Coles County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Coles County, Illinois had an estimated 46,423 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 47,192, across 508 square miles. County output reached $3.51 bn in 2024, 1,112 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 17 7(a) approvals worth $6.3 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Coles County
How many people live in Coles County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202446,777
- Households20,824
- Average household size2.25
- Median household income$56,478
- Median age37.5
- Median gross rent$780 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$127,400
- Home value to household income2.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher26.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over30,304
- Population under 188,549
- Share under 1818.3 percent
- Population 65 and over8,592
- Share 65 and over18.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6429,636
- Civilian labor force23,791
- Unemployment rate6.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over62.2 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties31st of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1063rd of 3,222
Coles County is the 31st largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.3 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 18.4 percent against 18.3 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Coles County
Is Coles County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202446,423
- Census 2020 base population47,192
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.63 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-109
- Births, 2024462
- Deaths, 2024576
- Natural change, 2024-114
- Net domestic migration, 2024-191
- Net international migration, 2024196
- Total net migration, 20245
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-619
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2398th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.63 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 by more than net migration added, so the population fell even though more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Coles County
Where are people moving to Coles County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,077
- People arriving, from those returns1,810
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,278
- Net household movement-201
- Adjusted gross income arriving$49.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-18.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$45,545
- Average income of a leaving household$52,807
- Largest single originDouglas County (74 households)
- Largest single destinationChampaign County (100 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 74 | 135 | $3.7 m |
| Champaign County | 68 | 97 | $2.7 m |
| Moultrie County | 61 | 120 | $2.5 m |
| Cumberland County | 58 | 109 | $2.5 m |
| Cook County | 55 | 82 | $1.6 m |
| Effingham County | 53 | 82 | $2.2 m |
| Edgar County | 38 | 71 | $1.6 m |
| Shelby County | 36 | 62 | $1.5 m |
Households arriving report $7,262 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Douglas County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Coles County
What is the Coles County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.51 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.33 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.5 percent
- GDP change over five years38.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Illinois areas BEA publishes26th of 102
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes892nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$75,014
Output grew 5.5 percent in the latest year and 38.6 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Coles County
Employment by industry in Coles County
- Covered employment, annual average23,930
- Establishments reporting1,032
- Average annual pay$52,987
- Average weekly wage$1,019
- Health care and social assistance, employment6,880
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$59,113
- Retail trade, employment2,483
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,405
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,971
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,230
- Manufacturing, employment1,569
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$73,225
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment1,466
- Construction, employment795
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 6,880 | 127 | $59,113 |
| Retail trade | 2,483 | 142 | $33,405 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,971 | 116 | $20,230 |
| Manufacturing | 1,569 | 37 | $73,225 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,466 | 58 | $41,414 |
| Construction | 795 | 107 | $65,412 |
| Wholesale trade | 729 | 46 | $63,836 |
| Finance and insurance | 701 | 57 | $84,668 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 6,880 jobs, 28.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Coles County
How many businesses are in Coles County?
- Establishments, all industries1,112
- Employment at those establishments20,638
- Annual payroll$991.0 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coles County
Building permits in Coles County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202436
- Declared construction value permitted$3.6 m
- Single family units authorized11
- Multifamily units authorized25
- Multifamily share of units69.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$100,301
- Units authorized per 1,000 households1.7
Multifamily is 69.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Coles County
SBA loans in Coles County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded17
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$6.3 m
- Average 7(a) approval$369,312
- Median 7(a) approval$216,000
- Largest single approval$2,050,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)228
- Jobs per approval13.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active11
- Distinct industries receiving approvals16
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer11.8 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter10
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals5.9 percent
- 504 approvals recorded5
- 504 gross approval dollars$2.4 m
- Average 504 approval$478,200
- Median 504 approval$485,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval15.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved32.6
- Most active CDCSomerCor 504, Inc. (3)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$8.7 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Coles County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Coles County
Do SBA loans in Coles County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure9
- Status: Cancelled2
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 4 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Coles County
SBA lending by place in Coles County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Charleston, approvals11
- Mattoon, approvals5
- Arcola, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 11 | $5,283,200 |
| Mattoon | 5 | $767,900 |
| Arcola | 1 | $227,200 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Coles County
How large is Coles County?
- Land area508 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties52nd of 102
- Width, east to west27.3 mi
- Height, north to south21.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land92
- Establishments per square mile2.19
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coles County
Flood risk in Coles County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Coles County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 170986
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate85.7 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Coles County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Coles County (community 170986), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Coles County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 85.7 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Coles County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Coles County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202446,777
- Households20,824
- Average household size2.25
- Median household income$56,478
- Median age37.5
Common questions
Coles County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Coles County, Illinois?
The Census Bureau estimates 46,423 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 46,777, in 20,824 households, ranking 31st of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Coles County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.63 percent since the 2020 census base of 47,192, to 46,423 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 462 births against 576 deaths, with net migration of 5. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Coles County?
$56,478. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $127,400, which is 2.3 times income, and median gross rent is $780 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Coles County?
1,112 establishments, employing 20,638 people with an annual payroll of $991.0 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Coles County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 6,880 jobs, 28.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 23,930 jobs at an average annual pay of $52,987, or $1,019 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Coles County?
17 7(a) approvals totaling $6.3 m since FY2020, across 11 lenders, with a median approval of $216,000, plus 5 504 approvals worth $2.4 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Coles County?
36 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $3.6 m. Multifamily was 69.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Coles County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Coles County come from?
The largest single origin is Douglas County, with 74 households. Arriving households report an average income of $45,545 against $52,807 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Coles County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Coles County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Coles County
Cities and places in Coles.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Coles County. All 8 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | city | 17,062 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Mattoon | city | 16,586 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Oakland | city | 862 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ashmore | village | 721 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Humboldt | village | 329 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lerna | village | 226 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Trilla | CDP | 122 | None recorded | 60.5 percent here, 39.5 percent Cumberland County |
| Janesville | CDP | 39 | None recorded | 65.5 percent here, 34.5 percent Cumberland County |
A further 1 of the county's 17 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Coles County, the largest being Arcola (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby