The Town FilesCherry Valley, Illinois
Village in Winnebago County · population 2,905 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $232,800
- Household income
- $74,655
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 45.1
Cherry Valley is a village of 2,905 people in Winnebago County, Illinois. The median home is worth $232,800, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more upscale than 73% of Illinois towns.
How Cherry Valley 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 Cherry Valley is worth $232,800, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $74,655, which is more affordable than 19% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,024 a month. 81.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cherry Valley | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $232,800 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,024 | $960 |
| Median household income | $74,655 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 81.3% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cherry Valley
| People | Cherry Valley | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 23.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 90.4% |
Weather in Cherry Valley
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 32.6 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
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cherry Valley since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 9, 2015 about 9.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 27 deaths and 467 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 3, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 132 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 2, 2018.
Severe weather in Winnebago County since 1996
Winnebago 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 |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Winnebago County
Winnebago County had 126,415 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,400 a year. Unemployment was 6.2% in 2023; in Cherry Valley itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Towns near Cherry Valley
- Rockford, IL4.8 mi · 148,655 people · home $129,000
- Belvidere, IL4.9 mi · 25,339 people · home $158,900
- Loves Park, IL7.2 mi · 23,397 people · home $160,400
- Machesney Park, IL9.5 mi · 22,950 people · home $173,700
- Candlewick Lake, IL9.6 mi · 5,115 people · home $172,300
- Davis Junction, IL10.2 mi · 2,512 people · home $205,500
- Poplar Grove, IL10.5 mi · 5,049 people · home $270,700
- Roscoe, IL13.3 mi · 10,983 people · home $227,800
Cherry Valley questions
Is Cherry Valley, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cherry Valley scores better for retirees than 26% of Illinois towns and quieter than 63%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.1).
How much does a house cost in Cherry Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Cherry Valley is valued at $232,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,655, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $1,024 a month.
What is the weather like in Cherry Valley?
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 32.6 inches of snow.
Does Cherry Valley get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cherry Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 9, 2015. 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)