62521 ZIP Code — Decatur, IL
Macon County, Illinois
ZIP code 62521 is located in Decatur, Illinois, within Macon County. It covers approximately 65.97 square miles and serves a population of 33,453 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 217.
About ZIP code 62521
The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1950s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $119,000. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 73%.
Median household income is $62,955. 37% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.
The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 18 minutes is near the national average.
Educational attainment is near the national average, with 22% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.
33,453
population
65.97
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
62521 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 62521
Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 62521. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.
| City | Status |
|---|---|
| Decatur | Acceptable |
| Decatur | Preferred |
Nearby ZIP codes
62523 Decatur (1.8 mi)
62522 Decatur (4.6 mi)
62549 Mt Zion (6.2 mi)
62526 Decatur (6.5 mi)
62535 Forsyth (7.2 mi)
62544 Macon (7.4 mi)
61925 Dalton City (10.1 mi)
62501 Argenta (10.4 mi)
62554 Oreana (10.5 mi)
62573 Warrensburg (11 mi)
62551 Niantic (11.9 mi)
62513 Blue Mound (12 mi)
Demographics
updated 06/2026
| Population | |
|---|---|
| Total population | 33,453 |
| Population density | 507 / sq mi |
| State FIPS | 17 |
| County FIPS | 115 |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Land area | 65.97 sq mi |
| Water area | 3.95 sq mi |
| Latitude | 39.8179 |
| Longitude | -88.9622 |
| Timezone | Central (CT) |
| Area code | 217 |
Total population by age
Gender
Race & ethnicity
Economics
updated 06/2026
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 43.8% | 47.5% | 37.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 34.8% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 17.4% | 16.7% | 24.4% |
| Over $200k | 4.0% | 4.2% | 8.8% |
Demographics & statistics
33,453
Population
507
People per sq mi
42.1
Median age
$62,955
Median household income
$36,047
Per capita income
$119,000
Median home value
$850
Median monthly rent
73.4%
Home ownership
13.8%
Poverty rate
7.2%
Unemployment
12,574
Housing units
21.9%
Bachelor's or higher
Age distribution
Male
Female
999
Under 5
1,020
1,090
5–9
1,114
1,136
10–14
1,160
1,103
15–19
1,126
713
20–24
729
2,050
25–34
2,094
1,615
35–44
1,649
1,804
45–54
1,843
1,204
55–59
1,230
1,252
60–64
1,279
2,014
65–74
2,057
1,046
75–84
1,068
523
85+
535
← Male
Female →
Age summary
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 7,930 | 23.7% |
| 18 and over | 25,523 | 76.3% |
| 65 and over | 7,243 | 21.7% |
| Median age | 42.1 years | |
Race & ethnicity
White
75.5%
Black or African American
17.3%
Two or more races
5%
Asian
1%
Hispanic or Latino
0.7%
Other race
0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.2%
| Group | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| White | 25,427 | 75.5% |
| Black or African American | 5,820 | 17.3% |
| Two or more races | 1,698 | 5% |
| Asian | 333 | 1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 242 | 0.7% |
| Other race | 109 | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander | 57 | 0.2% |
Household income
| Income range | This ZIP | County avg | State avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50k | 43.8% | 47.5% | 37.2% |
| $50k – $100k | 34.8% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| $100k – $200k | 17.4% | 16.7% | 24.4% |
| Over $200k | 4.0% | 4.2% | 8.8% |
Under $10k
6.5%
$10k–$15k
3.6%
$15k–$25k
7.5%
$25k–$35k
8.6%
$35k–$50k
14.8%
$50k–$75k
17.3%
$75k–$100k
15.2%
$100k–$150k
15.9%
$150k–$200k
6.3%
$200k+
4.4%
| Range | % of households |
|---|---|
| Under $10k | 6.5% |
| $10k–$15k | 3.6% |
| $15k–$25k | 7.5% |
| $25k–$35k | 8.6% |
| $35k–$50k | 14.8% |
| $50k–$75k | 17.3% |
| $75k–$100k | 15.2% |
| $100k–$150k | 15.9% |
| $150k–$200k | 6.3% |
| $200k+ | 4.4% |
| Median income | $62,955 |
Housing
Home values
Under $50k
14.5%
$50k–$100k
26.6%
$100k–$150k
23.1%
$150k–$200k
15.4%
$200k–$300k
12.3%
$300k–$500k
5.3%
$500k–$1M
2.4%
$1M+
0.4%
Housing overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,000 |
| Median rent / month | $850 |
| Owner occupied | 73.4% |
| Renter occupied | 26.6% |
| Vacant | 13.7% |
| Single-family detached | 85.7% |
| Large apartment buildings | 3.8% |
| Mobile homes | 1.1% |
| Median rooms | 5.7 |
| Avg household size (owned) | 2.31 |
Year built
| Era | % |
|---|---|
| 2020 or later | 0.2% |
| 2010–2019 | 2.3% |
| 2000–2009 | 5.0% |
| 1990–1999 | 7.2% |
| 1980–1989 | 5.9% |
| 1970–1979 | 14.9% |
| 1960–1969 | 17.5% |
| 1950–1959 | 22.3% |
| 1940–1949 | 9.0% |
| 1939 or earlier | 15.7% |
Bedrooms
| Size | % of units |
|---|---|
| No bedroom (studio) | 1.6% |
| 1 bedroom | 6.3% |
| 2 bedrooms | 31.6% |
| 3 bedrooms | 46.1% |
| 4 bedrooms | 11.7% |
| 5+ bedrooms | 2.8% |
Vehicles per household
| Vehicles | % of households |
|---|---|
| No vehicle | 7.2% |
| 1 vehicle | 35.1% |
| 2 vehicles | 41.0% |
| 3 or more | 16.7% |
Heating fuel
| Fuel type | % |
|---|---|
| Utility gas | 78.6% |
| Electricity | 17.8% |
| Propane / LP gas | 2.5% |
| Fuel oil | 0.1% |
| Wood | 0.2% |
| No fuel used | 0.4% |
Households & families
| Household type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Married-couple family | 6,279 | 44.6% |
| Cohabiting couple | 829 | 5.9% |
| Male householder, no spouse | 3,061 | 21.8% |
| Female householder, no spouse | 3,904 | 27.7% |
| Households with children under 18 | 3,325 | 23.6% |
| Households with seniors (65+) | 5,019 | 35.7% |
| Average household size | 2.35 | |
Marital status
| Status | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Never married | 31.8% | 27.9% |
| Married | 50.3% | 48.1% |
| Separated | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Widowed | 4.6% | 11.4% |
| Divorced | 12.7% | 12.0% |
Education
Less than 9th grade
1.9%
Some HS, no diploma
6.1%
HS graduate
37.4%
Some college, no degree
24.1%
Associate's degree
8.7%
Bachelor's degree
15.0%
Graduate / professional
6.9%
| Metric | % |
|---|---|
| HS diploma or higher | 92.0% |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.9% |
School enrollment (ages 3–17)
| Type | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Nursery / preschool | 575 | 7.7% |
| Kindergarten | 365 | 4.9% |
| Elementary school | 3,562 | 47.9% |
| High school | 1,840 | 24.8% |
| College / grad school | 1,090 | 14.7% |
Employment
Industry of employment
Education & healthcare
22.6%
Manufacturing
19.8%
Retail trade
10.3%
Arts, food & hospitality
9.7%
Finance & real estate
7.3%
Professional & management
6.6%
Other services
6.0%
Transportation & utilities
4.6%
Public administration
4.2%
Construction
3.8%
Wholesale trade
2.0%
Information
1.6%
Agriculture & mining
1.4%
Occupation
| Category | % |
|---|---|
| Management, business & arts | 31.7% |
| Service | 18.5% |
| Sales & office | 22.1% |
| Natural resources & construction | 8.6% |
| Production & transportation | 18.9% |
Employment type
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private sector | 85.5% |
| Government | 11.0% |
| Self-employed | 3.5% |
| Unpaid family workers | 0.0% |
Commute
| Method | % |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 84.0% |
| Carpool | 7.4% |
| Public transit | 1.1% |
| Walk | 1.4% |
| Work from home | 5.4% |
| Other means | 0.7% |
| Avg commute (minutes) | 17.9 |
Poverty
All people
13.8%
Under 18 years
18.7%
18 and over
12.3%
Married-couple families
6.4%
Female-led households
25.2%
Income support
| Source | % of households |
|---|---|
| Social Security | 37.4% |
| Retirement income | 30.2% |
| Supplemental Security | 5.2% |
| Cash public assistance | 1.6% |
| Food stamps / SNAP | 14.7% |
Health indicators
| Condition | % |
|---|---|
| Obesity | 36.4% |
| High blood pressure | 36.8% |
| High cholesterol | 34.7% |
| Diabetes | 11.5% |
| Heart disease | 7.4% |
| Stroke | 3.7% |
| Asthma | 10.4% |
| Arthritis | 29.3% |
| Kidney disease | 3.3% |
| Pulmonary disease | 8.1% |
| Cancer | 7.6% |
| Behavior / access | % |
|---|---|
| Smoking | 19.6% |
| Binge drinking | 13.6% |
| No physical activity | 27.2% |
| Less than 7 hrs sleep | 32.0% |
| Depression | 17.6% |
| Fair or poor health | 16.7% |
| Poor mental health | 13.0% |
| Poor physical health | 11.1% |
| No health insurance | 11.3% |
| Visited doctor (checkup) | 79.3% |
| Visited dentist | 61.8% |
| Cholesterol screening | 90.2% |
| Teeth loss | 15.0% |
Veterans & disability
| Veterans | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Civilian veterans | 2,016 | 7.9% |
| Disability | % |
|---|---|
| Any disability | 15.0% |
| Under 18 | 4.8% |
| 18–64 years | 11.5% |
| 65 and over | 35.5% |
Health insurance coverage
| Type | % |
|---|---|
| Private insurance | 68.6% |
| Public insurance | 44.0% |
| No insurance | 4.8% |
| Uninsured under 19 | 2.2% |
Language & origin
Language spoken at home (age 5+)
| Language | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| English only | 31,434 | 94.0% |
| Spanish | 190 | 0.6% |
| Other Indo-European | 61 | 0.2% |
| Asian & Pacific Islander | 42 | 0.1% |
| Other languages | 75 | 0.2% |
Place of birth & citizenship
| Origin | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Native born (US) | 32,633 | 97.5% |
| Born in same state | 32,479 | 97.1% |
| Born in different state | 27,258 | 81.5% |
| Foreign born | 154 | 0.5% |
| Naturalized citizen | 820 | 2.5% |
| Not a US citizen | 373 | 45.5% |
Ancestry
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| French | 3,492 | 10.4% |
| Italian | 3,340 | 10% |
| Arab | 2,561 | 7.7% |
| English | 323 | 1% |
| Polish | 199 | 0.6% |
| Ancestry | Count | % |
|---|---|---|
| Irish | 76 | 0.2% |
| German | 72 | 0.2% |
| Dutch | 20 | 0.1% |
| Norwegian | 8 | 0% |
Technology access
| Metric | % of households |
|---|---|
| Computer access | 42.1% |
| Internet access | 90.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.
Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 62521
What city is ZIP code 62521 in?
ZIP code 62521 is primarily assigned to Decatur, Illinois.
What county is ZIP code 62521 in?
ZIP code 62521 falls within Macon County, Illinois.
Does ZIP code 62521 have a large retiree population?
37% of households in ZIP code 62521 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.
What is the typical home value in ZIP code 62521?
The median home value in ZIP code 62521 is $119,000.
What is the population of ZIP code 62521?
ZIP code 62521 has an estimated population of 33,453 residents, with a density of 507 people per square mile.
What is the median household income in ZIP code 62521?
The median household income in ZIP code 62521 is $62,955, below the national median of ~$75,000.
What timezone is ZIP code 62521 in?
ZIP code 62521 observes the CST timezone.