Jury Pool Profile
Hancock County, Illinois
- County seat
- Carthage
- Judicial district
- 9th Judicial Circuit Court
- Population (July 2025 estimate)
- 16,803
- Census PEP. The five-year ACS survey average is 17,281.
At a glance
Hancock County is a 16,803-person venue. The county population is 94% White (Census race-alone categories). Median household income is $67,313, $16,014 below the IL state median of $83,327; 25.1% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher. 2.7% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home, most commonly Spanish. The largest employment sector is Education & health services, at 27.0% of covered employment, average pay $46,353/year. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 3.92%, below the 4.85% state average. The county carried the Republican presidential candidate in 2016, 2020, and 2024, taking 73% to 74% of the vote across the three.
- Population
- 17,281
- Median household income
- $65,865
- Unemployment
- 3.9%
Who sits on a jury?
≥70% White (race-alone) and <20% Black. This county: 94% / 1%.
Hancock County has a population of 17,281, with a median age of 46.9. By Census race-alone categories, White residents make up 94.2%; Black residents 0.7%. Independently, 2.3% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino of any race.
The median household earns $67,313; 25.1% of residents 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher; 10.9% live below the federal poverty line.
Economic context
Largest sector in BLS QCEW, even counting every withheld job toward the other sectors: Education & health services, about 27% of covered jobs.
Education & health services is the largest employment sector at 27.0% of covered employment, followed by Trade, transportation & utilities at 19.3%. Trailing-12-month unemployment is 3.92%, below the Illinois state average.
Political composition
Republican candidate carried this county in 2016, 2020, and 2024 (avg winning share: 74%). 'Strongly' threshold: ≥60% avg.
Hancock County was carried by the Republican candidate in the 2016, 2020, and 2024 cycles, with 74.1% in 2024, 73.6% in 2020, 73.1% in 2016.
Languages, households, faith & health
Family households are 64% of all households (thresholds: ≥70% = 'family-dominant'; 50–70% = 'family-majority'; <50% = 'singles/nonfamily-majority'). 2.7% of residents 5 and older speak a language other than English at home (threshold for 'linguistically diverse' is ≥10%).
2.7% of residents 5 years and older speak a language other than English at home. The most common are Spanish, German or other West Germanic, Russian, Polish, or other Slavic. Veterans account for 7.1% of the adult civilian population (962 individuals).