The Town FilesColona, Illinois
City in Henry County · population 5,045 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $147,500
- Household income
- $79,700
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 46
- Median age
- 38.7
Colona is a city of 5,045 people in Henry County, Illinois. The median home is worth $147,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Illinois towns, hipper than 83% of Illinois towns, quieter than 79% of Illinois towns.
How Colona 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 Colona is worth $147,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $79,700, which is more affordable than 68% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $838 a month. 77.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Colona | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $147,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $838 | $960 |
| Median household income | $79,700 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 77.7% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Colona
| People | Colona | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 8.5% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 90.4% |
Weather in Colona
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 14.1°F. About 37.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
46 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colona since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 13, 1990 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 103 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 20, 2023.
Severe weather in Henry County since 1996
Henry County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Henry County
Henry County had 13,805 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,950 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Colona itself the ACS puts it at 0.6%.
Public schools in Colona
1 public school with 385 students, about 14.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colona Grade School | PK-8 | 385 | 14.8 |
Towns near Colona
- East Moline, IL4.3 mi · 21,374 people · home $134,600
- Silvis, IL4.4 mi · 8,003 people · home $161,600
- Coal Valley, IL6.0 mi · 3,873 people · home $215,700
- Moline, IL8.4 mi · 42,985 people · home $146,300
- Le Claire, IA8.8 mi · 4,710 people · home $318,700
- Geneseo, IL9.3 mi · 6,539 people · home $205,400
- Bettendorf, IA9.9 mi · 39,102 people · home $306,500
- Milan, IL12.2 mi · 5,097 people · home $119,300
Colona questions
Is Colona, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Colona scores better for retirees than 20% of Illinois towns and quieter than 79%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.7).
How much does a house cost in Colona?
The median owner-occupied home in Colona is valued at $147,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,700, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $838 a month.
What is the weather like in Colona?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 14.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.1 inches of precipitation a year and 31.6 inches of snow.
Does Colona get tornadoes?
46 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Colona since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 13, 1990. 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)