The Town FilesJacksonville, Illinois
City in Morgan County · population 17,616 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $128,200
- Household income
- $65,432
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 37.6
Jacksonville is a city of 17,616 people in Morgan County, Illinois. The median home is worth $128,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks hipper than 86% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 84% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 79% of Illinois towns.
How Jacksonville 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 Jacksonville is worth $128,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $65,432, which is more affordable than 61% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $711 a month. 64.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jacksonville | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $128,200 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $711 | $960 |
| Median household income | $65,432 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 64.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Jacksonville
| People | Jacksonville | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 16.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Jacksonville
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 41.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 35 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jacksonville since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 24, 1961 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 49 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on May 5, 1977.
Severe weather in Morgan County since 1996
Morgan County has been included in 17 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 |
| December 13, 2021 | Tornado | EM-3577: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Morgan County
Morgan County had 13,936 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,188 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Jacksonville itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Jacksonville
16 public schools with 2,789 students, about 9.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville High School | 9-12 | 894 | 12.4 |
| Jacksonville Middle School | 6-8 | 654 | 11.5 |
| Eisenhower Elem School | K-5 | 331 | 16.6 |
| Washington Elem School | K-5 | 270 | 14.2 |
| Lincoln Elem School | K-5 | 266 | 13.3 |
| The Early Years | PK-PK | 233 | 25.9 |
| North Jacksonville School | K-5 | 141 | 10.1 |
| Il Sch for the Visually Impaired | PK-12 | — | — |
| LIFE (Learning in Functional Envi | Other | — | — |
| ARC | 6-12 | — | — |
| Crossroad Learning Center | K-12 | — | — |
| Special Ed and Student Services | PK-PK | — | — |
Towns near Jacksonville
- South Jacksonville, IL2.1 mi · 3,302 people · home $135,800
- Beardstown, IL22.1 mi · 5,951 people · home $82,100
- Auburn, IL28.0 mi · 4,574 people · home $149,600
- Chatham, IL28.9 mi · 14,377 people · home $243,200
- Virden, IL29.0 mi · 3,231 people · home $101,300
Jacksonville questions
Is Jacksonville, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jacksonville scores better for retirees than 27% of Illinois towns and quieter than 36%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).
How much does a house cost in Jacksonville?
The median owner-occupied home in Jacksonville is valued at $128,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,432, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $711 a month.
What is the weather like in Jacksonville?
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.4 inches of precipitation a year and 16.2 inches of snow.
Does Jacksonville get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jacksonville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 24, 1961. 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)