RANK #265 / 1001 NAT · #10 / 28 IL · POP 72,386
1YR FORECAST: -0.7%
5YR OUTLOOK: +32%
Vermilion County, Illinois, distinguishes itself with a rich natural landscape, particularly its extensive park system. Home to Kickapoo State Recreation Area, Forest Glen Preserve, and Kennekuk Cove County Park, the county boasts numerous trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, along with opportunities for fishing, canoeing, and even scuba diving in former strip-mined lakes. Located in east-central Illinois, approximately 95 miles south of Chicago, Vermilion County offers a blend of rural charm and access to larger urban centers. Danville, the county seat, is the largest of its 21 incorporated communities. Life in Vermilion County is characterized by a strong sense of community, with local schools often serving as central hubs, particularly in smaller towns. The county's economy, historically rooted in agriculture and coal mining, has diversified to include manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and data centers. Recent economic development efforts focus on attracting new businesses and retaining existing ones, with broad investments flowing into energy sectors, including solar projects. Danville Area Community College and Lakeview College of Nursing provide local higher education options, while larger universities are within an hour's drive.
Vermilion County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +0.4% YoY, population -1.1%, wages +1.9%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Below national median (11.3x)
Well below national median
Harsh climate or flat terrain
Housing is fairly valued at 5.0x relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Musketeer Wind Energy Center
Invenergy
|
$450M | Planned |
|
Vermilion Wind Farm
Tri Global Energy
|
$255M | Permitting |
|
Tilton Solar Project
Earthrise Energy
|
$188M | Planned |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 73/100, Vermilion County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $56,877 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in IL.
By national standards, Vermilion County is quite affordable. Homes here have a median value of $97,200, and the income-to-home-value ratio of 0.59 is well above the U.S. average — especially with median rent at just $838/month. Residents can generally buy a home without being cost-burdened.
Both population (-1.1% YoY) and employment (-1.4%) are contracting in Vermilion County, though housing tells its own story with values moving +0.4% over the past 12 months. This is a county where the trend lines are pointing in the wrong direction.
Not particularly — 1.08% of Vermilion County's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.