61285 ZIP Code — Thomson, IL

Carroll County, Illinois

ZIP code 61285 is located in Thomson, Illinois, within Carroll County. It covers approximately 44.44 square miles and serves a population of 2,661 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 815.

About ZIP code 61285

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 $158,300. Owner-occupancy is high at 86%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $74,311. 47% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 21 minutes is near the national average.

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

Overall, ZIP code 61285 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

2,661

population

44.44

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

61285 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 61285

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 61285. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Thomson	Acceptable
Thomson	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

61014 Chadwick (9.3 mi) 61252 Fulton (9.9 mi) 61053 Mount Carroll (10.2 mi) 52070 Sabula (11.1 mi) 52736 Clinton (11.6 mi) 61270 Morrison (11.6 mi) 52771 Teeds Grove (11.6 mi) 52732 Clinton (11.7 mi) 52734 Clinton (12.2 mi) 61074 Savanna (14 mi) 52064 Miles (15.2 mi) 61046 Lanark (15.5 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,661
Population density	60 / sq mi
State FIPS	17
County FIPS	015

Geography
Land area	44.44 sq mi
Water area	16.03 sq mi
Latitude	41.9826
Longitude	-90.0609
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	815

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	33.5%	46.4%	37.2%
$50k – $100k	34.4%	33.0%	29.6%
$100k – $200k	29.1%	18.1%	24.4%
Over $200k	3.0%	2.5%	8.8%

Demographics & statistics

2,661

Population

People per sq mi

41.3

Median age

$74,311

Median household income

$24,027

Per capita income

$158,300

Median home value

$814

Median monthly rent

85.9%

Home ownership

12.3%

Poverty rate

5.6%

Unemployment

939

Housing units

13.9%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

369

25–34

173

295

35–44

138

255

45–54

120

108

55–59

112

60–64

197

65–74

126

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	320	12.0%
18 and over	2,341	88.0%
65 and over	494	18.6%
Median age	41.3 years

Race & ethnicity

White 78.9%

Black or African American 16.8%

Two or more races 2.2%

American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%

Hispanic or Latino 0.9%

Other race 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	2,118	78.9%
Black or African American	451	16.8%
Two or more races	60	2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native	29	1.1%
Hispanic or Latino	23	0.9%
Other race	3	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	33.5%	46.4%	37.2%
$50k – $100k	34.4%	33.0%	29.6%
$100k – $200k	29.1%	18.1%	24.4%
Over $200k	3.0%	2.5%	8.8%

Under $10k 2.3%

$10k–$15k 2.9%

$15k–$25k 6.0%

$25k–$35k 10.0%

$35k–$50k 6.0%

$50k–$75k 24.6%

$75k–$100k 11.3%

$100k–$150k 23.3%

$150k–$200k 10.0%

$200k+ 3.6%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.3%
$10k–$15k	2.9%
$15k–$25k	6.0%
$25k–$35k	10.0%
$35k–$50k	6.0%
$50k–$75k	24.6%
$75k–$100k	11.3%
$100k–$150k	23.3%
$150k–$200k	10.0%
$200k+	3.6%
Median income	$74,311

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 7.1%

$50k–$100k 22.8%

$100k–$150k 16.7%

$150k–$200k 17.4%

$200k–$300k 23.7%

$300k–$500k 12.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$158,300
Median rent / month	$814
Owner occupied	85.9%
Renter occupied	14.1%
Vacant	28.1%
Single-family detached	84.6%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	10.8%
Median rooms	5.5
Avg household size (owned)	2.45

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	5.8%
2000–2009	18.2%
1990–1999	11.8%
1980–1989	5.6%
1970–1979	18.5%
1960–1969	7.6%
1950–1959	12.2%
1940–1949	5.4%
1939 or earlier	15.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	6.0%
1 bedroom	3.4%
2 bedrooms	37.1%
3 bedrooms	42.6%
4 bedrooms	10.1%
5+ bedrooms	0.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	1.9%
1 vehicle	18.9%
2 vehicles	40.9%
3 or more	38.3%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	62.5%
Electricity	8.7%
Propane / LP gas	25.0%
Wood	3.9%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	450	59.9%
Cohabiting couple	69	9.2%
Male householder, no spouse	109	14.5%
Female householder, no spouse	123	16.4%
Households with children under 18	190	25.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	322	42.9%
Average household size	2.45

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	57.9%	15.7%
Married	28.0%	64.0%
Separated	0.0%	1.2%
Widowed	2.5%	7.8%
Divorced	11.5%	11.3%

Education

Less than 9th grade 5.4%

Some HS, no diploma 12.4%

HS graduate 39.5%

Some college, no degree 22.7%

Associate's degree 6.0%

Bachelor's degree 11.2%

Graduate / professional 2.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	82.1%
Bachelor's or higher	13.9%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	56	18.5%
Kindergarten	24	7.9%
Elementary school	79	26.1%
High school	79	26.1%
College / grad school	65	21.5%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 35.0%

Education & healthcare 20.4%

Retail trade 7.3%

Transportation & utilities 7.0%

Construction 6.5%

Finance & real estate 6.2%

Public administration 5.9%

Professional & management 3.3%

Agriculture & mining 2.4%

Other services 1.7%

Wholesale trade 1.6%

Arts, food & hospitality 1.5%

Information 1.2%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	31.8%
Service	11.4%
Sales & office	12.8%
Natural resources & construction	2.8%
Production & transportation	41.2%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	80.0%
Government	13.3%
Self-employed	6.7%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	86.3%
Carpool	9.3%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.2%
Work from home	3.8%
Other means	0.3%
Avg commute (minutes)	21.3

Poverty

All people 12.3%

Under 18 years 23.3%

18 and over 10.0%

Married-couple families 4.2%

Female-led households 7.6%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	46.7%
Retirement income	44.1%
Supplemental Security	4.9%
Cash public assistance	0.5%
Food stamps / SNAP	6.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	37.0%
High blood pressure	37.0%
High cholesterol	36.0%
Diabetes	11.5%
Heart disease	7.9%
Stroke	3.6%
Asthma	9.5%
Arthritis	30.1%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	8.5%
Cancer	8.2%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	18.8%
Binge drinking	14.4%
No physical activity	26.6%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	32.4%
Depression	17.2%
Fair or poor health	15.4%
Poor mental health	12.4%
Poor physical health	10.8%
No health insurance	11.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	77.7%
Visited dentist	63.6%
Cholesterol screening	90.6%
Teeth loss	15.0%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	190	8.1%

Disability	%
Any disability	11.6%
Under 18	4.4%
18–64 years	7.4%
65 and over	25.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	79.0%
Public insurance	40.6%
No insurance	3.5%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,557	96.1%
Spanish	30	1.2%
Other Indo-European	27	1.1%
Asian & Pacific Islander	3	0.1%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,618	98.4%
Born in same state	2,576	96.8%
Born in different state	1,200	45.1%
Foreign born	42	1.6%
Naturalized citizen	43	1.6%
Not a US citizen	22	51.2%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	435	16.3%
Italian	245	9.2%
French	227	8.5%
English	83	3.1%

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	28	1.1%
Dutch	13	0.5%
German	8	0.3%
Irish	7	0.3%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	28.2%
Internet access	90.4%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 61285

What city is ZIP code 61285 in?

ZIP code 61285 is primarily assigned to Thomson, Illinois.

What county is ZIP code 61285 in?

ZIP code 61285 falls within Carroll County, Illinois.

Does ZIP code 61285 have a large retiree population?

47% of households in ZIP code 61285 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Is ZIP code 61285 mostly owner-occupied?

86% of occupied units in ZIP code 61285 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 61285?

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

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 61285?

The median home value in ZIP code 61285 is $158,300.

What timezone is ZIP code 61285 in?

ZIP code 61285 observes the CST timezone.