The Town Files

Marquette Heights, Illinois

City in Tazewell County · population 2,541 (2020 Census)

Map: where Marquette Heights is in IllinoisMarquette Heights
Median home
$123,800
Household income
$75,625
Jan low / Jul high
18° / 86°
Snow a year
26 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
31
Median age
37.7

Marquette Heights is a city of 2,541 people in Tazewell County, Illinois. The median home is worth $123,800, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for cycling than 90% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of Illinois towns, better for families than 81% of Illinois towns.

Marquette Heights in our rankings:

How Marquette Heights 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.

Marquette Heights lifestyle rankings vs other Illinois townsRetirement52nd pctFamilies81st pctQuiet75th pctWalkability45th pctFirst-time buyers86th pctYoung professionals12th pctVibrancy50th pctHip & trendy19th pctCollege town65th pctUpscale40th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling90th pctTransitbottomDriving43rd pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Marquette Heights is worth $123,800, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $75,625, which is more affordable than 85% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,315 a month. 92.2% of households own their home.

Marquette Heights vs Tazewell County vs typical Illinois townMarquette HeightsTazewell CountyTypical Illinois townHome value$123,800$167,500$156,600Household income$75,625$77,982$72,500Monthly rent$1,315$909$960
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Illinois towns with 500+ people.
HousingMarquette HeightsTypical Illinois town
Median home value$123,800$156,600
Median rent$1,315$960
Median household income$75,625$72,500
Home value ÷ income1.6×2.2×
Homeownership92.2%76.6%
Median year built19611967
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Marquette Heights

PeopleMarquette HeightsTypical Illinois town
Median age37.740.4
Age 65 and over13.4%18.7%
Under 1823.5%—
Bachelor's degree or higher25.2%21.8%
Below the poverty line3.7%9.9%
Veterans6.9%—
Born outside the U.S.1.6%—
Work from home6.7%8.9%
Average commute18.3 min26.1 min
Homes with broadband93.5%90.4%

Weather in Marquette Heights

July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 17.6°F. About 37.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.

Marquette Heights monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing34°18°Jan39°21°Feb51°32°Mar64°42°Apr74°53°May83°62°Jun86°66°Jul85°64°Aug78°56°Sep65°44°Oct51°33°Nov39°23°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.17.72.06.92.73.34.00.54.73.73.53.33.53.20.12.71.52.26.2
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Peoria Gtr Peoria Ap station (5.3 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Marquette Heights since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on November 17, 2013 about 2.0 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 219 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Marquette Heights by decade21950s31960s41970s21980s41990s62000s42010s62020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 137 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on December 8, 1991.

Severe weather in Tazewell County since 1996

Storm events in Tazewell County since 1996 by typeHail197Flood10Drought17Tornado45High Wind13Ice Storm10Heavy Snow22Flash Flood38
NOAA Storm Events Database, Tazewell County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 10 deaths recorded.

Tazewell County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 26, 2020BiologicalDR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3435: Covid-19
November 26, 2013TornadoDR-4157: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes
May 10, 2013FloodDR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
March 17, 2011SnowstormDR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm

Jobs and pay in Tazewell County

Tazewell County had 46,883 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,089 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Marquette Heights itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.

Largest industries in Tazewell CountyRetail6,691 jobs · $37,877Manufacturing6,282 jobs · $77,331Hotels & restaurants5,473 jobs · $23,539Health care & social assistan…4,339 jobs · $43,725Construction3,101 jobs · $75,240Transportation & warehousing2,830 jobs · $81,959
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Tazewell County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023Tazewell 4.5%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Marquette Heights

2 public schools with 464 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Georgetown Middle School4-824014.1
Marquette Elem SchoolPK-322416.0

Towns near Marquette Heights

Marquette Heights questions

Is Marquette Heights, Illinois a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Marquette Heights scores better for retirees than 52% of Illinois towns and quieter than 75%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.7).

How much does a house cost in Marquette Heights?

The median owner-occupied home in Marquette Heights is valued at $123,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $75,625, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $1,315 a month.

What is the weather like in Marquette Heights?

July highs average 86.3°F and January lows 17.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.5 inches of precipitation a year and 26.2 inches of snow.

Does Marquette Heights get tornadoes?

31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Marquette Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on November 17, 2013. The typical Illinois town has had 27.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Marquette Heights's Census boundary (GEOID 1747111). Comparisons use the median of Illinois towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.