Demographics of Mclean County
Affluence Level in Mclean County
A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.
People of Mclean County
McLean County, Illinois, is home to 170,882 residents, anchored by the city of Bloomington-Normal, a twin-city hub that gives the county a distinctive character as a Midwestern college town and insurance-industry center. The population is predominantly white (77.0%) with notable Black (8.3%), Hispanic (6.3%), and Indian-subcontinent (3.1%) communities, and a high college-educated rate of 46.9%, reflecting the influence of Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University. The county’s identity blends deep agricultural roots with a modern, educated workforce, creating a stable, family-oriented environment that leans conservative in its rural townships while the urban core trends more moderate.
Settlement & growth (pre-1960)
Before American settlement, the region was home to the Kickapoo and Potawatomi nations, who used the area for hunting and seasonal camps along the Sangamon River and its tributaries. The first European Americans arrived in the 1820s, primarily of Scots-Irish and English descent, drawn by the fertile prairie soil and the promise of land under the 1820 Land Act. The county was formally organized in 1830, and the town of Bloomington was platted in 1831 as the county seat, quickly becoming a commercial center for the surrounding farmlands. The construction of the Illinois Central Railroad in the 1850s transformed the county, linking Bloomington to Chicago and St. Louis, and spurring the growth of smaller towns like Le Roy, Lexington, and Chenoa as grain-shipping depots.
German immigrants arrived in significant numbers during the 1840s and 1850s, settling in the rural townships around Towanda and Carlock, where they established family farms and Lutheran churches. A smaller wave of Irish immigrants came during the same period, many working on railroad construction and settling in Bloomington’s near-west side. The post-Civil War era saw the arrival of freed African Americans, who formed a small but enduring community in Bloomington, concentrated around the West Side neighborhood near the railroad yards. The late 19th century brought a modest influx of Swedish and Norwegian immigrants, who settled in the northern part of the county near Colfax and Anchor, drawn by agricultural opportunities and the availability of cheap land.
The early 20th century saw the rise of the insurance industry in Bloomington, with State Farm Insurance founding its headquarters there in 1922, attracting a wave of white-collar workers from across the Midwest. The Great Depression and Dust Bowl had limited direct impact on McLean County’s population, as the region’s diversified agriculture and stable economy cushioned the blow. The post-World War II boom brought suburbanization, with new housing developments spreading south and east of Bloomington, particularly in the Normal area, which grew rapidly as Illinois State University expanded its campus. By 1960, the county’s population had reached 83,000, overwhelmingly white and native-born, with a strong agricultural and small-town character.
Modern era (post-1965)
The 1965 Hart-Cellar Act had a modest but significant impact on McLean County, as the region’s economy and universities began attracting international students and professionals. The most notable post-1965 shift has been the growth of the Indian-subcontinent community, which now makes up 3.1% of the population. This wave began in the 1990s, driven by the expansion of State Farm’s IT and actuarial departments and the recruitment of engineering and medical professionals by Illinois State University and OSF HealthCare. The Indian community is concentrated in Bloomington-Normal, particularly in the East Bloomington and Normal neighborhoods near the university and the interstate corridor, where Indian grocery stores and restaurants have opened to serve the growing population.
East and Southeast Asian communities, comprising 1.8% of the population, arrived primarily as international students and faculty at Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University, with a smaller number of professionals in the insurance and healthcare sectors. They are dispersed throughout Bloomington-Normal, with no single ethnic enclave, though a cluster of Asian-owned businesses has emerged near the university campus in Normal. The Hispanic population, now 6.3%, grew steadily from the 1980s onward, driven by agricultural labor in the county’s corn and soybean fields and by construction and service-sector jobs in Bloomington-Normal. Hispanic residents are concentrated in the West Bloomington neighborhood and in rural towns like Hudson and Heyworth, where they work in farming and food processing.
The Black population, at 8.3%, has a longer history in the county, but its share has remained relatively stable since the 1970s, with modest growth from domestic migration from Chicago and other Midwestern cities. Black residents are concentrated in Bloomington’s West Side and South Side neighborhoods, with smaller numbers in Normal. The post-1965 period also saw a wave of domestic migration from the Rust Belt, as families from Chicago, Detroit, and St. Louis moved to McLean County for its lower cost of living, strong schools, and job opportunities in insurance and education. This domestic migration has been predominantly white and middle-class, settling in newer subdivisions in Normal, Bloomington’s east side, and the growing exurban town of El Paso in the county’s northwest corner.
The future
McLean County’s population is projected to continue growing slowly, reaching approximately 185,000 by 2040, driven by natural increase and modest domestic migration. The county is becoming more diverse, with the Hispanic and Indian-subcontinent shares expected to rise to 8-9% and 4-5% respectively by 2040, while the white share declines to around 72-73%. The East/Southeast Asian population is likely to remain stable or grow slightly, as Illinois State University continues to attract international students, though many leave after graduation. The Black population share is expected to hold steady, with growth from Chicago-area migration offsetting out-migration of younger Black residents to larger metro areas.
New residential development is concentrating in the Normal area, particularly along the Veterans Parkway corridor and near the new Rivian Automotive plant, which is attracting a younger, more educated workforce. The rural townships are likely to see continued population stagnation or slight decline, as young people move to Bloomington-Normal for jobs and amenities. The county’s cultural identity is evolving from a predominantly white, agricultural, and conservative character to a more diverse, suburban, and moderately conservative one, with the urban core of Bloomington-Normal trending more liberal on social issues while the rural areas remain solidly Republican. The Indian and Hispanic communities are becoming more visible in local politics and business, with Indian-American candidates winning seats on the Bloomington City Council and the McLean County Board in recent elections.
For someone moving in now, McLean County offers a stable, family-friendly environment with strong schools, a low crime rate, and a cost of living below the national average. The county is becoming more diverse and educated, but retains its Midwestern, small-town feel in its rural townships. The key trade-off is between the economic opportunities and cultural amenities of Bloomington-Normal and the quieter, more conservative lifestyle of the surrounding farm towns. The county is not a fast-growing Sun Belt boomtown, but a steady, predictable place where population change is gradual and community ties remain strong.
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-06-15T10:00:38.000Z
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