Jobs, pay and daily life in Peoria, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Peoria is a city in Illinois with 112,169 residents. The median household earns $59,410 a year and the median rent is $1,005 a month, which is 20.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Peoria, IL metropolitan area, where BLS counts 166,020 jobs.
How Peoria compares. Among the 100 largest places in Illinois, Peoria is #8 by population, #6 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #15 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #85 for household income (#1 = highest). Its county, Peoria County, is #5 of 102 counties for average pay ($74,778).
Peoria has 112,169 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.9% of the population of Illinois. It covers 48 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,331 people per square mile. The median age is 35.5, 9% younger than the state median (35.5 against 39.0).
The median gross rent is $1,005 a month (rent plus utilities), 21% below the state median ($1,005 against $1,274). Over a year that is 20.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $156,200, which is 2.6 times the median household income ($59,410); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 57.5% of households own their home, 14% below the state average (57.5% against 67.1%).
The Peoria, IL metropolitan area has 166,020 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,590 a year, about the same as the national median ($49,590 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (17,310 jobs, median $45,110); food preparation and serving related (13,580 jobs, median $31,410); management (13,340 jobs, median $121,140). The area is most specialised in architecture and engineering (1.9 times) and production (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($121,140) and architecture and engineering ($111,910). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Peoria County was 4.2%. 62.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Peoria County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 74.6% drive alone, 1.7% use public transit, 2.0% walk, 11.7% work from home. 5.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 74% below the state average (5.1% against 19.7%).
37.6% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, about the same as the state share (37.6% against 37.9%). 10.1% of residents were born outside the United States, 32% below the state share (10.1% against 14.8%). The poverty rate is 21.0%, 78% above the state rate (21.0% against 11.8%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 75°F (24.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 24°F (-4.6°C). About 966 mm (38 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (116 mm) and Jan the driest (49 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Pekin (13 miles, rent 19% lower); Normal (36 miles, rent 4% lower); Bloomington (39 miles, rent 4% higher); Galesburg (42 miles, rent 20% lower). Rent differences are against Peoria; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Illinois (1,066) →State guide: IllinoisCountry guidePeoria CountyIllinois rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,066 federal postings open in Illinois (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Illinois →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 5,460 | 1.51 | $81,010 | $68,980 | $100,330 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,140 | 1.11 | $98,290 | $49,140 | $210,590 | -7% |
| Cashiers | 4,020 | 1.22 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,620 | -5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,710 | 0.89 | $33,870 | $31,200 | $46,780 | -4% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,620 | 1.53 | $35,870 | $31,340 | $46,260 | -3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,260 | 0.79 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,600 | +0% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,750 | 0.87 | $37,420 | $31,740 | $49,760 | -7% |
| Nursing Assistants | 2,740 | 1.77 | $43,040 | $37,110 | $48,960 | +2% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,590 | 0.56 | $36,330 | $33,790 | $39,660 | +1% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,420 | 0.92 | $41,600 | $31,200 | $61,690 | -8% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 2,340 | 0.97 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $46,310 | -11% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,330 | 0.77 | $34,600 | $31,200 | $44,890 | -7% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,300 | 1.53 | $49,410 | $35,000 | $77,940 | +11% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,260 | 0.81 | $39,840 | $31,350 | $64,260 | -11% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 2,120 | 6.70 | $128,710 | $99,880 | $166,620 | +24% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 2,010 | 1.10 | $46,550 | $33,370 | $65,000 | -2% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 1,980 | 1.31 | $35,970 | $31,200 | $45,110 | -2% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,760 | 0.80 | $49,610 | $39,610 | $77,520 | -15% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,680 | 1.03 | $50,820 | $34,320 | $77,700 | +2% |
| Software Developers | 1,650 | 0.92 | $130,590 | $89,350 | $166,680 | -4% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 580 | 1.58 | $224,690 | $65,750 | $446,190 | -16% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 540 | 2.28 | $212,820 | $126,620 | $267,690 | +24% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 880 | 1.23 | $173,870 | $102,840 | $265,320 | -1% |
| Lawyers | 560 | 0.69 | $161,150 | $79,260 | $293,940 | +1% |
| Financial Managers | 1,170 | 1.30 | $155,840 | $89,990 | $292,460 | -6% |
| Managers, All Other | 640 | 0.96 | $132,900 | $77,740 | $217,120 | -6% |
| Sales Managers | 600 | 0.89 | $131,660 | $68,350 | $264,180 | -11% |
| Software Developers | 1,650 | 0.92 | $130,590 | $89,350 | $166,680 | -4% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 2,120 | 6.70 | $128,710 | $99,880 | $166,620 | +24% |
| Project Management Specialists | 730 | 0.64 | $123,730 | $67,570 | $171,040 | +21% |
| Industrial Engineers | 1,500 | 3.85 | $117,180 | $78,080 | $166,660 | +14% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 700 | 1.10 | $110,510 | $76,380 | $199,540 | -11% |
| Construction Managers | 640 | 1.58 | $105,900 | $65,090 | $159,390 | -8% |
| Computer Systems Analysts | 770 | 1.38 | $103,440 | $75,300 | $140,710 | -2% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 720 | 0.83 | $98,680 | $63,460 | $121,390 | +23% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,140 | 1.11 | $98,290 | $49,140 | $210,590 | -7% |
| Buyers and Purchasing Agents | 720 | 1.38 | $96,880 | $50,810 | $164,100 | +25% |
| Management Analysts | 670 | 0.70 | $96,530 | $48,410 | $170,110 | -5% |
| Logisticians | 570 | 2.13 | $85,930 | $44,830 | $155,820 | +4% |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 560 | 1.12 | $85,090 | $47,790 | $117,300 | +33% |
These figures are for the whole Peoria, IL metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,590 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.8% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 32.3% |
| Manufacturing | 14.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 11.5% |
| Retail trade | 10.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.8% |
| Other services | 4.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.8% |
| Construction | 3.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.5% |
| Public administration | 2.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.2% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.7% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Peoria lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peoria County | 179,645 | $16,966 million | $94,443 | 103,940 | 3,972 | $74,778 | +0.4% | 4.2% | 84,412 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 24,682 | 26.4% | $68,092 | 1.66 |
| Manufacturing | 13,802 | 14.7% | $144,031 | 1.62 |
| Retail trade | 9,260 | 9.9% | $36,401 | 0.89 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,807 | 7.3% | $24,271 | 0.72 |
| Management of companies | 6,539 | 7.0% | $93,367 | 3.73 |
| Administrative and waste services | 6,325 | 6.8% | $41,517 | 1.03 |
| Professional and technical services | 4,872 | 5.2% | $116,709 | 0.67 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 4,003 | 4.3% | $53,208 | 1.28 |
| Construction | 3,676 | 3.9% | $85,020 | 0.67 |
| Finance and insurance | 3,202 | 3.4% | $140,565 | 0.76 |
| Wholesale trade | 2,813 | 3.0% | $71,025 | 0.69 |
| Educational services | 2,647 | 2.8% | $36,475 | 1.23 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,441 | 1.5% | $52,923 | 0.33 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,269 | 1.4% | $25,087 | 0.73 |
| Information | 892 | 1.0% | $64,414 | 0.46 |
| Real estate and rental | 694 | 0.7% | $52,991 | 0.43 |
| Utilities | 667 | 0.7% | $113,564 | 1.69 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 74.6% |
| Public transit | 1.7% |
| Walk | 2.0% |
| Work from home | 11.7% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 5.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,410 |
| Income per person | $38,466 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,005 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.3% |
| Median home value | $156,200 |
| Homeowners | 57.5% |
| Poverty rate | 21.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 91.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,590 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 4.95%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 37.6% |
| Born abroad | 10.1% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.6 | 24 | 49 |
| Feb | -2.9 | 27 | 49 |
| Mar | 3.8 | 39 | 65 |
| Apr | 10.7 | 51 | 97 |
| May | 16.7 | 62 | 116 |
| Jun | 21.9 | 71 | 110 |
| Jul | 24.1 | 75 | 96 |
| Aug | 23.2 | 74 | 97 |
| Sep | 19.2 | 67 | 87 |
| Oct | 11.5 | 53 | 83 |
| Nov | 4.5 | 40 | 60 |
| Dec | -1.8 | 29 | 57 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pekin | IL | 13 mi | 31,781 | $60,790 | $819 |
| Normal | IL | 36 mi | 53,569 | $64,785 | $965 |
| Bloomington | IL | 39 mi | 78,907 | $77,384 | $1,050 |
| Galesburg | IL | 42 mi | 29,481 | $48,297 | $801 |
| Springfield | IL | 66 mi | 113,330 | $66,064 | $975 |
| Moline | IL | 68 mi | 42,197 | $67,701 | $900 |
| Rock Island | IL | 71 mi | 36,151 | $59,041 | $842 |
| Decatur | IL | 72 mi | 69,815 | $51,592 | $845 |
| Bettendorf | IA | 72 mi | 39,647 | $100,495 | $1,187 |
| Davenport | IA | 76 mi | 100,913 | $66,200 | $978 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
112,169 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,005 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.3% of the median household income.
$59,410 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.2% (BLS county, Peoria County (latest month 2026M09)).
Illinois. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.