Fastest Growing Counties in Illinois (2026)

County
Rank
Change (2020) ↓
2026 Pop.
2020 Pop.
Kendall County111.67%147,815132,364
Grundy County23.51%54,38352,538
McHenry County33.16%319,772309,977
Bond County42.72%17,31816,859
DeKalb County52.67%103,049100,366
Will County62.67%715,526696,901
Kane County72.27%528,084516,364
Champaign County82.2%210,766206,222
Brown County92.12%6,3646,232
Piatt County101.51%16,94016,688
Lake County110.95%720,188713,377
Douglas County120.7%19,91219,774
Clinton County130.69%37,16836,915
Boone County140.5%53,61053,344
DuPage County150.48%935,945931,473
Johnson County160.47%13,37913,317
Williamson County170.37%67,37667,127
Montgomery County180.25%28,31528,244
Crawford County190.24%18,67518,631
McLean County200.07%171,326171,210
Putnam County21-0.05%5,6215,624
Winnebago County22-0.2%284,383284,939
Stark County23-0.24%5,3695,382
Randolph County24-0.4%29,97230,091
Ogle County25-0.47%51,52451,765
Effingham County26-0.57%34,49734,695
Tazewell County27-0.9%130,116131,300
Coles County28-0.95%46,64147,087
Sangamon County29-0.97%194,304196,202
Woodford County30-0.99%38,02438,405
Madison County31-1.07%262,903265,746
Monroe County32-1.1%34,57534,961
Cook County33-1.2%5,200,4595,263,651
Moultrie County34-1.28%14,30014,485
Washington County35-1.31%13,54913,729
Christian County36-1.52%33,44433,960
Jersey County37-1.53%21,16521,493
Rock Island County38-1.53%142,147144,357
Shelby County39-1.54%20,59820,921
LaSalle County40-1.59%107,671109,411
Peoria County41-1.62%178,565181,505
Wayne County42-1.62%15,88116,143
Fulton County43-1.69%32,99533,562
Hamilton County44-1.74%7,8577,996
Jackson County45-1.82%52,32053,289
Adams County46-2.01%64,31865,637
Carroll County47-2.01%15,37015,686
Kankakee County48-2.02%105,236107,402
Bureau County49-2.15%32,50133,215
Hardin County50-2.16%3,5753,654
Franklin County51-2.16%36,87837,694
Jefferson County52-2.21%36,18236,998
Clark County53-2.39%15,08715,456
Henry County54-2.39%47,99749,174
Livingston County55-2.45%34,93035,808
Calhoun County56-2.48%4,2904,399
Jo Daviess County57-2.53%21,53222,090
Jasper County58-2.57%9,0159,253
Logan County59-2.68%27,14527,892
St. Clair County60-2.73%250,041257,057
Cumberland County61-2.82%10,13810,432
Marshall County62-2.89%11,37511,713
De Witt County63-2.96%14,99215,450
Macoupin County64-3%43,57944,929
Mercer County65-3.01%15,16615,637
Warren County66-3.02%16,32816,837
Ford County67-3.05%13,10613,519
Whiteside County68-3.12%53,81955,555
Pike County69-3.14%14,17614,635
Lee County70-3.19%32,97734,063
Edgar County71-3.23%16,26416,806
Morgan County72-3.28%32,39133,490
Iroquois County73-3.3%26,07826,967
Pope County74-3.41%3,6273,755
Stephenson County75-3.48%43,01844,570
Marion County76-3.7%36,26337,656
Menard County77-3.84%11,80212,273
Vermilion County78-3.98%71,06274,008
Fayette County79-3.99%20,62621,483
Schuyler County80-3.99%6,5916,865
Clay County81-3.99%12,74113,271
Saline County82-4.33%22,71423,741
Scott County83-4.48%4,8435,070
Cass County84-4.48%12,39612,978
Knox County85-4.5%47,57049,812
Perry County86-4.5%19,94420,884
Richland County87-4.67%15,07015,808
Wabash County88-4.69%10,78811,319
Union County89-4.73%16,48017,299
Macon County90-4.92%98,651103,761
Hancock County91-5.12%16,67017,570
McDonough County92-5.2%25,71727,128
Massac County93-5.32%13,38814,141
White County94-5.48%13,05113,807
Mason County95-5.49%12,33313,050
Greene County96-5.8%11,23311,924
Henderson County97-6.36%5,9376,340
Edwards County98-6.41%5,8096,207
Gallatin County99-7.78%4,5494,933
Pulaski County100-8.1%4,7575,176
Lawrence County101-9.58%13,81315,277
Alexander County102-12.43%4,5295,172

Illinois Counties Growth Overview

Illinois's counties show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2026. Kendall County leads with 1.86% annualized growth, followed by Grundy County (0.58%) and McHenry County (0.52%). The largest counties are Cook County (5,200,459), DuPage County (935,945), and Lake County (720,188). Of the 102 counties in Illinois, 20 are growing while 82 have experienced population decline. Overall, counties averaged -0.37% annualized growth, with total population growing by -0.08% annually.

Change (2020)

-0.05

-0.025

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0.025

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