The Town FilesMount Carmel, Illinois
City in Wabash County · population 7,015 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $89,300
- Household income
- $47,009
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 29
- Median age
- 42.8
Mount Carmel is a city of 7,015 people in Wabash County, Illinois. The median home is worth $89,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more of a college town than 84% of Illinois towns, hipper than 76% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 70% of Illinois towns.
How Mount Carmel 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 Mount Carmel is worth $89,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $47,009, which is more affordable than 68% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $804 a month. 66.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Carmel | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $89,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $804 | $960 |
| Median household income | $47,009 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 66.7% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Mount Carmel
| People | Mount Carmel | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Mount Carmel
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 25.0°F. About 48.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.9 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 46 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Carmel since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 12 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 2, 1990 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 9, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 3, 1996.
Severe weather in Wabash County since 1996
Wabash County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| June 7, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1991: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Wabash County
Wabash County had 3,376 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,640 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Mount Carmel itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in Mount Carmel
4 public schools with 1,422 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Carmel High School | 9-12 | 448 | 14.9 |
| Mt Carmel Grade School | 3-6 | 382 | 14.7 |
| Mt Carmel Elementary School | PK-2 | 379 | 15.2 |
| Mt Carmel Junior High School | 7-8 | 213 | 13.3 |
Towns near Mount Carmel
- Princeton, IN11.2 mi · 8,301 people · home $128,700
- Fort Branch, IN16.0 mi · 2,965 people · home $195,900
- Sumner, IL21.1 mi · 2,631 people · home $46,000
- Lawrenceville, IL21.7 mi · 4,164 people · home $71,300
- Vincennes, IN22.7 mi · 16,759 people · home $111,600
- Olney, IL27.3 mi · 8,701 people · home $99,800
- Highland, IN28.1 mi · 4,435 people · home $240,400
Mount Carmel questions
Is Mount Carmel, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Carmel scores better for retirees than 70% of Illinois towns and quieter than 39%. 22.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.8).
How much does a house cost in Mount Carmel?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Carmel is valued at $89,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,009, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $804 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Carmel?
July highs average 87.4°F and January lows 25.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.7 inches of precipitation a year and 8.9 inches of snow.
Does Mount Carmel get tornadoes?
29 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Carmel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 2, 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)