The Town FilesForsyth, Illinois
Village in Macon County · population 3,734 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $281,000
- Household income
- $112,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 57
- Median age
- 41.6
Forsyth is a village of 3,734 people in Macon County, Illinois. The median home is worth $281,000, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 95% of Illinois towns, more upscale than 94% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 82% of Illinois towns.
How Forsyth 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 Forsyth is worth $281,000, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $112,000, which is more affordable than 38% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,222 a month. 92.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Forsyth | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,222 | $960 |
| Median household income | $112,000 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 92.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Forsyth
| People | Forsyth | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 17.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.8% | 90.4% |
Weather in Forsyth
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 19.7°F. About 40.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
57 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forsyth since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 19, 1996 about 3.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 106 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 54 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 23, 1960.
Severe weather in Macon County since 1996
Macon County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Macon County
Macon County had 45,051 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,788 a year. Unemployment was 6% in 2023; in Forsyth itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Forsyth
1 public school with 600 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maroa-Forsyth Grade School | PK-5 | 600 | 16.7 |
Towns near Forsyth
- Decatur, IL5.1 mi · 70,522 people · home $99,600
- Mount Zion, IL10.7 mi · 6,019 people · home $201,100
- Clinton, IL15.3 mi · 7,004 people · home $102,800
- Monticello, IL21.9 mi · 5,941 people · home $210,500
- Lincoln, IL26.5 mi · 13,288 people · home $124,300
- Heyworth, IL26.9 mi · 2,791 people · home $210,600
- Sullivan, IL29.6 mi · 4,413 people · home $102,500
Forsyth questions
Is Forsyth, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Forsyth scores better for retirees than 81% of Illinois towns and quieter than 35%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.6).
How much does a house cost in Forsyth?
The median owner-occupied home in Forsyth is valued at $281,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $112,000, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $1,222 a month.
What is the weather like in Forsyth?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 19.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.4 inches of precipitation a year and 13.6 inches of snow.
Does Forsyth get tornadoes?
57 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Forsyth since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 19, 1996. 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)