The Town FilesMendota, Illinois
City in LaSalle County · population 7,061 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $134,100
- Household income
- $51,632
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 37.8
Mendota is a city of 7,061 people in LaSalle County, Illinois. The median home is worth $134,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for cycling than 97% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 70% of Illinois towns.
How Mendota 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 Mendota is worth $134,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $51,632, which is more affordable than 35% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $773 a month. 62.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mendota | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $134,100 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $773 | $960 |
| Median household income | $51,632 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 62.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mendota
| People | Mendota | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.3% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.1% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.5% | — |
| Work from home | 2.1% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 90.4% |
Weather in Mendota
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 11.8°F. About 36.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.3 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mendota since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on December 6, 1951 about 1.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 8 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 13, 2004.
Severe weather in LaSalle County since 1996
LaSalle County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| November 26, 2013 | Tornado | DR-4157: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in LaSalle County
LaSalle County had 39,242 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,537 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Mendota itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Mendota
4 public schools with 1,500 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mendota Twp High School | 9-12 | 484 | 13.4 |
| Northbrook School | 5-8 | 481 | 13.7 |
| Lincoln Elem School | 2-4 | 323 | 13.5 |
| Blackstone Elem School | K-1 | 212 | 12.5 |
Towns near Mendota
- Peru, IL13.9 mi · 9,896 people · home $154,300
- LaSalle, IL15.3 mi · 9,582 people · home $113,500
- Spring Valley, IL16.7 mi · 5,582 people · home $153,300
- Oglesby, IL18.3 mi · 3,712 people · home $139,700
- Ottawa, IL20.0 mi · 18,840 people · home $154,000
- Princeton, IL22.4 mi · 7,832 people · home $134,700
- Lake Holiday, IL22.9 mi · 5,687 people · home $256,400
- Rochelle, IL25.1 mi · 9,446 people · home $164,300
Mendota questions
Is Mendota, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mendota scores better for retirees than 68% of Illinois towns and quieter than 49%. 18.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Mendota?
The median owner-occupied home in Mendota is valued at $134,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,632, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $773 a month.
What is the weather like in Mendota?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 11.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.8 inches of precipitation a year and 25.3 inches of snow.
Does Mendota get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mendota since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on December 6, 1951. 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)