The Town FilesPontoon Beach, Illinois
Village in Madison County · population 5,876 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $145,100
- Household income
- $62,861
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 50
- Median age
- 34.9
Pontoon Beach is a village of 5,876 people in Madison County, Illinois. The median home is worth $145,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 74% of Illinois towns.
How Pontoon Beach 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 Pontoon Beach is worth $145,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.3 times the median household income of $62,861, which is more affordable than 45% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,277 a month. 69.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pontoon Beach | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $145,100 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,277 | $960 |
| Median household income | $62,861 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 69.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pontoon Beach
| People | Pontoon Beach | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.2% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.8% | 90.4% |
Weather in Pontoon Beach
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 41.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 85 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
50 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pontoon Beach since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 24 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on April 22, 2011 about 7.9 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 24 deaths and 502 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 146 times; the largest was 3.75 inches on March 14, 2024.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 24, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1771: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 105,166 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,153 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Pontoon Beach itself the ACS puts it at 11%.
Towns near Pontoon Beach
- Madison, IL3.4 mi · 3,171 people · home $58,900
- Granite City, IL3.7 mi · 27,549 people · home $104,300
- Collinsville, IL4.0 mi · 24,366 people · home $163,600
- Glen Carbon, IL4.8 mi · 13,842 people · home $282,000
- Maryville, IL4.9 mi · 8,221 people · home $261,800
- Edwardsville, IL6.1 mi · 26,808 people · home $299,800
- Caseyville, IL6.5 mi · 4,400 people · home $96,800
- Washington Park, IL6.7 mi · 2,592 people · home $37,500
Pontoon Beach questions
Is Pontoon Beach, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pontoon Beach scores better for retirees than 13% of Illinois towns and quieter than 34%. 13.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.9).
How much does a house cost in Pontoon Beach?
The median owner-occupied home in Pontoon Beach is valued at $145,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,861, so homes cost about 2.3 times income. Median rent is $1,277 a month.
What is the weather like in Pontoon Beach?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.9 inches of precipitation a year and 10.8 inches of snow.
Does Pontoon Beach get tornadoes?
50 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pontoon Beach since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on April 22, 2011. 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)