Part of series
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2000
2019
2018
Table Of Contents
Show More
Show Less
Data updates
Updated annually and as new data becomes available
Get email notifications -->
Share this page
Cowden, IL
Key Indicators
A quick look at key numbers
Population
534
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates
Median Age
32.4
years ∙ half population younger than 32.4, half older
Diversity Index
9.1%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Nativity
0%
foreign-born population
Geographic Context
Location, size, and surroundings
About
Cowden is a village within Shelby County, Illinois, United States.
Co-ordinates
DEC39.249224° N, 88.859351° W
DMS39° 14′ 57.21″ N, 88° 51′ 33.66″ W
Population Density & area
1,328/sq mi
(513/km²)
Demographics & Living
Who lives here, how households are formed, and community composition
Population Composition
Key characteristics of the population
Sex Distribution
46.8%
male
Male
46.8%
Female
53.2%
males per 100 females
Cowden
88
Shelby County
98.3
Illinois
97.7
Nativity
0%
foreign-born population
% Foreign-born
Cowden
0%
Shelby County
1%
Illinois
14.7%
Age Distribution
How the population is spread across age groups
Median Age
32.4
years ∙ half population younger than 32.4, half older
Dependency ratio
102.3
dependents per 100 working-age adults
Cowden
102.3
Shelby County
81.7
Illinois
63.5
AGE DISTRIBUTION
Distribution of age group
Median age
| Cowden | Shelby County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age Group | |||
| Children (Under 18) | 35.2% | 21.3% | 21.8% |
| Working age (18-64) | 49.4% | 55% | 61.2% |
| Senior (65+) | 15.4% | 23.7% | 17% |
| Dependency ratio | |||
| Total dependency ratio | 102.3 | 81.7 | 63.5 |
| Child dependency ratio | 71.2 | 38.7 | 35.7 |
| Old-age dependency ratio | 31.1 | 43 | 27.8 |
Racial & Ethnic Composition
Racial and ethnic makeup and how it compares
Race & Ethnicity
Note: White, Black, and Asian refer to individuals belonging to a single race and not of Hispanic origin. Hispanics may be of any race.
Diversity Index
9.1%
chance two random people differ in race and ethnicity
Cowden
9.1%
Shelby County
7.8%
Illinois
60.5%
Note: The Diversity Index (DI), based on the Blau Index, measures the probability that two randomly selected individuals differ in race and ethnicity. Values range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (high diversity) and are shown as percentages.
RACIAL & ETHNIC COMPOSITION
Race & Ethnicity
Percentage of Cowden population
| Cowden | Shelby County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.8% | 1.2% | 18.8% |
| Mexican | 2.8% | 0.8% | 14.4% |
| Puerto Rican | 0% | 0.1% | 1.6% |
| Cuban | 0% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Other Hispanic / Latino | 0% | 0.3% | 2.5% |
| Not Hispanic or Latino | 97.2% | 98.8% | 81.2% |
| One race | 95.7% | 96.8% | 77.8% |
| White | 95.3% | 96% | 58.1% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 0.2% | 13.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 0% | 0.2% | 5.9% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Some Other Race | 0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races (Multiracial) | 1.5% | 2% | 3.4% |
Household & Families Composition
Household size, type, and family structure
Household structure
69.3%
family
Family
69.3%
Non family
30.7%
% family households
Cowden
69.3%
Shelby County
68.9%
Illinois
62.2%
Average household size
2.6
persons per household
Household & Family COMPOSITION
Households
Percentage of Cowden population
| Cowden | Shelby County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total households | 205 | 8,918 | 5,036,449 |
| Average houshold size | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.46 |
| Family households | 142 | 6,144 | 3,130,978 |
| Average family size | 3.15 | 2.76 | 3.14 |
| Married couple family | 87 | 4,891 | 2,282,435 |
| Other families | 55 | 1,253 | 848,543 |
| Male householder | 18 | 353 | 248,521 |
| Female householder | 37 | 900 | 600,022 |
| Non-family households | 63 | 2,774 | 1,905,471 |
| One-person households | 61 | 2,374 | 1,569,881 |
| Male householder | 23 | 1,206 | 712,191 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 5 | 563 | 210,051 |
| Female householder | 38 | 1,168 | 857,690 |
| Senior (65+) living alone | 17 | 751 | 417,870 |
| Other living arrangements | 2 | 400 | 335,590 |
Housing Profile
Housing stock, ownership, rentals, and cost burdens
Total housing units
227
housing units
Cowden
227
Shelby County
10,060
Illinois
5,457,452
Occupancy status
90.3%
occupied
Occupied
90.3%
Vacant
9.7%
vacancy rate
Cowden
9.7%
Shelby County
11.4%
Illinois
7.7%
Housing Characteristics
How the housing supply is structured and used
Types of Housing unit
73.1%
Single family houses
Median Year Built
1966
Half of houses were built before 1966, and half after.
Note: Median year built reflects occupied units only; distribution includes all units.
Housing Characteristics
Units, rooms & bedrooms
Physical characteristics of housing units
| Cowden | Shelby County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms per unit | |||
| Median rooms | 5.4 | 6 | 5.6 |
| 1–3 rooms | 13.6% | 6.9% | 14.6% |
| 4–6 rooms | 55.5% | 53% | 50.9% |
| 7+ rooms | 30.9% | 40.1% | 34.6% |
| Bedrooms | |||
| No bedroom / studio | 6.6% | 0.9% | 3.1% |
| 1 bedroom | 10.1% | 7% | 11.5% |
| 2 bedrooms | 32.6% | 26.5% | 27.7% |
| 3 bedrooms | 33.5% | 49.5% | 35.8% |
| 4+ bedrooms | 17.2% | 16.1% | 21.7% |
| At a glance | |||
| Median year built | 1966 | 1968 | 1971 |
| Total housing units | 227 | 10,060 | 5,457,452 |
Occupancy Profile
Who is inside and how they use it
Homeownership
63.9%
owners
Renter-occupied
36.1%
Owner-occupied
63.9%
homeownership rate
Cowden
63.9%
Shelby County
78.4%
Illinois
67.1%
Average household size
2.8
Owner-occupied
2.26
Renter-occupied
owner-occupied average size
Cowden
2.8
Shelby County
2.37
Illinois
2.62
Housing Characteristics
Occupied unit characteristics
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Cowden | Shelby County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total occupied units | 205 | 8,918 | 5,036,449 |
| Year moved in | |||
| 2020 or later | 17.5% | 14.6% | 23.3% |
| 2010 to 2019 | 42.9% | 37.1% | 38.1% |
| 2000 to 2009 | 16.6% | 19.6% | 17.3% |
| 1999 or earlier | 22.9% | 28.6% | 21.3% |
| Occupants per room | |||
| 1.00 or fewer | 97.1% | 97.3% | 97.5% |
| 1.01 to 1.50 | 1% | 2.4% | 1.6% |
| 1.51 or more | 2% | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Vehicles availability | |||
| No vehicles | 1.5% | 4.9% | 11% |
| 1 vehicle | 26.8% | 24.5% | 35.7% |
| 2 vehicles | 45.9% | 41.1% | 35.1% |
| 3 or more vehicles | 25.9% | 29.4% | 18.3% |
| House heating fuel used | |||
| Gas | 72.2% | 74.4% | 79.5% |
| Electricity | 22.9% | 21.5% | 18.6% |
| Solar | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Fuel oil, kerosene etc | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| All other fuels | 4.9% | 4.1% | 0.8% |
| No fuel used | 0% | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| Selected characteristics | |||
| Lacking complete plumbing | 0% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Lacking complete kitchen | 0% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| No telephone service available | 1% | 0.6% | 0.8% |
Housing Value
What owner-occupied units are worth
Median home value
$77,000
owner-occupied units
Housing Cost Burden
27%
of homeowners with a mortgage are cost-burdened
Note: Households spending 30% or more of their income on housing costs are considered cost-burdened.
Financial characteristics
Property value and housing costs
Tenure, crowding, and utilities
| Cowden | Shelby County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property value | |||
| Median Value | $77,000 | $137,100 | $263,300 |
| Under $100,000 | 76.4% | 33.1% | 13.7% |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | 15.3% | 34.9% | 21.5% |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | 8.4% | 14.9% | 22.3% |
| $300,000 - $500,000 | 0% | 14% | 27.7% |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | 0% | 2.6% | 12.1% |
| $1,000,000 and more | 0% | 0.6% | 2.7% |
| Owner-occupied households | |||
| With a mortgage | 48.1% | 46.7% | 60.8% |
| Without a mortgage | 51.9% | 53.3% | 39.2% |
| Median monthly owner costs | |||
| With a mortgage | $988 | $1,226 | $1,987 |
| Without a mortgage | $500 | $580 | $792 |
| Gross rent | |||
| Median rent | $698 | $814 | $1,274 |
Education Profile
How educated is the community and how education pays off
Adults with a college degree
10.1%
of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher
Cowden
10.1%
Shelby County
18.3%
Illinois
37.8%
Adults without a high school diploma
9.1%
of adults (25+) without a high school diploma
Cowden
9.1%
Shelby County
5.1%
Illinois
9.6%
School Enrollment
Who is enrolled in school and at what level
School enrollment
148
population (age 3+) enrolled in school
College-going rate (18-24 yr olds)
27.1%
of 18-24-year-olds in college or graduate school
Enrollment & school type
Enrollment levels, college-going rate, and public vs private school split
Population 3+ currently enrolled in a school
| Cowden | Shelby County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total enrolled (age 3+) | 148 | 4,264 | 3,051,569 |
| Nursery / preschool | 10.8% | 5.6% | 6.3% |
| K–12 | 70.3% | 77.7% | 67.3% |
| Kindergarten | 2% | 4.1% | 4.9% |
| Elementary: Grades 1–4 | 20.3% | 23.2% | 19.5% |
| Elementary: Grades 5–8 | 16.9% | 26.4% | 20.8% |
| High School: Grades 9–12 | 31.1% | 23.9% | 22.1% |
| College or graduate school | 18.9% | 16.7% | 26.4% |
| College, undergraduate | 18.9% | 16.1% | 19.8% |
| Graduate, professional school | 0% | 0.5% | 6.6% |
| College-going rate · 18-24 yr olds | 27.1% | 30.3% | 41.4% |
| School type | |||
| Public school | 89.9% | 88.1% | 80.5% |
| Private school | 10.1% | 11.9% | 19.5% |
Education Attainment by Level & Gender
What is the highest level of education completed among adults
Education attainment
287
population 25 years and over
Attainment by gender
Male vs Female
Adults (25+) · Share within each education level
Educational Attainment Overview
Distribution and key education attainment rates for adults (25+)
Highest credential completed · adults 25+
| Cowden | Shelby County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population (25+) | 287 | 15,001 | 8,767,004 |
| Less than 9th grade | 4.9% | 1.6% | 4.6% |
| 9th–12th, no diploma | 4.2% | 3.5% | 5% |
| High school diploma or GED | 40.8% | 40.7% | 25.1% |
| Some college, no degree | 24.7% | 22.6% | 19.2% |
| Associate's degree | 15.3% | 13.3% | 8.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 18.3% | 37.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4.9% | 13.8% | 22.6% |
| Graduate or professional | 5.2% | 4.5% | 15.3% |
| High School or higher | 90.9% | 94.9% | 90.5% |
Earnings by education level
percentage as applicable
Median Earnings
$50,833
Median earnings for adults 25+, by level
Poverty Rate
0%
for ages 25+, with bachelors degree or higher
Outcomes by Education Level
Earnings and poverty rates across education levels (25+)
Adults 25+
| Cowden | Shelby County | Illinois | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median earnings | |||
| Population 25+, with earnings | $50,833 | $46,771 | $55,582 |
| Less than high school graduate | $— | $33,750 | $34,655 |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | $48,750 | $41,844 | $40,965 |
| Some college or associate's degree | $60,556 | $44,598 | $47,813 |
| Bachelor's degree | $44,643 | $54,601 | $73,326 |
| Graduate or professional degree | $— | $69,914 | $91,623 |
| Poverty rates | |||
| Less than high school graduate | 15.4% | 16.6% | 21.6% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) | 30.8% | 11.4% | 14.4% |
| Some college or associate's degree | 16.5% | 8% | 9.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 0% | 2.5% | 4.5% |
About Neilsberg Research
Neilsberg Research team are data scientists with expertise in processing, analysis and visualization of big data helping small businesses make right decisions.
Share
Cite this page
Url to be used as reference
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal or tax advice. We recommend that you consult with a qualified professional such as a lawyer or accountant before making a decision. Many of the products and services featured here are from our affiliate partners. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Read advertiser disclosure.
