The Town FilesQuincy, Illinois
City in Adams County · population 39,463 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $153,200
- Household income
- $56,480
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 39.7
Quincy is a city of 39,463 people in Adams County, Illinois. The median home is worth $153,200, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks hipper than 94% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 89% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 87% of Illinois towns.
How Quincy 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 Quincy is worth $153,200, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.7 times the median household income of $56,480, which is more affordable than 31% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $837 a month. 63.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Quincy | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,200 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $837 | $960 |
| Median household income | $56,480 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 63.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Quincy
| People | Quincy | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.3% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 13.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.9% | 90.4% |
Weather in Quincy
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 18.9°F. About 36.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.3 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 31 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Quincy since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 23, 1977 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 30, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 28, 1960.
Severe weather in Adams County since 1996
Adams County has been included in 21 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 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 Adams County
Adams County had 32,154 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,986 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Quincy itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Quincy
12 public schools with 6,276 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy Sr High School | 9-12 | 1,886 | 19.4 |
| Quincy Jr High School | 6-8 | 1,273 | 16.5 |
| Lincoln-Douglas Elementary School | K-5 | 590 | 15.1 |
| Thomas S Baldwin Elem Sch | K-5 | 565 | 14.9 |
| Sarah Atwater Denman Elem | K-5 | 521 | 13.7 |
| Colonel George Iles Elem Sch | K-5 | 508 | 13.0 |
| Dr. Abby Fox Rooney Elem Sch | K-5 | 482 | 11.8 |
| Early Childhood | PK-K | 451 | 32.2 |
| Adams County RSSP | 7-12 | — | — |
| Academic Behavior&Community Acad | 7-12 | — | — |
| Quincy Area Voc Ctr | 11-12 | — | — |
| Adams Co Juvenile Detention Cntr | 5-12 | — | — |
Towns near Quincy
- Palmyra, MO12.2 mi · 3,613 people · home $184,200
- Hannibal, MO15.5 mi · 17,108 people · home $127,700
- Canton, MO15.7 mi · 2,774 people · home $117,900
- Monroe City, MO26.9 mi · 2,652 people · home $159,300
Quincy questions
Is Quincy, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Quincy scores better for retirees than 46% of Illinois towns and quieter than 21%. 20.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.7).
How much does a house cost in Quincy?
The median owner-occupied home in Quincy is valued at $153,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,480, so homes cost about 2.7 times income. Median rent is $837 a month.
What is the weather like in Quincy?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 18.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.5 inches of precipitation a year and 15.3 inches of snow.
Does Quincy get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Quincy since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 23, 1977. 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)