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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.

Carbondale, IL
Real Estate & Demographic Data






Carbondale profile


Living in Carbondale



Carbondale is a medium-sized city located in the state of Illinois. With a population of 21,717 people and nine associated neighborhoods, Carbondale is the 110th largest community in Illinois.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 7.40% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Because Carbondale has a very large number of students who are 18 years or older and in college, it is thought of as a college town. This has a major influence on local Carbondale lifestyle, entertainment, and culture in general. Life in Carbondale is very much tied to the academic calendar: when students return from the summer break in the fall, one will notice them out and about, buying groceries, out with friends, and generally getting re-acquainted with each other. In Carbondale people study hard and play hard, and there is ample opportunity to do both.

Carbondale, while not large, also appears to be attractive to some younger, educated professionals, who help shape the character of the city.

Residents of the city have the good fortune of having one of the shortest daily commutes compared to the rest of the country. On average, they spend only 16.49 minutes getting to work every day.

The citizens of Carbondale are among the most well-educated in the nation: 46.40% of adults in Carbondale have a bachelor's degree or even advanced degree, whereas the average US city has 21.84% holding at least a bachelor's degree.

The per capita income in Carbondale in 2022 was $24,038, which is low income relative to Illinois and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $96,152 for a family of four. However, Carbondale contains both very wealthy and poor people as well. Carbondale also has one of the higher rates of people living in poverty in the nation, with 37.86% of its population below the federal poverty line.

Carbondale is an extremely ethnically-diverse city. The people who call Carbondale home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Carbondale residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Carbondale include German, Irish, English, Italian, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in Carbondale is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Arabic.