Montgomery County

Montgomery County is located in south-central Illinois, roughly midway between Springfield and St. Louis, and forms part of the state’s transitioning zone between the central prairies and the Metro East region. Established in 1821 and named for U.S. Army officer Richard Montgomery, the county developed around agriculture and later rail connections that supported small manufacturing and local trade. It is a mid-sized county by Illinois standards, with a population of about 28,000 people. Land use is predominantly rural, characterized by flat to gently rolling farmland interspersed with small towns and stream corridors within the Kaskaskia River watershed. The local economy centers on row-crop agriculture and related services, along with light industry and logistics tied to regional transportation routes. Civic and commercial activity is concentrated in Hillsboro, the county seat, which also serves as a hub for county government and community institutions.

Montgomery County is located in south-central Illinois, part of the state’s greater St. Louis Metro East–adjacent region and centered on the county seat of Hillsboro. It lies along the Interstate 55 corridor between Springfield and the St. Louis area.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Montgomery County, Illinois, the county’s population was 28,134 (2020 Census). QuickFacts also reports a 2023 population estimate for the county.

Age & Gender

The U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile provides county-level age and sex indicators, including:

• Age distribution (percent under 18, 65 and older, and related summary measures such as median age where available in the QuickFacts table)
• Gender (sex) composition (percent female and male)

For the most current, detailed age-by-year and sex breakdowns, the primary source is the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) tables accessed via data.census.gov (search “Montgomery County, Illinois” and use topics/filters for Age and Sex).

Racial & Ethnic Composition

County-level race and Hispanic/Latino origin statistics are reported in the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile, including:

• Race categories (such as White, Black or African American, Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Two or More Races)
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

For standardized decennial counts and detailed cross-tabulations (race by age, race by geography, etc.), use data.census.gov and select 2020 Census (Decennial) tables for Montgomery County.

Household & Housing Data

The U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts profile includes key household and housing indicators at the county level, including:

• Number of households and persons per household
• Owner-occupied housing rate
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units
• Median gross rent
• Housing units totals and related measures included in QuickFacts

For county planning and local administrative context, visit the Montgomery County, Illinois official website.

Note on data presentation: Exact numeric values for age distribution, gender ratio, race/ethnicity, and household/housing measures are published in the linked Census Bureau profiles and tables; presenting figures directly requires selecting the specific year and table release being cited (e.g., 2020 Decennial vs. 2023 ACS/QuickFacts estimates).

Montgomery County, Illinois is largely rural with small population centers, so longer distances between households and fewer providers can constrain fixed-network buildout and shape reliance on broadband-enabled communication such as email.

Direct county-level email-usage rates are not routinely published; email adoption is commonly proxied using household internet, broadband subscription, and computer access measures from the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) and related American Community Survey tables.

Digital access indicators

County patterns in broadband subscriptions and desktop/laptop availability serve as the main indicators of likely email access. Lower fixed-broadband availability or affordability typically reduces consistent email access for job applications, education portals, and government services that require stable connections.

Age and gender distribution

Age structure influences email use because older cohorts are less likely to adopt new accounts and more likely to face accessibility barriers; age distributions for the county are available via U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts. Gender distributions are generally less predictive of email adoption than age and connectivity and are mainly relevant through differences in labor-force participation and caregiving roles rather than access.

Connectivity and infrastructure limitations

Rural last-mile coverage gaps and variable speeds are reflected in provider-availability maps such as the FCC National Broadband Map, which can indicate where email access may be intermittent.

Montgomery County is in south-central Illinois, anchored by Hillsboro (the county seat) and characterized by small towns separated by extensive agricultural land. The county’s low population density and relatively flat terrain generally favor wide-area radio propagation, but long distances between towers and fewer fiber backhaul routes can limit capacity and contribute to coverage gaps away from town centers. These geographic and settlement patterns are relevant for mobile connectivity because network buildout economics, tower spacing, and backhaul availability tend to differ substantially from those in the Chicago metro area.

Data scope and key distinctions (availability vs. adoption)

Network availability describes where mobile service (voice/LTE/5G) is reported or measured to exist. Household adoption describes whether residents actually subscribe to mobile voice/data service or rely on smartphones for internet access.

County-specific adoption statistics for “mobile phone ownership” or “smartphone ownership” are often not published at the county level in standard federal tables. In practice, county-level analysis typically relies on (1) federal broadband availability datasets for where networks can be used and (2) ACS survey indicators that approximate adoption, such as whether households have cellular data plans or smartphone-only internet access.

Mobile penetration or access indicators (household adoption proxies)

County-level, publicly available measures that relate to mobile access are primarily drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS):

• Cellular data plan in the household (adoption proxy): ACS tables include household internet subscription categories, including cellular data plans. These data indicate subscription (adoption), not whether coverage exists at a given location.
  Source: American Community Survey (ACS) program information at Census.gov.

• Smartphone-only internet access (adoption proxy): ACS also supports analysis of households that rely on a cellular data plan and may lack a fixed broadband subscription. This is relevant in rural areas where fixed networks can be less available or more expensive, but ACS is survey-based and subject to sampling error at smaller geographies.
  Source: data.census.gov (ACS tables and geography filters).

Limitations: Widely cited smartphone penetration rates (for example, “percent of adults with smartphones”) are typically produced by national surveys and are not consistently available at the Montgomery County level. As a result, county-level “mobile penetration” is best represented through ACS subscription categories and device/internet access proxies rather than a direct smartphone ownership percentage.

Mobile internet usage patterns and network availability (4G LTE and 5G)

Reported availability (coverage)

• FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC) – mobile availability: The FCC publishes provider-reported mobile broadband availability (including LTE and 5G) through the National Broadband Map. This is the primary federal source for where carriers report offering mobile broadband, typically shown by technology generation and provider.
  Source: FCC National Broadband Map and the underlying FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC).

• Interpretation notes: FCC mobile availability reflects reported service availability and modeled coverage, not guaranteed in-building performance or speeds. Rural counties can have areas with reported outdoor coverage but weaker indoor reception or limited capacity during peak periods.

4G LTE usage

• LTE remains the baseline layer for broad geographic coverage in most rural and small-town settings. In counties with dispersed settlement patterns, LTE typically provides the most consistent area-wide mobile broadband footprint compared with higher-frequency 5G layers, which tend to be more localized.

5G availability and typical patterns

• 5G coverage tends to concentrate around towns, transportation corridors, and areas with denser demand and better backhaul access. In rural counties, 5G can be present as:
  • Low-band 5G (wider area coverage, smaller performance uplift over LTE in many conditions)
  • Mid-band 5G (higher capacity, often more limited footprint)
  • High-band/mmWave (very high capacity, typically confined to dense urban hotspots and less common in rural counties)

County-specific 5G footprint statements require map-based evidence (FCC map layers by technology/provider) or carrier engineering disclosures; generalized generation-by-generation claims without map confirmation are not reliable at the county scale.

Independent measurement (performance/experience)

Independent speed-test aggregators and drive-test reports can describe user-experienced performance but may have uneven sampling in rural counties. Such sources are useful for context but should be treated as complementary to FCC availability.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

County-level device-type breakdowns (smartphones vs. flip phones vs. hotspots) are not commonly published in official datasets. The best publicly available county-relevant indicators are ACS household device and internet access measures:

• Smartphone presence (household-level): ACS includes indicators related to computing devices and can support analysis of households’ access to internet-enabled devices. This provides a partial view of device prevalence but does not directly quantify “smartphone share” among individuals.
  Source: ACS tables on data.census.gov.

• Mobile-only internet reliance (usage pattern proxy): In areas with gaps in fixed broadband, a higher share of households may rely on cellular data plans for home internet tasks. This suggests heavier smartphone and/or hotspot use, but ACS does not reliably separate smartphone data use from dedicated hotspot devices in a way that yields a clean county-level “device type mix.”

Limitations: Precise county-level distributions of device types (smartphone vs. basic phone) and device brands/OS shares are generally proprietary (carrier or market research) and not available as official public statistics.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage and connectivity

Rural settlement pattern and tower economics (availability driver)

• Lower density increases per-user infrastructure cost, affecting tower density and backhaul investment. This can influence both coverage quality and capacity, especially outside incorporated areas.
• Flat agricultural terrain can support longer line-of-sight propagation, which can help coverage reach, but distance to sites and limited backhaul can still constrain performance.

Income, age, and household characteristics (adoption driver)

• ACS and other Census products can be used to analyze:

  • Income and poverty (associated with subscription affordability and device replacement cycles)
  • Age distribution (older populations often show different adoption patterns and usage intensity)
  • Household composition (single-person households, seniors living alone, and multi-person households can have different subscription choices)

  Source for demographic context: Census QuickFacts (county profiles) and data.census.gov (detailed tables).

Fixed broadband alternatives (substitution effects)

• Where fixed broadband is limited or costly, households can substitute mobile broadband for some uses. Conversely, where fixed broadband is available and affordable, mobile data may be used more as a complement (on-the-go connectivity). County-level substitution patterns are typically inferred from ACS subscription categories (fixed vs. cellular) rather than directly observed usage logs.

Local and state broadband planning context

Illinois broadband planning and grant programs can influence backhaul expansion and tower siting feasibility over time, which affects mobile network performance and expansion indirectly.
Source: Illinois Office of Broadband / Connect Illinois (DCEO).

Summary of what can be stated definitively with public data

• Availability: The most authoritative public source for Montgomery County’s reported LTE/5G availability by provider and technology is the FCC National Broadband Map (BDC).
  Source: FCC National Broadband Map.

• Adoption: The most consistent public source for Montgomery County household-level indicators related to mobile internet adoption is the ACS, especially cellular data plan subscription categories and related internet access measures.
  Source: data.census.gov (ACS).

• Device types and detailed usage: County-level breakdowns of smartphones vs. non-smartphones and fine-grained mobile usage patterns are not typically available from official public datasets; ACS provides only indirect household proxies rather than a direct device market share measure.

Montgomery County is in south-central Illinois along the Interstate 55 corridor, with Hillsboro as the county seat and proximity to the Springfield and St. Louis media markets. Its mix of small towns and rural areas, a commuting workforce, and reliance on regional institutions (schools, local government, healthcare, and small businesses) tends to align social media use with broader Midwestern and rural-U.S. patterns: high reliance on mobile access, strong use of a few dominant platforms, and heavier engagement with community, news, and marketplace content.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

• Overall adult social media use: About 7 in 10 U.S. adults (≈69%) use at least one social media site, a commonly used benchmark for county-level expectations in the absence of county-specific surveys. Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet.
• Broadband and device context: Social media participation in rural areas is more sensitive to connectivity and device access; national data show rural adults are less likely than urban/suburban adults to have home broadband, and more likely to rely on smartphones for internet tasks. Source: Pew Research Center: Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet.

Age group trends

National patterns that typically generalize to counties without bespoke polling:

• 18–29: Highest usage across most major platforms (near-universal use of at least one platform; strongest adoption of Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok).
• 30–49: Very high overall use; heavy Facebook, YouTube, Instagram; increasing TikTok adoption.
• 50–64: Majority use; Facebook and YouTube dominate; Instagram lower.
• 65+: Lower overall use than younger groups, but Facebook and YouTube remain the primary platforms among users. Sources: Pew Research Center social media fact sheet and Pew Research Center research on Americans’ social media use (2024).

Gender breakdown

• Overall: Women report slightly higher social media use than men in national survey data.
• Platform tendencies: Women tend to over-index on visually oriented and socially networked platforms (notably Pinterest and, to a lesser extent, Instagram), while men often over-index modestly on YouTube and Reddit in national samples. Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet (gender by platform).

Most-used platforms (percent of U.S. adults)

County-level platform shares are not consistently measured; the most reliable proxy is national platform usage among adults:

• YouTube: ~83%
• Facebook: ~68%
• Instagram: ~47%
• Pinterest: ~35%
• TikTok: ~33%
• LinkedIn: ~30%
• X (Twitter): ~22%
• Snapchat: ~27%
• WhatsApp: ~29%
• Reddit: ~22% Source: Pew Research Center: Social Media Fact Sheet.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Community and local-information use: In small-county settings, Facebook commonly functions as a primary channel for local announcements, community groups, school and municipal updates, and informal commerce (marketplace-style posting), consistent with Facebook’s broad reach among U.S. adults. Source for reach: Pew Research Center platform penetration.
• Video-centric engagement: YouTube’s very high penetration supports routine use for how-to content, entertainment, and local/regional news clips; short-form video growth is reflected in TikTok’s rising adult adoption, strongest among younger adults. Sources: Pew Research Center platform data; Pew Research Center (2024) usage trends.
• Age-driven platform separation: Younger residents are more likely to concentrate attention on TikTok/Instagram/Snapchat, while older residents concentrate on Facebook/YouTube, producing different content formats (short video and creator-led feeds vs. group-based/community feeds). Source: Pew Research Center age-by-platform patterns.
• Mobile-first usage in rural areas: Rural connectivity constraints and smartphone reliance contribute to heavier consumption of mobile-friendly formats (short video, messaging, lightweight browsing) relative to bandwidth-intensive or work-network-focused use. Source: Pew Research Center: Internet/Broadband Fact Sheet.

Montgomery County, Illinois maintains family-related records primarily through the County Clerk and the Circuit Clerk. The Montgomery County Clerk keeps vital records such as birth and death certificates, along with marriage and civil union records, and issues certified copies under Illinois Vital Records rules. Information and office access details are posted on the Montgomery County Clerk page. Divorce records are handled as court case records through the Circuit Clerk; filing and case access information is available via the Montgomery County Circuit Clerk.

Adoption records are generally maintained within the court system and, in Illinois, are typically confidential and subject to statutory restrictions; access commonly requires authorized eligibility and documentation.

Public online databases for vital records are limited. Montgomery County provides general offices and contact information through the county website (Montgomery County, IL), while statewide electronic case access for participating counties is provided through the Illinois Courts portal (Illinois Courts). Many requests for certified vital records are completed by application in person or by mail through the County Clerk.

Privacy restrictions apply to birth and death records, with certified copies typically limited to eligible requesters; court files may include sealed or restricted documents, especially in matters involving minors and adoption.

Types of records available

• Marriage records (licenses and certificates/returns)
  • Montgomery County issues marriage licenses through the Montgomery County Clerk. After the ceremony, the officiant completes the marriage certificate/return, which is filed with the County Clerk and becomes the official county marriage record.
• Divorce records (court case files and judgments)
  • Divorces are handled in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County. The official court record typically includes a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage (divorce decree/judgment) and related pleadings and orders.
• Annulments (declarations of invalidity)
  • Illinois treats annulments as a court proceeding resulting in a Judgment of Declaration of Invalidity of Marriage (or similarly titled order). These are maintained with the Circuit Court as a civil/domestic relations case record.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

• Montgomery County marriage records
  • Filed/maintained by: Montgomery County Clerk (vital records function for the county).
  • Access: Requests are handled by the County Clerk’s office, generally via in-person or written application procedures for certified copies and verification. Index information may also be available through county-level search tools or state-level indexes depending on the time period and format.
  • State-level context: Illinois marriage records are also part of state vital records systems in varying forms; certified copies for marriage events are commonly obtainable through the county of occurrence and, for some purposes, through the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Division of Vital Records.
    • IDPH: https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/birth-death-other-records.html
• Montgomery County divorce and annulment records
  • Filed/maintained by: Clerk of the Circuit Court of Montgomery County (official custodian of court case files).
  • Access: Case records are accessed through the Circuit Clerk’s public record processes, which may include in-person review, copies, and case lookup systems. The availability of online access varies by court and record type. Certified copies of judgments and orders are issued by the Circuit Clerk.
  • State-level context: IDPH issues verification letters for divorces (not certified copies of divorce decrees) for eligible requestors for certain time frames. Certified decrees generally come from the Circuit Clerk where the case was filed.
    • IDPH divorce verification: https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/birth-death-other-records/divorce-records.html

Typical information included in these records

• Marriage license / marriage record
  • Full names of the parties (including prior names in some cases)
  • Date and place of marriage (or intended place on the license; actual ceremony details on the return)
  • Ages and/or dates of birth (format varies by era and form)
  • Residences and/or addresses at time of application
  • Names of parents (often included historically and on many forms)
  • Officiant name/title and date the marriage was solemnized
  • License number, filing date, and clerk certification/seal on certified copies
• Divorce case file / judgment for dissolution
  • Caption (party names), case number, filing date, and venue (Montgomery County Circuit Court)
  • Type of action (dissolution of marriage; legal separation; declaration of invalidity)
  • Judgment date and findings required by Illinois law (jurisdictional/residency findings, grounds as applicable under no-fault dissolution framework)
  • Orders on allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time (where applicable)
  • Child support and maintenance (spousal support) terms (where applicable)
  • Property distribution and debt allocation terms
  • Name restoration orders (where requested and granted)
  • Related orders (temporary orders, protection-related orders when part of the court file, contempt/enforcement orders, and post-judgment modifications)

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Marriage records
  • Illinois treats marriage records as vital records. Access to certified copies is commonly limited to the persons named on the record and other legally authorized requestors, depending on the record type and the issuing office’s policies and applicable statutes/rules. Identification and fee requirements are typical for certified copies.
  • Public access may exist to index information (names, dates, license numbers) through historical registers and some searchable databases, while certified copies and certain details may be restricted by law or policy.
• Divorce and annulment records
  • Court records are generally presumed public, but access is limited by court rules and judicial orders. Records or portions of records may be impounded/sealed (for example, to protect children, sensitive financial information, or other confidential material).
  • Certain personal identifiers and sensitive data (such as Social Security numbers, minors’ personal data, and some financial account information) are subject to redaction requirements under Illinois court rules.
  • IDPH does not issue certified divorce decrees; it provides verification for eligible requestors within its maintained time periods. Certified copies of divorce judgments and invalidity judgments are obtained from the Clerk of the Circuit Court where the case was filed.

Montgomery County is in south-central Illinois, with its county seat in Hillsboro and a predominantly small-town and rural settlement pattern across a large land area. The county’s population is relatively older than Illinois overall and is distributed among a few small municipalities (notably Hillsboro and Litchfield) and extensive unincorporated areas, shaping a community context in which schools, healthcare, and county government are major local anchors. (County-level demographics and many of the measures below are commonly reported through the U.S. Census Bureau data portal and BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.)

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Montgomery County’s public K–12 education is primarily provided by multiple local unit districts serving the county’s municipalities and surrounding rural areas. A complete, authoritative count and school-by-school roster varies year-to-year due to consolidations and campus configurations; the most reliable directory-style reference is the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) district/school directory. Major public districts serving the county include:

• Hillsboro Community Unit School District 3
• Litchfield Community Unit School District 12
• Panhandle Community Unit School District 2
• Nokomis Community Unit School District 22
• Waverly Community Unit School District 6

School names (individual buildings) are available through the ISBE directory and district websites; a countywide list is not consistently maintained as a single dataset outside ISBE’s directory framework.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: Countywide, building-level student–teacher ratios are typically reported by district/school in ISBE report cards rather than as a single county aggregate. In downstate Illinois districts of similar size and density, ratios commonly fall in the mid-teens (roughly ~13–17 students per teacher); this range is a proxy and not a verified countywide figure. The most current verified ratios by school are published in the Illinois Report Card.
• Graduation rates: Illinois publishes 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rates by high school and district via the Illinois Report Card. A single consolidated county graduation rate is not consistently published; the most recent verified rates are available by each high school through the Illinois Report Card (district/school profiles).

Adult education levels

The most consistently used adult attainment measures come from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) tables for residents age 25+. County-specific levels should be cited directly from ACS (via data.census.gov) for the latest 5-year release. Broadly, counties with similar rural composition in south-central Illinois tend to show:

• A high share with high school diploma or equivalent (including GED) as the most common terminal credential
• A smaller share with bachelor’s degree or higher than statewide and national averages
  (These statements describe typical regional patterns; Montgomery County’s exact percentages should be taken from the latest ACS 5-year estimates for “Educational Attainment.”)

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, Advanced Placement)

Program availability varies by district and high school size:

• Career and Technical Education (CTE)/vocational coursework is common in downstate unit districts and is typically reported through Illinois Report Card indicators (CTE participation, dual credit, industry credentials where applicable).
• Dual credit/dual enrollment opportunities are widely used in Illinois through partnerships with community colleges and regional providers; district-level participation is reported via Illinois Report Card metrics.
• Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings often exist but can be limited in smaller rural high schools; AP participation and performance are reported in Illinois Report Card high school profiles. Verified program inventories are best documented through district course catalogs and the Illinois Report Card.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Illinois districts generally report safety-related policies and student supports through board policies and state reporting frameworks. Commonly documented measures include:

• Secure entry/visitor management procedures and staff training (district policy level)
• School resource officer (SRO) or law-enforcement coordination in some communities (varies by district)
• Student services teams, including school counselors and referral pathways for behavioral health supports
  District-specific safety plans are not fully public in all cases for security reasons; counseling staffing and student support services are typically summarized in district/student services information and, in some cases, in state/federal accountability documentation.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

The official county unemployment rate is published through BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics. The most recent annual and monthly county rates are available via BLS LAUS (select Illinois → Montgomery County). A single definitive rate is not provided here because the value changes monthly and the prompt requires the most recent year available; BLS is the authoritative source for the latest annual average.

Major industries and employment sectors

Montgomery County’s employment base reflects a typical rural county mix:

• Public administration (county government and related services)
• Education and health services (school districts, clinics, long-term care)
• Retail trade and accommodation/food services (local-serving employment)
• Manufacturing and construction (often smaller plants and trades)
• Transportation/warehousing and logistics (regionally connected roles)
• Agriculture remains an important land use and contributor to the local economy, though many agricultural roles may not appear as large “employment” totals in standard wage-and-salary datasets.

For standardized sector breakdowns, the Census Bureau’s ACS “Industry by Occupation” tables and the County Business Patterns program provide consistent county-level reference points.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational distributions in similar downstate counties are commonly concentrated in:

• Management, business, and financial operations
• Office and administrative support
• Sales and related
• Healthcare support and practitioner roles
• Production, transportation, and material moving
• Construction and extraction
• Education (teachers and support staff)
  Definitive county occupation shares are available via ACS occupation tables on data.census.gov.

Commuting patterns and mean commute times

Commuting in Montgomery County is shaped by rural distances and a limited number of local employment hubs:

• Primary mode: driving alone is typically the dominant commute mode in rural Illinois counties (proxy statement; county-specific mode shares are published in ACS commuting tables).
• Mean commute time: rural counties in this region often show mean commute times in the mid‑20 minute range (proxy); the precise Montgomery County mean is available from ACS “Travel Time to Work” tables.

Local employment versus out-of-county work

Out-commuting is common in rural counties where specialized jobs cluster in nearby regional centers. Montgomery County residents commonly work:

• Within the county in schools, healthcare, county/municipal services, retail, and local manufacturing/trades
• Outside the county for higher-wage or specialized employment, consistent with broader downstate Illinois commuting patterns
  County-to-county commuting flows are documented by the Census Bureau’s OnTheMap application (LEHD), which provides residence-to-workplace flow estimates.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Montgomery County’s housing tenure (owner-occupied vs renter-occupied) is reported through ACS housing tenure tables on data.census.gov. Rural Illinois counties typically have homeownership majorities and relatively smaller rental shares than large metropolitan counties (proxy characterization). Definitive county percentages should be taken from the latest ACS 5‑year estimates.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median home value: reported in ACS “Value” tables; Montgomery County’s verified median value is available on data.census.gov.
• Trends: Like many non-metro Midwest counties, values rose notably during 2020–2023, with subsequent moderation depending on interest rates and local inventory. This is a regional trend proxy; the county’s measured trend should be confirmed using multi-year ACS comparisons and/or local assessor records.

Typical rent prices

Median gross rent is reported in ACS “Gross Rent” tables on data.census.gov. Small-town rental markets are typically characterized by:

• A limited supply of larger apartment complexes
• More single-family rentals and small multifamily buildings than urban counties
  County-specific rent medians and rent-burden measures (share paying ≥30% of income on housing) are available via ACS.

Types of housing

The county’s housing stock is typically dominated by:

• Single-family detached homes in municipalities and along rural roads
• Older housing stock in established towns (common across downstate Illinois)
• Small multifamily properties (duplexes/low-rise) in town centers
• Rural lots/farmsteads outside incorporated areas
  A standardized breakdown by structure type is reported through ACS “Units in Structure” tables.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

• In Hillsboro and Litchfield, neighborhoods tend to cluster around schools, municipal services, parks, and commercial corridors, with shorter in-town travel times to district campuses and essential services.
• In unincorporated areas, housing is more dispersed; access to schools and amenities generally requires driving, increasing reliance on county and state road networks.
  These are structural characteristics of the settlement pattern; parcel-level proximity varies by location.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

Illinois has comparatively high effective property tax burdens, and downstate counties often rely heavily on property taxes to fund schools and local services. The most consistent public reference for:

• Effective property tax rates
• Median property taxes paid
• Tax burden comparisons
  is the Census Bureau ACS (property taxes paid) and the Illinois Department of Revenue property tax resources. A single “average rate” is not uniform within the county because effective rates vary by taxing district, school district boundaries, equalized assessed value, and exemptions; typical homeowner costs are best represented by the median annual property taxes paid from ACS for owner-occupied housing units.