62979 ZIP Code — Ridgway, IL

Gallatin County, Illinois

ZIP code 62979 is located in Ridgway, Illinois, within Gallatin County. It covers approximately 49.09 square miles and serves a population of 948 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 618.

About ZIP code 62979

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $82,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 77%, well above the national average.

The gap between median ($65,714) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. 38% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with agriculture and mining as the leading industry. The average commute of 22 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 14% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 24%.

Overall, ZIP code 62979 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

948

population

49.09

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

62979 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 62979

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 62979. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Ridgway	Acceptable
Ridgway	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

62871 Omaha (5 mi) 62954 Junction (7 mi) 62934 Equality (8.1 mi) 62930 Eldorado (9.9 mi) 62984 Shawneetown (10.2 mi) 62867 New Haven (10.3 mi) 62869 Norris City (11.8 mi) 62977 Raleigh (16 mi) 62946 Harrisburg (16.6 mi) 62817 Broughton (17.3 mi) 62931 Elizabethtown (17.5 mi) 62919 Cave In Rock (18.6 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	948
Population density	19 / sq mi
State FIPS	17
County FIPS	059

Geography
Land area	49.09 sq mi
Water area	0.19 sq mi
Latitude	37.7961
Longitude	-88.2605
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	618

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	51.2%	53.0%	37.2%
$50k – $100k	35.1%	30.4%	29.6%
$100k – $200k	13.7%	12.2%	24.4%
Over $200k	0.0%	4.4%	8.8%

Demographics & statistics

948

Population

People per sq mi

43.9

Median age

$65,714

Median household income

$46,109

Per capita income

$82,400

Median home value

$584

Median monthly rent

76.8%

Home ownership

8.0%

Poverty rate

0.7%

Unemployment

416

Housing units

13.6%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	141	14.9%
18 and over	807	85.1%
65 and over	268	28.3%
Median age	43.9 years

Race & ethnicity

White 91.4%

Two or more races 8%

Asian 0.6%

Group	Count	%
White	866	91.4%
Two or more races	76	8%
Asian	6	0.6%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	51.2%	53.0%	37.2%
$50k – $100k	35.1%	30.4%	29.6%
$100k – $200k	13.7%	12.2%	24.4%
Over $200k	0.0%	4.4%	8.8%

Under $10k 5.0%

$10k–$15k 5.6%

$15k–$25k 8.7%

$25k–$35k 15.2%

$35k–$50k 11.0%

$50k–$75k 15.6%

$75k–$100k 12.6%

$100k–$150k 15.6%

$150k–$200k 1.9%

$200k+ 8.9%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	5.0%
$10k–$15k	5.6%
$15k–$25k	8.7%
$25k–$35k	15.2%
$35k–$50k	11.0%
$50k–$75k	15.6%
$75k–$100k	12.6%
$100k–$150k	15.6%
$150k–$200k	1.9%
$200k+	8.9%
Median income	$65,714

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 27.3%

$50k–$100k 32.4%

$100k–$150k 25.9%

$150k–$200k 9.6%

$200k–$300k 1.1%

$500k–$1M 3.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$82,400
Median rent / month	$584
Owner occupied	76.8%
Renter occupied	23.2%
Vacant	11.7%
Single-family detached	84.7%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	12.2%
Median rooms	6.3
Avg household size (owned)	1.76

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	0.6%
2000–2009	4.0%
1990–1999	7.3%
1980–1989	5.7%
1970–1979	31.7%
1960–1969	9.6%
1950–1959	15.5%
1940–1949	4.0%
1939 or earlier	21.6%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	3.3%
2 bedrooms	18.5%
3 bedrooms	65.0%
4 bedrooms	11.5%
5+ bedrooms	1.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	1.9%
1 vehicle	30.1%
2 vehicles	39.0%
3 or more	29.0%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	64.5%
Electricity	14.7%
Propane / LP gas	20.8%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	178	38.5%
Cohabiting couple	15	3.2%
Male householder, no spouse	88	19.0%
Female householder, no spouse	181	39.2%
Households with children under 18	112	24.2%
Households with seniors (65+)	194	42.0%
Average household size	2.03

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	39.0%	13.9%
Married	44.5%	41.2%
Separated	0.9%	2.0%
Widowed	1.4%	29.0%
Divorced	14.2%	13.9%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.0%

Some HS, no diploma 6.4%

HS graduate 35.0%

Some college, no degree 27.5%

Associate's degree 14.5%

Bachelor's degree 9.5%

Graduate / professional 4.1%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	90.7%
Bachelor's or higher	13.6%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	20	15.2%
Kindergarten	16	12.1%
Elementary school	64	48.5%
High school	21	15.9%
College / grad school	11	8.3%

Employment

Industry of employment

Agriculture & mining 25.5%

Retail trade 20.8%

Education & healthcare 20.0%

Construction 6.8%

Wholesale trade 6.4%

Transportation & utilities 5.8%

Public administration 4.5%

Arts, food & hospitality 3.2%

Manufacturing 2.6%

Professional & management 2.6%

Other services 1.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	39.6%
Service	7.4%
Sales & office	20.2%
Natural resources & construction	26.8%
Production & transportation	6.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	80.8%
Government	8.7%
Self-employed	10.6%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	95.8%
Carpool	3.4%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	0.8%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	21.5

Poverty

All people 8.0%

Under 18 years 1.4%

18 and over 9.1%

Married-couple families 2.8%

Female-led households 7.1%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	38.3%
Retirement income	21.0%
Supplemental Security	0.4%
Cash public assistance	1.3%
Food stamps / SNAP	12.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	36.3%
High blood pressure	38.0%
High cholesterol	36.8%
Diabetes	11.9%
Heart disease	8.4%
Stroke	3.9%
Asthma	10.0%
Arthritis	32.0%
Kidney disease	3.6%
Pulmonary disease	9.3%
Cancer	8.5%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	19.6%
Binge drinking	14.0%
No physical activity	27.5%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.9%
Depression	18.2%
Fair or poor health	16.5%
Poor mental health	13.0%
Poor physical health	11.7%
No health insurance	10.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.3%
Visited dentist	62.3%
Cholesterol screening	90.4%
Teeth loss	16.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	59	7.3%

Disability	%
Any disability	23.7%
Under 18	17.0%
18–64 years	9.3%
65 and over	57.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	69.5%
Public insurance	48.8%
No insurance	1.6%
Uninsured under 19	1.4%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	920	97.0%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	942	99.4%
Born in same state	942	99.4%
Born in different state	662	69.8%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	6	0.6%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	200	21.1%
French	168	17.7%
English	95	10%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	44	4.6%
Irish	12	1.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	48.7%
Internet access	75.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 62979

What city is ZIP code 62979 in?

ZIP code 62979 is primarily assigned to Ridgway, Illinois.

What county is ZIP code 62979 in?

ZIP code 62979 falls within Gallatin County, Illinois.

Does ZIP code 62979 have an older population?

28% of residents in ZIP code 62979 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 62979?

14% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 62979 have a large retiree population?

38% of households in ZIP code 62979 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 62979?

The median home value in ZIP code 62979 is $82,400.

What timezone is ZIP code 62979 in?

ZIP code 62979 observes the CST timezone.