The Town FilesBelleville, Illinois
City in St. Clair County · population 42,404 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $141,300
- Household income
- $63,535
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 39.1
Belleville is a city of 42,404 people in St. Clair County, Illinois. The median home is worth $141,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 91% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 87% of Illinois towns, hipper than 87% of Illinois towns.
How Belleville 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.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Belleville is worth $141,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $63,535, which is more affordable than 50% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,019 a month. 60.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Belleville | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $141,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,019 | $960 |
| Median household income | $63,535 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 60.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Belleville
| People | Belleville | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 12.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 90.4% |
Weather in Belleville
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.3°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 53 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 94 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belleville since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on February 25, 1956 about 2.9 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 11 deaths and 115 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 123 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 28, 2012.
Severe weather in St. Clair County since 1996
St. Clair County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| October 14, 2022 | Flood | DR-4676: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in St. Clair County
St. Clair County had 89,981 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,001 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Belleville itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Belleville
26 public schools with 11,245 students, about 13.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belleville High School-East | 9-12 | 2,584 | 17.0 |
| Belleville High School-West | 9-12 | 2,169 | 17.1 |
| Belle Valley School | PK-8 | 977 | 11.9 |
| Whiteside Elem School | PK-4 | 668 | 14.8 |
| Abraham Lincoln Elem School | K-6 | 520 | 14.9 |
| Whiteside Middle School | 5-8 | 508 | 13.4 |
| Union Elem School | K-6 | 428 | 17.1 |
| West Jr High School | 7-8 | 394 | 12.3 |
| Central Jr High School | 7-8 | 354 | 14.8 |
| Westhaven Elementary | K-6 | 349 | 10.9 |
| Ellis Elem School | PK-3 | 341 | 17.1 |
| Jefferson Elem School | PK-6 | 329 | 11.3 |
Towns near Belleville
- Swansea, IL2.5 mi · 14,386 people · home $223,600
- Shiloh, IL4.7 mi · 14,098 people · home $274,000
- Fairview Heights, IL5.5 mi · 16,706 people · home $177,700
- Millstadt, IL6.6 mi · 4,071 people · home $230,500
- Freeburg, IL6.6 mi · 4,582 people · home $241,200
- Smithton, IL7.0 mi · 4,006 people · home $256,300
- O'Fallon, IL7.1 mi · 32,289 people · home $295,700
- Scott AFB, IL7.7 mi · 3,688 people · home —
Belleville questions
Is Belleville, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Belleville scores better for retirees than 15% of Illinois towns and quieter than 13%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.1).
How much does a house cost in Belleville?
The median owner-occupied home in Belleville is valued at $141,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,535, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $1,019 a month.
What is the weather like in Belleville?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 11.2 inches of snow.
Does Belleville get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Belleville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on February 25, 1956. The typical Illinois town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)