The Town FilesByron, Illinois
City in Ogle County · population 3,784 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $198,700
- Household income
- $78,852
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 36.7
Byron is a city of 3,784 people in Ogle County, Illinois. The median home is worth $198,700, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more of a college town than 97% of Illinois towns, better for young professionals than 71% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 70% of Illinois towns.
How Byron 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 Byron is worth $198,700, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $78,852, which is more affordable than 38% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $929 a month. 70.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Byron | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $198,700 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $929 | $960 |
| Median household income | $78,852 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 70.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Byron
| People | Byron | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 11.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Byron
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 14.5°F. About 37.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.3 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Byron since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on March 31, 2023 about 7.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 7, 2020.
Severe weather in Ogle County since 1996
Ogle County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| August 19, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1935: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ogle County
Ogle County had 14,934 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,187 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Byron itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Byron
4 public schools with 1,459 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Morgan Elem Sch | PK-5 | 626 | 12.8 |
| Byron High School 9-12 | 9-12 | 468 | 13.0 |
| Byron Middle School | 6-8 | 365 | 12.6 |
| OCEC Life Skills | Other | — | — |
Towns near Byron
- Oregon, IL8.3 mi · 3,604 people · home $142,600
- Davis Junction, IL9.1 mi · 2,512 people · home $205,500
- Mount Morris, IL9.8 mi · 2,861 people · home $121,800
- Winnebago, IL10.2 mi · 2,940 people · home $194,000
- Rockford, IL14.1 mi · 148,655 people · home $129,000
- Cherry Valley, IL16.9 mi · 2,905 people · home $232,800
- Rochelle, IL17.5 mi · 9,446 people · home $164,300
- Loves Park, IL20.3 mi · 23,397 people · home $160,400
Byron questions
Is Byron, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Byron scores better for retirees than 70% of Illinois towns and quieter than 27%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.7).
How much does a house cost in Byron?
The median owner-occupied home in Byron is valued at $198,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,852, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $929 a month.
What is the weather like in Byron?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 14.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.2 inches of precipitation a year and 32.3 inches of snow.
Does Byron get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Byron since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on March 31, 2023. 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)