Wayne County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Wayne County, Illinois had an estimated 15,928 residents on July 1, 2024, down 1.7 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,206, across 714 square miles. County output reached $679.4 m in 2024, 374 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 3 7(a) approvals worth $535,000 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wayne County
How many people live in Wayne County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202415,973
- Households6,866
- Average household size2.33
- Median household income$55,521
- Median age42.8
- Median gross rent$657 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$110,700
- Home value to household income2.0 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income14.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher16.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over11,235
- Population under 183,592
- Share under 1822.5 percent
- Population 65 and over3,510
- Share 65 and over22.0 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 648,871
- Civilian labor force7,435
- Unemployment rate3.4 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.1 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties66th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2101st of 3,222
Wayne County is the 66th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.0 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.5 percent against 22.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wayne County
Is Wayne County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202415,928
- Census 2020 base population16,206
- Population change since the 2020 census base-1.72 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202453
- Births, 2024157
- Deaths, 2024240
- Natural change, 2024-83
- Net domestic migration, 202426
- Net international migration, 2024110
- Total net migration, 2024136
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-157
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2425th of 3,144
The county has lost 1.72 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wayne County
Where are people moving to Wayne County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving288
- People arriving, from those returns534
- Tax returns filed by households leaving302
- Net household movement-14
- Adjusted gross income arriving$12.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-1.2 m
- Average income of an arriving household$44,260
- Average income of a leaving household$46,159
- Largest single originClay County (27 households)
- Largest single destinationJefferson County (35 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County | 27 | 52 | $1.2 m |
| Jefferson County | 26 | 43 | $1.1 m |
| White County | 22 | 33 | $835,000 |
Households arriving report $1,899 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Clay 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.
Wayne County
What is the Wayne County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$679.4 m
- County GDP, 2023$629.1 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20248.0 percent
- GDP change over five years49.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Illinois areas BEA publishes77th of 102
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2175th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$42,536
Output grew 8.0 percent in the latest year and 49.8 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.
Wayne County
Employment by industry in Wayne County
- Covered employment, annual average4,064
- Establishments reporting379
- Average annual pay$42,917
- Average weekly wage$825
- Retail trade, employment588
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,402
- Accommodation and food services, employment353
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,336
- Wholesale trade, employment216
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$67,802
- Finance and insurance, employment146
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$60,714
- Manufacturing, employment106
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment105
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 588 | 52 | $33,402 |
| Accommodation and food services | 353 | 30 | $18,336 |
| Wholesale trade | 216 | 25 | $67,802 |
| Finance and insurance | 146 | 16 | $60,714 |
| Manufacturing | 106 | 16 | $65,213 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 105 | 20 | $49,189 |
| Construction | 84 | 26 | $48,378 |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 82 | 17 | $62,812 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 588 jobs, 14.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wayne County
How many businesses are in Wayne County?
- Establishments, all industries374
- Employment at those establishments3,561
- Annual payroll$148.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents23.4
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.
Wayne County
Building permits in Wayne County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20243
- Declared construction value permitted$600,000
- Single family units authorized3
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$200,000
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.4
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wayne County
SBA loans in Wayne County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded3
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$535,000
- Average 7(a) approval$178,333
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- Largest single approval$300,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)19
- Jobs per approval6.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active2
- Distinct industries receiving approvals3
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter2
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wayne County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wayne County
Do SBA loans in Wayne County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
Only 0 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.
Wayne County
SBA lending by place in Wayne County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending3
- Cisne, approvals1
- Fairfield, approvals1
- Xenia, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Cisne | 1 | $300,000 |
| Fairfield | 1 | $150,000 |
| Xenia | 1 | $85,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wayne County
How large is Wayne County?
- Land area714 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties23rd of 102
- Width, east to west30 mi
- Height, north to south24.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land22
- Establishments per square mile0.52
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.
Wayne County
Flood risk in Wayne County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wayne County, unincorporated areasNot participating, community 171003
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book3
- Of those, participating in the NFIP1
- NFIP participation rate33.3 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Wayne County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Wayne County (community 171003), does not participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Wayne County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 33.3 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 Wayne 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 Wayne County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202415,973
- Households6,866
- Average household size2.33
- Median household income$55,521
- Median age42.8
Common questions
Wayne County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wayne County, Illinois?
The Census Bureau estimates 15,928 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 15,973, in 6,866 households, ranking 66th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wayne County's population growing?
The population has fallen 1.72 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,206, to 15,928 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 157 births against 240 deaths, with net migration of 136. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wayne County?
$55,521. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $110,700, which is 2.0 times income, and median gross rent is $657 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wayne County?
374 establishments, employing 3,561 people with an annual payroll of $148.5 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 Wayne County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 588 jobs, 14.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,064 jobs at an average annual pay of $42,917, or $825 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wayne County?
3 7(a) approvals totaling $535,000 since FY2020, across 2 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Wayne County?
3 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $600,000. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wayne County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 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 Wayne County come from?
The largest single origin is Clay County, with 27 households. Arriving households report an average income of $44,260 against $46,159 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wayne 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 Wayne 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.
Wayne County
Cities and places in Wayne.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wayne County. All 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fairfield | city | 4,561 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Wayne City | village | 920 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cisne | village | 627 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Jeffersonville | village | 263 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mount Erie | village | 135 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mill Shoals | village | 126 | None recorded | 17.7 percent here, 82.3 percent White County |
| Sims | village | 123 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Golden Gate | village | 87 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Johnsonville | village | 72 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Keenes | village | 58 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 3 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Wayne County, the largest being Xenia (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.