Community Profile

Demographics

As of the 2020 Census, Mt. Vernon is home to 14,600 residents and 6,465 households, with 8,664 housing units across the city.

• Average household size: 2.21
• Median age: 38.6 years
• Population by age: 7% under 5 years, 76.6% between 18–64 years, 20.2% age 65 or older
• Gender: 47.4% male, 52.6% female
• Racial composition: 73.5% White, 15.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.9% Asian, and 8.9% two or more races

Mt. Vernon’s workforce is diverse, with top employment sectors including accommodation and food services, healthcare and social services, and manufacturing.

Economy

Mt. Vernon’s economy is anchored by major employers across manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare. The city hosts a 48-acre Continental Tire manufacturing facility, one of Southern Illinois’ largest employers, as well as national distribution and production centers.

Major industries include:

• Manufacturing and industrial production
• Transportation and logistics
• Healthcare and social services
• Retail and hospitality

Key companies with a presence in Mt. Vernon include:
Continental Tire of North America, National Railway Equipment, Walgreens Distribution Center, Magnum Steel, ALCO, Vanex, Goodman Air Conditioning, NAPA Distribution, and Manner Polymer — a new and growing operation contributing to the city’s industrial expansion.

Several existing industrial parks and a planned fourth park near the new interchange provide shovel-ready sites eligible for Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Enterprise Zone incentives.