The Town FilesFlora, Illinois
City in Clay County · population 4,803 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $77,300
- Household income
- $47,148
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 12 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 39.3
Flora is a city of 4,803 people in Clay County, Illinois. The median home is worth $77,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 91% of Illinois towns.
How Flora 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 Flora is worth $77,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $47,148, which is more affordable than 85% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $745 a month. 76.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Flora | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $77,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $745 | $960 |
| Median household income | $47,148 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 76.2% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Flora
| People | Flora | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.3% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 10.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.5% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Flora
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 21.2°F. About 48.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 45 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Flora since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 2, 1990 about 5.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 24, 2002.
Severe weather in Clay County since 1996
Clay County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 21, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1416: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clay County
Clay County had 4,625 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,797 a year. Unemployment was 5.3% in 2023; in Flora itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Flora
3 public schools with 1,339 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flora Elementary School | PK-5 | 663 | 14.1 |
| Flora High School | 9-12 | 365 | 12.6 |
| Floyd Henson Jr High Sch | 6-8 | 311 | 14.1 |
Towns near Flora
- Fairfield, IL20.4 mi · 4,883 people · home $88,800
- Olney, IL21.4 mi · 8,701 people · home $99,800
- Salem, IL26.3 mi · 7,282 people · home $106,100
- Newton, IL27.8 mi · 2,777 people · home $95,400
Flora questions
Is Flora, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Flora scores better for retirees than 91% of Illinois towns and quieter than 42%. 22.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Flora?
The median owner-occupied home in Flora is valued at $77,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,148, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $745 a month.
What is the weather like in Flora?
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 21.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.0 inches of precipitation a year and 11.6 inches of snow.
Does Flora get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Flora since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 2, 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)