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Charleston, Illinois

city · Coles County

At a glance

17,062
Population
$137,400
Median home value (all homes)
55% below U.S. median
$169,785
Typical market value
Zillow, 2026-07
$817/mo
Median rent
39% below U.S. median
$49,300
Median household income
37% below U.S. median
15.2 min
Average commute
84.3%
Homes with broadband
74.88%
Locations with fiber available
6.1%
Unemployment

Cost of living (Clay Affordability Index)

CAI 87 — 13% below the national average. how it's computed

Housing37% below
Goods & services4% below
Utilities5% above
Taxes9% above
Insurance18% below
Commute cost45% below
For business: Illinois is CBII band 3/5 · time to build band 2/5. See state page for the breakdown.

Living here

Colleges in town:
Eastern Illinois University Graduate degrees
Nearest 4-year college0 mi
Nearest community college12 mi
Nearest technical college41 mi
High school graduates93.5%
College graduates33.3%

Doing business here

Economic development contacts, most local first:

city Charleston
The Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving area businesses and connecting our Chamber Members to resources, consumers, and community contacts. It provides information, advertising for our businesses, networking events, and more, and its mission is to promote and protect businesses, provide networking opportunities and resources, and pursue economic development for the greater Charleston area.
county Coles Together-Eco Dev for Coles County
Coles Together is the regional economic development organization for Coles County, Illinois, focused on advancing business investment, workforce growth, and community prosperity. We serve as the central point of coordination between public and private partners—supporting site selection, expansion, and long-term development efforts across the region.
state Ameren Economic Development Services
Ameren provides energy services in Illinois and Missouri, including energy efficiency programs, electric vehicles, renewables, and economic development resources for businesses.
state Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is the state's commerce department focused on creating equitable economic opportunities by attracting and supporting job creators, investing in communities, strengthening Illinois’ workforce, fostering innovation, and advancing the clean energy economy.
state Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce & Eco Dev
Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development is a regional economic development organization with a focus on business retention and expansion for both small businesses and large industrial corporations.
state NW Illinois Economic Development
NW Illinois Economic Development (NWILED) promotes economic development by fostering business growth and assisting expanding and relocating businesses, providing access to resources to start and grow their businesses, and coordinating with government and business partners.
state Northwest Illinois Development Alliance
NW Illinois Economic Development (NWILED) promotes economic development by fostering business growth and assisting expanding and relocating businesses in cooperation with government and business partners. It supports entrepreneurs by providing access to resources to start and grow their businesses and aims to create a welcoming business environment by matching the skills of the available workforce with business needs.
state Quad Cities First
Community development organization focused on local business growth; the Quad Cities Chamber helps members connect, collaborate and grow, advocates for business at city halls, in state legislatures and in Washington, D.C., and supports small and minority business development.
state Research Park at University of Illinois
Research Park is a leading technology hub on the University of Illinois campus that cultivates startups and accelerates corporate innovation. It hosts 120+ companies and over 2,000 affiliated employees, with EnterpriseWorks serving as the incubator for early-stage tech firms.
state Southwestern Illinois Development Authority
The Southwestern Illinois Development Authority (SWIDA) is a quasi-governmental, municipal corporation created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1987 to promote and enhance community and economic development in Bond, Clinton, Madison and St. Clair counties. It operates without tax dollars and uses bonds and other financing tools, real estate development services and technical development assistance.
State sales taxYes
State income taxYes
Right-to-work stateNo

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