Scores by category

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

Safety95#779/15,637
Economy16#13,143/15,631
Housing62#5,687/14,977
Health50#7,816/15,609
Healthcare8#14,418/15,650
Environment42#9,019/15,453
Education32#10,629/15,649
Infrastructure10#14,027/15,650
Community46#8,416/15,651
Leisure & amenities56#6,899/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Thomson, Illinois ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Carroll 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

Firearm deaths · low0.0 /100k
99/100Illinois 10.5 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataCarroll County value
Public libraries · high3.9 /10k
98/100Illinois 0.6 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesCarroll County value
Grocery stores · high3.2 /10k
96/100Illinois 1.9 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsCarroll County value
Restaurants and bars · high14.9 /10k
95/100Illinois 10.3 /10kUnited States 9.0 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsCarroll County value
Homicide rate · low0.0 /100k
94/100Illinois 6.2 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionProvisional dataCarroll County value
Home price to income ratio · low1.9×
92/100Illinois 3.2×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077

Weaknesses

Bachelor's degree or higher · low4.4%
1/100Illinois 37.8%United States 35.7%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003High uncertainty
Gyms and fitness centers · low0.0 /10k
4/100Illinois 1.1 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsCarroll County value
Primary care physicians · low19 /100k
4/100Illinois 82 /100kUnited States 76 /100k2022University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteCarroll County value
Pharmacies · low0.6 /10k
5/100Illinois 2.0 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsCarroll County value
Effective property tax rate · high2.12%
6/100Illinois 1.88%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Dentists · low26 /100k
8/100Illinois 86 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteCarroll County value

Trends

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

PopulationRising
524 (2015-2019) → 1,757 (2020-2024)
+235%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Bachelor's degree or higherWorsening
19.9% (2015-2019) → 4.4% (2020-2024)
−15 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
High school diploma or higherWorsening
82.6% (2015-2019) → 69.7% (2020-2024)
−13 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
Child poverty rateWorsening
30.9% (2015-2019) → 40.0% (2020-2024)
+9.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Poverty rateWorsening
13.3% (2015-2019) → 21.3% (2020-2024)
+8 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
44.9% (2015-2019) → 52.1% (2020-2024)
+7.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%

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, Thomson, Illinois improved on 0 of 11 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 11 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.

Improved0

No measure improved by more than its margin of error.

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 11 measures

Change of every measure of Thomson, Illinois between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	24.2 min2015-2019	17.5 min2020-2024	−6.7 min	Within the margin of error	95%
Broadband subscriptions	83.3%2015-2019	88.0%2020-2024	+4.6 points	Within the margin of error	29%
Effective property tax rate	2.17%2015-2019	2.12%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	25%
High school diploma or higher	82.6%2015-2019	69.7%2020-2024	−13 points	Within the margin of error	1%
Home price to income ratio	2.3×2015-2019	1.9×2020-2024	−0.4×	Within the margin of error	92%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3682015-2019	0.4292020-2024	+0.061	Within the margin of error	12%
Median household income	$49,3752015-2019	$61,2502020-2024	+24%	Within the margin of error	42%
Poverty rate	13.3%2015-2019	21.3%2020-2024	+8 points	Within the margin of error	6%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	27.9%2015-2019	31.7%2020-2024	+3.8 points	Within the margin of error	28%
Rent-burdened households	44.9%2015-2019	52.1%2020-2024	+7.2 points	Within the margin of error	31%

“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 Thomson, Illinois five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Thomson, 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, Thomson, Illinois itself moved −7.7 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

1,757 residents (±91)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 30–39 men (+15.0 points).

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

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,757 residents (±91)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

White42%741
Black33%572
Hispanic or Latino21%364

Education

1,699 residents (±87)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

No high school diploma30%514
High school or GED34%578
Some college23%392

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

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

Household income

166 households (±36)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $25k16%†27
$25k–50k27%†45
$50k–75k14%†23
$75k–100k20%†34
$100k–150k9.6%†16
$150k–200k7.2%†12
$200k or more5.4%†9

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $75k–100k (+11.3 points).

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

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

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

Owners and renters

166 households (±36)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

Own69%115
Rent31%†51

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

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

49 households (±21)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $75041%†20
$750–1,00033%†16
$1,000–1,50027%†13

Home values

115 homes (±30)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $150k61%†70
$150k–250k29%†33
$250k–400k10%†12

Age of homes

203 homes (±42)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

2010 or later7.4%†15
2000–20093.9%†8
1980–199917%†35

Size of homes

203 homes (±42)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

Studio0.5%†1
1 bedroom13%†26
2 bedrooms31%†62

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

149 workers (±48)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

Drive alone84%†125
Carpool11%†16
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home1.3%†2
Other4.0%†6

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

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

147 workers (±48)

Thomson, Illinois
Illinois share

Under 15 min46%†68
15–29 min39%†57
30–44 min6.8%†10

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

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 Carroll County, the county holding most of Thomson's residents.

Carroll County has 363 employer establishments, 234 for every 10,000 residents (0.94× the US rate of 248; 0.92× Illinois's), with 3,011 paid employees at an average annual pay of $48,634. The Census Bureau also counts 964 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 363; 964 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 234; US 248 · Illinois 255
Paid employees: 3,011
Average annual pay: $48,634; US $68,342

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

Specialty trade contractors	28	18	1.16×About typical	84	$60,702	70
Restaurants and other eating places	22	14.2	0.77×Fewer than typical	183	$20,650	3
Religious organizations	17	10.9	1.97×More than typical	54	$11,907	—
Truck transportation	16	10.3	2.04×More than typical	59	$46,271	49
Ambulatory health care services	14	9	0.43×Fewer than typical	77	$57,403	18
Construction of buildings	14	9	1.19×About typical	38	$72,789	37
Full-service restaurants	14	9	1.17×About typical	90	$22,878	—
Automotive repair and maintenance	13	8.4	1.66×More than typical	32	$42,938	29
Banks and credit unions	13	8.4	2.59×More than typical	124	$48,605	—
Gasoline stations	12	7.7	2.38×More than typical	119	$32,513	—
Services to buildings and dwellings	12	7.7	1.15×About typical	23	$55,826	90
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)	11	7.1	5.84×More than typical	43	$13,814	—

Rank places for an industry Open Carroll County

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 15,540 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 $31.3K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Thomson, Illinois: $17.79 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $31.3K; +2% vs FY2025
Per resident: $17.79; US $1,994
Sole-source: 48%; US 30%
Single offer: 2.7%; 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

Federal Prison System / Bureau of Prisons$20.3K65%
Department of the Army$6,44121%
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service$4,49214%

Top recipients

NAPHCARE LLC$5,32817%
BRANDT CONSTRUCTION CO$4,90116%
AIR METHODS, LLC$4,51714%
CLARK BOAT CO., INC.$4,19113%
THOMSON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT$3,11810.0%

Spending by fiscal year

478.8KFY2017
511.7KFY2018
96.3KFY2019
58KFY2020
81.5KFY2021
67.9KFY2022
27.3KFY2023
28.8KFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Other ambulatory health care services · 6219$7,63524%
General medical and surgical hospitals · 6221$5,32817%
Other heavy and civil engineering construction · 2379$4,90116%
Ship and boat building · 3366$4,19113%
Paint, coating, and adhesive manufacturing · 3255$1,9846.3%
Other food manufacturing · 3119$1,8195.8%

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 Thomson, Illinois, so they do not add up across cities.

Thomson, Illinois's figures are part of those of Carroll County, IL ($1.5M in FY2026), never added to them: 2.0% of that total.

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

See federal money in Carroll 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.

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

House

Eric SorensenD-IL-17 · 100% of residentsWith party 92%Missed 0.7%

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.

Carroll County57100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Carroll 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/1775172

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends