Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Illinois

Many people choose not to leave the state they were raised in for reasons ranging from wanting to be close to family, to not having the resources to leave, to sticking with a lower cost of living.

In order to determine where people stay put in your home state, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Illinois using data from the Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents who were born in the state according to the latest data, which is 2024 five-year estimates. The percentage of residents who were born in another state, a U.S. territory, and another country is also included.

Read on to find out where the most loyal Illinois residents live.

50. Jersey County
- Population: 21,274
- Born in Illinois: 16,647 (78.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,320 (20.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 87 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 220 (1.0% of population)

49. Pike County
- Population: 14,469
- Born in Illinois: 11,359 (78.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,943 (20.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 43 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 124 (0.9% of population)

48. Richland County
- Population: 15,598
- Born in Illinois: 12,335 (79.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,033 (19.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 12 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 218 (1.4% of population)

47. Ogle County
- Population: 51,495
- Born in Illinois: 40,751 (79.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,207 (15.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 203 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,334 (4.5% of population)

46. Hamilton County
- Population: 7,916
- Born in Illinois: 6,268 (79.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,599 (20.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 10 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 39 (0.5% of population)

45. Macon County
- Population: 101,849
- Born in Illinois: 81,041 (79.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 17,659 (17.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 350 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,799 (2.7% of population)

44. Knox County
- Population: 49,046
- Born in Illinois: 39,106 (79.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,214 (16.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 164 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,562 (3.2% of population)

43. Jefferson County
- Population: 36,550
- Born in Illinois: 29,269 (80.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,426 (17.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 175 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 680 (1.9% of population)

42. Clinton County
- Population: 36,954
- Born in Illinois: 29,757 (80.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,965 (16.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 364 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 868 (2.3% of population)

41. Kankakee County
- Population: 106,635
- Born in Illinois: 86,082 (80.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 13,929 (13.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 508 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 6,116 (5.7% of population)

40. Sangamon County
- Population: 194,947
- Born in Illinois: 157,489 (80.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 29,471 (15.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,026 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 6,961 (3.6% of population)

39. Marion County
- Population: 37,000
- Born in Illinois: 30,026 (81.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 6,242 (16.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 181 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 551 (1.5% of population)

38. Bureau County
- Population: 32,866
- Born in Illinois: 26,980 (82.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,513 (13.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 260 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,113 (3.4% of population)

37. Washington County
- Population: 13,627
- Born in Illinois: 11,193 (82.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,312 (17.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 34 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 88 (0.6% of population)

36. Schuyler County
- Population: 6,787
- Born in Illinois: 5,604 (82.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,092 (16.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 3 (0.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 88 (1.3% of population)

35. Lee County
- Population: 33,869
- Born in Illinois: 28,022 (82.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,974 (14.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 115 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 758 (2.2% of population)

34. Macoupin County
- Population: 44,350
- Born in Illinois: 36,694 (82.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 7,143 (16.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 113 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 400 (0.9% of population)

33. Woodford County
- Population: 38,312
- Born in Illinois: 31,741 (82.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,844 (15.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 146 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 581 (1.5% of population)

32. Franklin County
- Population: 37,323
- Born in Illinois: 30,927 (82.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,724 (15.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 222 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 450 (1.2% of population)

31. Piatt County
- Population: 16,695
- Born in Illinois: 13,846 (82.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,515 (15.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 43 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 291 (1.7% of population)

30. Douglas County
- Population: 19,751
- Born in Illinois: 16,428 (83.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,398 (12.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 101 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 824 (4.2% of population)

29. Ford County
- Population: 13,406
- Born in Illinois: 11,159 (83.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,807 (13.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 85 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 355 (2.6% of population)

28. Fayette County
- Population: 21,315
- Born in Illinois: 17,750 (83.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,337 (15.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 39 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 189 (0.9% of population)

27. Iroquois County
- Population: 26,449
- Born in Illinois: 22,067 (83.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,384 (12.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 79 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 919 (3.5% of population)

26. Tazewell County
- Population: 130,290
- Born in Illinois: 108,764 (83.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 18,918 (14.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 507 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,101 (1.6% of population)

25. Vermilion County
- Population: 72,386
- Born in Illinois: 60,433 (83.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,403 (14.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 250 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,300 (1.8% of population)

24. LaSalle County
- Population: 108,714
- Born in Illinois: 90,969 (83.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 12,867 (11.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 661 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 4,217 (3.9% of population)

23. DeWitt County
- Population: 15,373
- Born in Illinois: 12,885 (83.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,159 (14.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 50 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 279 (1.8% of population)

22. Montgomery County
- Population: 27,942
- Born in Illinois: 23,432 (83.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,162 (14.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 130 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 218 (0.8% of population)

21. Stark County
- Population: 5,308
- Born in Illinois: 4,461 (84.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 699 (13.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 23 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 125 (2.4% of population)

20. Perry County
- Population: 20,639
- Born in Illinois: 17,374 (84.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,933 (14.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 82 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 250 (1.2% of population)

19. Grundy County
- Population: 53,219
- Born in Illinois: 44,845 (84.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,696 (10.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 498 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,180 (4.1% of population)

18. Logan County
- Population: 27,713
- Born in Illinois: 23,360 (84.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,860 (13.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 88 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 405 (1.5% of population)

17. Brown County
- Population: 6,322
- Born in Illinois: 5,369 (84.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 815 (12.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 38 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 100 (1.6% of population)

16. Effingham County
- Population: 34,522
- Born in Illinois: 29,408 (85.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,411 (12.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 140 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 563 (1.6% of population)

15. Livingston County
- Population: 35,565
- Born in Illinois: 30,324 (85.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,231 (11.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 148 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 862 (2.4% of population)

14. Morgan County
- Population: 33,021
- Born in Illinois: 28,293 (85.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,298 (13.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 71 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 359 (1.1% of population)

13. Moultrie County
- Population: 14,424
- Born in Illinois: 12,363 (85.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,916 (13.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 40 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 105 (0.7% of population)

12. Cumberland County
- Population: 10,334
- Born in Illinois: 8,863 (85.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,414 (13.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 39 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 18 (0.2% of population)

11. Menard County
- Population: 12,095
- Born in Illinois: 10,438 (86.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,484 (12.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 62 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 111 (0.9% of population)

10. Christian County
- Population: 33,538
- Born in Illinois: 28,978 (86.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,006 (11.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 157 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 397 (1.2% of population)

9. Marshall County
- Population: 11,647
- Born in Illinois: 10,074 (86.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,381 (11.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 68 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 124 (1.1% of population)

8. Clay County
- Population: 13,052
- Born in Illinois: 11,298 (86.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,605 (12.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 118 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 31 (0.2% of population)

7. Jasper County
- Population: 9,180
- Born in Illinois: 7,965 (86.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,089 (11.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 18 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 108 (1.2% of population)

6. Greene County
- Population: 11,683
- Born in Illinois: 10,217 (87.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,412 (12.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 29 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 25 (0.2% of population)

5. Scott County
- Population: 4,937
- Born in Illinois: 4,319 (87.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 548 (11.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 38 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 32 (0.6% of population)

4. Putnam County
- Population: 5,601
- Born in Illinois: 4,909 (87.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 586 (10.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 5 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 101 (1.8% of population)

3. Mason County
- Population: 12,745
- Born in Illinois: 11,186 (87.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,389 (10.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 54 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 116 (0.9% of population)

2. Shelby County
- Population: 20,720
- Born in Illinois: 18,309 (88.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,175 (10.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 19 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 217 (1.0% of population)

1. Fulton County
- Population: 33,020
- Born in Illinois: 29,230 (88.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,272 (9.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 127 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 391 (1.2% of population)