatives and grant-supported initiatives rather than large specialized academies.

Proxy note: “Notable programs” are not consistently cataloged in one statewide field across all districts; the most consistent statewide proxies are CTE participation indicators, course-taking metrics, and postsecondary readiness measures in Illinois Report Card.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Illinois public schools typically report and implement:

• Safety planning aligned with state requirements (emergency operations plans, drills, coordination with local law enforcement and emergency management), reflected in district policy documents and compliance reporting.
• Student support services including school counseling and referral pathways; staffing levels and student support metrics vary by district size and are commonly summarized in district report materials and staffing profiles.

Data availability note: Countywide inventories of specific security hardware (e.g., controlled entry upgrades) and counseling FTE counts are not consistently available as a single county dataset; district-level documentation is the standard source.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year)

County unemployment is tracked by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS). The most recent annual and monthly figures for Johnson County are available through the BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics program.
Proxy note: Rural southern Illinois counties frequently show moderate unemployment with seasonal variation, influenced by retail/service cycles, public-sector employment, and commuting ties to nearby regional hubs.

Major industries and employment sectors

ACS sector data (industry of employed residents) commonly shows rural southern Illinois counties relying on:

• Educational services and health care/social assistance (often a leading sector for resident employment)
• Retail trade
• Manufacturing (smaller share than historic peaks but still important in the region)
• Public administration
• Construction
• Transportation/warehousing and related services in some commuting corridors
• Agriculture/forestry-related activity (often more visible in land use than in resident wage-and-salary counts due to mechanization and small business structures)

The county’s sector composition for employed residents is available via the U.S. Census Bureau data tables (ACS) and summarized in some QuickFacts profiles.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational groupings in ACS for rural counties typically show higher shares in:

• Service occupations
• Sales and office
• Transportation and material moving
• Production
• Construction and extraction
• Management/professional at lower shares than Illinois metro counties

Johnson County’s occupation profile for employed residents is available through data.census.gov ACS occupation tables.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Mean travel time to work: reported in ACS and summarized by the Census Bureau; rural counties commonly show mid‑20s minutes mean commute times, with a wide distribution due to long-distance commuters and local workers. Johnson County’s mean commute time is available in QuickFacts.
• Commuting mode: rural counties are typically car-dependent, with low public transit commuting shares; the ACS “Means of Transportation to Work” tables provide the breakdown in data.census.gov.

Local employment versus out-of-county work

Resident-work patterns in Johnson County generally include:

• Local employment in schools, county and municipal government, health services, and local retail/services.
• Out-of-county commuting to larger employment centers in surrounding southern Illinois counties and regional hubs, reflecting limited in-county job density.

A direct quantitative view of in-county versus out-of-county commuting can be derived from LEHD OnTheMap origin–destination data (U.S. Census Bureau), which reports where county residents work and where county jobs are filled from.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Johnson County’s homeownership rate and renter share are available from the ACS and summarized in QuickFacts:

• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: listed in QuickFacts.
  Rural southern Illinois counties commonly show higher homeownership than the U.S. average, reflecting single-family housing stock and lower density.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median value of owner-occupied housing units: reported in ACS and shown in QuickFacts.
• Recent trend proxy: In many non-metro Illinois counties, nominal home values have risen since 2020 but typically remain well below Illinois metro medians; transaction volumes can be thin, producing volatility in medians year to year. For market trend context, county-level sales and assessments are often supplemented by local assessor publications and multi-listing market summaries rather than a single statewide series.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent: available in ACS and summarized in QuickFacts.
  Rental markets are typically small and localized (Vienna/Goreville areas and scattered units), with limited large multifamily inventory compared with urban counties.

Types of housing

Common housing forms in Johnson County include:

• Single-family detached homes (dominant)
• Manufactured homes/mobile homes in rural areas and smaller communities
• Small multifamily properties (duplexes and small apartment buildings) concentrated near town centers
• Rural lots and acreage properties with agricultural or wooded land components, reflecting the county’s land use and low density

Housing stock characteristics (structure type, age of housing, vacancy) are available through ACS housing tables.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

• Town-centered living: Vienna and Goreville provide the closest proximity to schools, local government services, clinics, and retail essentials, with shorter in-town trip lengths.
• Rural siting: Outside town centers, housing is typically on larger parcels with longer drive times to schools, groceries, and health services; access can be influenced by state routes and proximity to regional corridors.

Proxy note: “Neighborhood” is not a standard countywide statistical unit in rural areas; amenity proximity is best characterized by town versus rural location and road-network access.

Property tax overview (rate and typical homeowner cost)

Illinois property taxes are administered locally and vary by taxing district (school, county, municipal, special districts). County-level context is available via:

• Effective property tax rate and median taxes paid: commonly summarized for Illinois counties by sources that compile ACS/local tax distributions and county financial data; a standard reference point is the Illinois Department of Revenue property tax resources along with county assessment information.
• Typical homeowner cost proxy: In rural counties with lower home values, annual tax bills can be moderate in dollars but high as a share of property value, due to Illinois’s reliance on local property taxation for schools and services. The most defensible “typical” cost measure is the county’s median real estate taxes paid from ACS, accessible through ACS tables.

Data availability note: A single “average property tax rate” is not uniform countywide because rates differ by parcel and taxing district; effective rates and median taxes paid are the most comparable county-level summaries.