RANK #19 / 996 · POP 103,542 · IL
PROJECTED GROWTH: +4.0%
Macon County, Illinois, often called "The Heart of Illinois," is distinguished by its central location and historical ties to Abraham Lincoln, who resided there in 1830. The county seat, Decatur, is approximately 40-50 miles from larger hubs like Springfield and Bloomington, with Chicago and St. Louis about a three-hour drive away. Public transportation includes the Decatur Public Transit System and SHOW Bus, offering both urban and rural routes. The flat landscape, a result of glacial activity, is home to over 3,600 acres of conservation areas, including Rock Springs Nature Center, providing opportunities for hiking, bird watching, and other outdoor activities.
Life in Macon County offers an affordable lifestyle, with a cost of living below the national average. The community tends to be conservative, with many residents owning their homes. Families have access to public schools, including top-ranked Mt. Zion Elementary and High School. The economy is experiencing developments in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, industrial biotechnology, and food ingredients, with major investments in clean energy and agricultural processing. Tourism also contributes to the local economy, with events like the Farm Progress Show drawing visitors.
Well below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Housing looks undervalued at 1.8x — home prices are low relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Broadwing Energy Plant with Carbon Capture
Warwick Carbon Solutions (in partnership with ADM and Google)
|
$500M | Under Construction |
|
Macon County Solar Project
Doral LLC
|
$345M | Planned |
|
Rebuild Illinois Infrastructure Projects (Macon County Portion)
Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT)
|
$195M | Under Construction |
|
Leghorn 345 kV Solar Project
Undisclosed
|
$180M | Planned |
|
Rockies Express Pipeline (REX) Decatur Lateral
Rockies Express Pipeline LLC (REX) / Tallgrass
|
$115M | Planned |
|
Faraday Battery Storage Project
Undisclosed
|
$100M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 996 counties.
Macon County has a Boom Town Index score of 98/100, ranking #19 among 996 U.S. counties. With job growth at -1.0% and a median household income of $59,622, it's an above-average county on economic indicators.
The median home value in Macon County is $119,800 with median rent at $774/month. The income-to-home-value ratio is 0.4977, which is more affordable than the national average.
Population growth: -0.8% year-over-year. Job growth: -1.0%. Home values changed +8.3% in the past 12 months.
Yes — 2.56% of Macon County's population moved from another state, which is above the national average and indicates strong in-migration.