The Town Files

Aledo, Illinois

City in Mercer County · population 3,633 (2020 Census)

Map: where Aledo is in IllinoisAledo
Median home
$147,600
Household income
$72,292
Jan low / Jul high
13° / 85°
Snow a year
22 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
35
Median age
38.4

Aledo is a city of 3,633 people in Mercer County, Illinois. The median home is worth $147,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks hipper than 88% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 84% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of Illinois towns.

How Aledo ranks

Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.

Aledo lifestyle rankings vs other Illinois townsRetirement84th pctFamilies14th pctQuiet51st pctWalkability61st pctFirst-time buyers79th pctYoung professionals75th pctVibrancy60th pctHip & trendy88th pctCollege town22nd pctUpscale22nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving73rd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Aledo is worth $147,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $72,292, which is more affordable than 61% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $806 a month. 69.7% of households own their home.

Aledo vs Mercer County vs typical Illinois townAledoMercer CountyTypical Illinois townHome value$147,600$146,700$156,600Household income$72,292$74,182$72,500Monthly rent$806$786$960
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Illinois towns with 500+ people.
HousingAledoTypical Illinois town
Median home value$147,600$156,600
Median rent$806$960
Median household income$72,292$72,500
Home value ÷ income2.0×2.2×
Homeownership69.7%76.6%
Median year built19581967
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Aledo

PeopleAledoTypical Illinois town
Median age38.440.4
Age 65 and over21.4%18.7%
Under 1821.3%—
Bachelor's degree or higher25.7%21.8%
Below the poverty line12.6%9.9%
Veterans6.6%—
Born outside the U.S.0.3%—
Work from home9.7%8.9%
Average commute19.3 min26.1 min
Homes with broadband90.6%90.4%

Weather in Aledo

July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 13.3°F. About 39.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 21.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.

Aledo monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing31°13°Jan36°17°Feb49°27°Mar62°38°Apr73°50°May82°60°Jun85°63°Jul83°62°Aug77°53°Sep64°41°Oct49°30°Nov36°20°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.76.21.96.22.53.04.00.65.15.43.93.93.72.80.32.31.42.04.1
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Aledo station (0.1 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aledo since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 15, 1978 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Aledo by decade11950s11960s41970s01980s31990s102000s62010s102020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on September 27, 1959.

Severe weather in Mercer County since 1996

Storm events in Mercer County since 1996 by typeHail72Flood42Drought15Tornado35Dense Fog11Ice Storm9Heavy Snow14Flash Flood13
NOAA Storm Events Database, Mercer County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 2 deaths recorded.

Mercer County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 26, 2020BiologicalDR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3435: Covid-19
September 19, 2019FloodDR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding
May 10, 2013FloodDR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
March 17, 2011SnowstormDR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm

Jobs and pay in Mercer County

Mercer County had 2,968 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,706 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Aledo itself the ACS puts it at 3.8%.

Largest industries in Mercer CountyManufacturing422 jobs · $63,787Retail347 jobs · $32,879Hotels & restaurants241 jobs · $16,100Wholesale trade198 jobs · $65,772Arts & recreation108 jobs · $13,526Finance & insurance101 jobs · $58,051
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Mercer County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Mercer 4.7%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Aledo

3 public schools with 1,018 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Mercer County High School9-1240113.4
Apollo Elem SchoolK-534513.3
Mercer County Jr High School6-827211.8

Towns near Aledo

Aledo questions

Is Aledo, Illinois a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Aledo scores better for retirees than 84% of Illinois towns and quieter than 51%. 21.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).

How much does a house cost in Aledo?

The median owner-occupied home in Aledo is valued at $147,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,292, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $806 a month.

What is the weather like in Aledo?

July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 13.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.1 inches of precipitation a year and 21.8 inches of snow.

Does Aledo get tornadoes?

35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Aledo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 15, 1978. The typical Illinois town has had 27.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Aledo's Census boundary (GEOID 1700646). Comparisons use the median of Illinois towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.