City · Hancock County, Illinois

Hamilton, Illinois

Hamilton is a city in Hancock County, Illinois. It has 2,714 residents. Hamilton, Illinois has a quality-of-life score of 44 out of 100 (moderate), ranking #8,802 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Illinois it ranks #404 of 697 cities and towns. It ranks best on social associations (high), property crime rate (low) and public libraries (high). It ranks worst on grocery stores (low), effective property tax rate (high) and average weekly wage (low).

44Moderate

Quality-of-life score: #8,802 of 15,651 cities and towns
Illinois: #404 of 697 in IL
Population: 2,714 (2020-2024)
Land area: 4 mi²
Density: 762.1 /mi²
FIPS code: 1732434

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 74 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety88#1,799/15,637
Economy26#11,563/15,631
Housing51#7,323/14,977
Health56#6,812/15,609
Healthcare17#12,932/15,650
Environment47#8,175/15,453
Education66#5,285/15,649
Infrastructure20#12,560/15,650
Community52#7,436/15,651
Leisure & amenities41#9,310/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Hamilton, Illinois ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Hancock County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Social associations · high22.7 /10k
99/100Illinois 9.8 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHancock County value
Property crime rate · low182 /100k
99/100Illinois 1,508 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2024Federal Bureau of InvestigationHancock County value
Public libraries · high4.7 /10k
99/100Illinois 0.6 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesHancock County value
Drug overdose deaths · low0.0 /100k
99/100Illinois 14.2 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100k2024Centers for Disease Control and PreventionHancock County value
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Illinois 6.2 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataHancock County value
Home price to income ratio · low2.0×
92/100Illinois 3.2×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077

Weaknesses

Grocery stores · low0.6 /10k
3/100Illinois 1.9 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHancock County value
Effective property tax rate · high1.98%
8/100Illinois 1.88%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Average weekly wage · low$930
9/100Illinois $1,539United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsHancock County value
Distance to an airport · high104 mi
9/100Illinois 35 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauHancock County value
Primary care physicians · low29 /100k
11/100Illinois 82 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteHancock County value
Mental health care shortage · high18.0
11/100Illinois 12.2United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationHancock County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent as share of incomeWorsening
19.2% (2015-2019) → 32.1% (2020-2024)
+13 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
44.0% (2015-2019) → 54.2% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
79.7% (2015-2019) → 89.6% (2020-2024)
+9.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Income inequality (Gini index)Worsening
0.363 (2015-2019) → 0.513 (2020-2024)
+41%5 yearsCensus table B19083US 0.482 → 0.483
Unemployment rateImproving
9.8% (2015-2019) → 2.9% (2020-2024)
−6.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%
Child poverty rateImproving
22.3% (2015-2019) → 15.8% (2020-2024)
−6.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Hamilton, Illinois improved on 1 of 12 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 10 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Broadband+9.9 points79.7% → 89.6%

Declined1

Inequality+0.1500.363 → 0.513

All 12 measures

Change of every measure of Hamilton, Illinois between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	19.3 min2015-2019	24.5 min2020-2024	+5.1 min	Within the margin of error	10%
Bachelor's degree or higher	22.8%2015-2019	24.2%2020-2024	+1.4 points	Within the margin of error	38%
Broadband subscriptions	79.7%2015-2019	89.6%2020-2024	+9.9 points	Improved	59%
Child poverty rate	22.3%2015-2019	15.8%2020-2024	−6.5 points	Within the margin of error	74%
Effective property tax rate	1.93%2015-2019	1.98%2020-2024	+0 points	Within the margin of error	10%
High school diploma or higher	94.4%2015-2019	95.9%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Within the margin of error	54%
Home price to income ratio	1.8×2015-2019	2.0×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	69%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3632015-2019	0.5132020-2024	+0.150	Declined	1%
Median household income	$50,0872015-2019	$56,8952020-2024	+14%	Within the margin of error	21%
Poverty rate	11.0%2015-2019	14.2%2020-2024	+3.2 points	Within the margin of error	19%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent-burdened households	44.0%2015-2019	54.2%2020-2024	+10 points	Within the margin of error	23%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Hamilton, Illinois five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Hamilton, Illinois in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Hamilton, Illinois itself moved −17.7 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

2,714 residents (±149)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,143 households (±97)

Hamilton, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $25k22%†249
$25k–50k21%†243
$50k–75k

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,143 households (±97)

Hamilton, Illinois
Illinois share

Own67%768
Rent33%†375

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,197 workers (±147)

Hamilton, Illinois
Illinois share

Drive alone83%998
Carpool4.9%†59
Public transit0.0%0

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Hancock County, the county holding most of Hamilton's residents.

Hancock County has 365 employer establishments, 212 for every 10,000 residents (0.86× the US rate of 248; 0.83× Illinois's), with 2,706 paid employees at an average annual pay of $45,787. The Census Bureau also counts 1,247 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 365; 1,247 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 212; US 248 · Illinois 255
Paid employees: 2,706
Average annual pay: $45,787; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Hancock County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Religious organizations	31	18	3.25×More than typical	98	$18,388	—
Restaurants and other eating places	22	12.8	0.70×Fewer than typical	141	$23,305	9
Ambulatory health care services	15	8.7	0.42×Fewer than typical	124	$31,185	28
Gasoline stations	15	8.7	2.69×More than typical	138	$25,319	—
Truck transportation	15	8.7	1.73×More than typical	52	$56,712	55
Insurance agencies and brokerages	14	8.1	1.85×More than typical	33	$46,727	19
Specialty trade contractors	14	8.1	0.53×Fewer than typical	56	$59,893	123
Banks and credit unions	12	7	2.16×More than typical	110	$49,982	—
Construction of buildings	12	7	0.92×About typical	55	$41,909	62
Full-service restaurants	12	7	0.91×About typical	50	$24,140	4
Lessors of real estate	9	5.2	0.42×Too few to compare	66	$33,424	129
Services to buildings and dwellings	9	5.2	0.78×Too few to compare	16	$23,313	100

Rank places for an industry Open Hancock County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 17,192 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Hamilton, Illinois: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

88.3FY2017
117.7FY2018
66.2FY2019
33.1FY2020
58.9FY2021
184FY2022
73.6FY2023

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Hamilton, Illinois, so they do not add up across cities.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Hamilton is mostly in Hancock County.

See federal money in Hancock County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Hamilton, Illinois is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Mary E. MillerR-IL-15 · 100% of residentsWith party 99%Missed 3.9%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Hancock County69100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Hancock County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1732434

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends