The Town FilesMinooka, Illinois
Village in Grundy County · population 12,758 (2020 Census) · spans 3 counties
- Median home
- $315,600
- Household income
- $115,445
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 50
- Median age
- 32.1
Minooka is a village of 12,758 people in Grundy County, Illinois. The median home is worth $315,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 91% of Illinois towns, better for families than 88% of Illinois towns, more upscale than 80% of Illinois towns.
How Minooka 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 Minooka is worth $315,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $115,445, which is more affordable than 31% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,552 a month. 91.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Minooka | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $315,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,552 | $960 |
| Median household income | $115,445 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 91.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 2003 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Minooka
| People | Minooka | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.3% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Minooka
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 37.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
50 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Minooka since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on August 28, 1990 about 9.9 miles from the town center and killed 29. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 33 deaths and 481 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 75 times; the largest was 4.75 inches on June 10, 2015.
Severe weather in Grundy County since 1996
Grundy County has been included in 15 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 Grundy County
Grundy County had 22,349 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,868 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Minooka itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Minooka
7 public schools with 6,373 students, about 16.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minooka Community High School | 9-12 | 2,985 | 18.0 |
| Minooka Jr High School | 7-8 | 1,053 | 16.5 |
| Minooka Intermediate School | 5-6 | 963 | 15.8 |
| Aux Sable | K-4 | 604 | 15.5 |
| Minooka Elem School | K-4 | 491 | 12.6 |
| Minooka Primary Center | PK-PK | 277 | 16.3 |
| Minooka Academy | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Minooka
- Channahon, IL2.1 mi · 13,383 people · home $327,900
- Shorewood, IL5.7 mi · 18,186 people · home $337,800
- Joliet, IL8.1 mi · 150,362 people · home $265,800
- Morris, IL9.0 mi · 14,163 people · home $247,400
- Preston Heights, IL10.7 mi · 2,898 people · home $144,100
- Wilmington, IL10.9 mi · 5,664 people · home $223,800
- Diamond, IL11.5 mi · 2,640 people · home $220,200
- Coal City, IL11.8 mi · 5,705 people · home $201,600
Minooka questions
Is Minooka, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Minooka scores better for retirees than 11% of Illinois towns and quieter than 34%. 8.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.1).
How much does a house cost in Minooka?
The median owner-occupied home in Minooka is valued at $315,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $115,445, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $1,552 a month.
What is the weather like in Minooka?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.2 inches of precipitation a year and 18.4 inches of snow.
Does Minooka get tornadoes?
50 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Minooka since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on August 28, 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)