Carbondale is a medium-sized city located in the state of Illinois. With a population of 21,717 people and nine associated neighborhoods, Carbondale is the 110th largest community in Illinois.

A relatively large number of people in Carbondale telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 7.40% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Because Carbondale has a very large number of students who are 18 years or older and in college, it is thought of as a college town. This has a major influence on local Carbondale lifestyle, entertainment, and culture in general. Life in Carbondale is very much tied to the academic calendar: when students return from the summer break in the fall, one will notice them out and about, buying groceries, out with friends, and generally getting re-acquainted with each other. In Carbondale people study hard and play hard, and there is ample opportunity to do both.

Carbondale, while not large, also appears to be attractive to some younger, educated professionals, who help shape the character of the city.

One of the benefits of Carbondale is that there is very little traffic. The average commute to work is 16.49 minutes, which is substantially less than the national average. Not only does this mean that the drive to work is less aggravating, but noise and pollution levels are lower as a result.

Carbondale is one of the most well-educated cities in the nation. 46.40% of adults in Carbondale have at least a bachelor's degree. Compare that to the average community in America, which has just 21.84% with a bachelor's degree or higher.

The per capita income in Carbondale in 2022 was $24,038, which is low income relative to Illinois and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $96,152 for a family of four. However, Carbondale contains both very wealthy and poor people as well. Carbondale also has one of the higher rates of people living in poverty in the nation, with 37.86% of its population below the federal poverty line.

Carbondale is an extremely ethnically-diverse city. The people who call Carbondale home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Carbondale residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Carbondale include German, Irish, English, Italian, and Polish.

The most common language spoken in Carbondale is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Arabic.