The Town FilesChillicothe, Illinois
City in Peoria County · population 6,128 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $132,900
- Household income
- $66,132
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 51.2
Chillicothe is a city of 6,128 people in Peoria County, Illinois. The median home is worth $132,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks hipper than 75% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 74% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 73% of Illinois towns.
How Chillicothe 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 Chillicothe is worth $132,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $66,132, which is more affordable than 61% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $899 a month. 83.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chillicothe | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $132,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $899 | $960 |
| Median household income | $66,132 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.5% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chillicothe
| People | Chillicothe | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 51.2 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.2% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.3% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Chillicothe
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 18.0°F. About 38.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.0 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chillicothe since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 29, 1976 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 20, 2022.
Severe weather in Peoria County since 1996
Peoria County has been included in 15 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 |
| October 3, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1800: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Peoria County
Peoria County had 103,940 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $74,778 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Chillicothe itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in Chillicothe
7 public schools with 1,905 students, about 14.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Il Valley Central High School | 9-12 | 663 | 13.8 |
| South Elementary School | PK-3 | 426 | 17.8 |
| Mossville Elementary School | PK-5 | 416 | 16.6 |
| Chillicothe Jr High | 6-8 | 243 | 17.4 |
| Chillicothe Elementary Center | 4-5 | 157 | 10.5 |
| IVC Learning Center | 9-12 | — | — |
| IVC Transition Center | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Chillicothe
- Germantown Hills, IL10.4 mi · 3,412 people · home $264,900
- Metamora, IL10.9 mi · 3,904 people · home $201,800
- Peoria Heights, IL12.2 mi · 5,908 people · home $117,700
- Peoria, IL12.8 mi · 113,150 people · home $156,200
- Washington, IL14.9 mi · 16,071 people · home $221,900
- West Peoria, IL16.7 mi · 4,263 people · home $93,900
- East Peoria, IL16.9 mi · 22,484 people · home $163,500
- Eureka, IL18.3 mi · 5,227 people · home $154,300
Chillicothe questions
Is Chillicothe, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chillicothe scores better for retirees than 38% of Illinois towns and quieter than 39%. 26.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 51.2).
How much does a house cost in Chillicothe?
The median owner-occupied home in Chillicothe is valued at $132,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,132, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $899 a month.
What is the weather like in Chillicothe?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 18.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.4 inches of precipitation a year and 20.0 inches of snow.
Does Chillicothe get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chillicothe since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 29, 1976. 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)