Jackson
7.6
High score (8-10)
Southern Illinois University keeps about 10,000-12,000 students in Carbondale, and the South Illinois Avenue bar strip — Hangar 9, Tres Hombres, the southern Illinois social circuit — gives the town a genuine college-town character that the surrounding deep southern Illinois doesn't share. Carbondale leans socially liberal compared to the surrounding region, and the international student community at SIU means being foreign is common enough to not be remarkable. The outdoor recreation draw of the Shawnee National Forest and Little Grassy Lake adds a lifestyle dimension that attracts people from outside the region.
Mid score (6-8) · Your profile
Carbondale works as a college town during the school year but SIU has been declining in enrollment for over a decade, and that's been felt in the town's social energy. The bar scene is smaller than it was, and the permanent population outside the university community is working-class southern Illinois.
Lower score (below 6)
Outside the SIU campus and the small Carbondale core, Jackson County is standard deep southern Illinois — conservative, local, and economically stressed. A man without a university connection here finds a very different environment than what the college-town reputation suggests.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the median income in Jackson, Illinois?
$24k median
What's the typical marriage age for women in Jackson, Illinois?
Women marry at 26
How common is a college degree in Jackson, Illinois?
15% men have degree
What's the average male height in Jackson, Illinois?
178 cm local avg
What's the average BMI for women in Jackson, Illinois?
Local women avg 29.1