The Town FilesSandwich, Illinois
City in DeKalb County · population 7,221 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $255,700
- Household income
- $80,768
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 39.3
Sandwich is a city of 7,221 people in DeKalb County, Illinois. The median home is worth $255,700, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for cycling than 88% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 79% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 78% of Illinois towns.
How Sandwich 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 Sandwich is worth $255,700, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $80,768, which is more affordable than 17% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,029 a month. 75.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sandwich | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $255,700 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,029 | $960 |
| Median household income | $80,768 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.5% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sandwich
| People | Sandwich | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.7% | — |
| Work from home | 11.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 90.4% |
Weather in Sandwich
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 14.7°F. About 33.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.5 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 141 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sandwich since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 25, 1978 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on May 12, 2000.
Severe weather in DeKalb County since 1996
DeKalb County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 3, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1800: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in DeKalb County
DeKalb County had 36,272 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,896 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Sandwich itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Sandwich
7 public schools with 1,853 students, about 11.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandwich Community High School | 9-12 | 549 | 12.5 |
| Sandwich Middle School | 6-8 | 429 | 13.4 |
| Herman E Dummer | 4-5 | 254 | 12.1 |
| Lynn G Haskin Elementary School | PK-3 | 232 | 13.6 |
| Prairie View Elem School | PK-3 | 197 | 16.4 |
| W W Woodbury Elem School | PK-3 | 192 | 16.0 |
| Indian Valley Area Voc Ctr | 11-12 | — | — |
Towns near Sandwich
- Lake Holiday, IL3.1 mi · 5,687 people · home $256,400
- Plano, IL4.8 mi · 11,847 people · home $230,700
- Yorkville, IL9.9 mi · 21,533 people · home $335,300
- Sugar Grove, IL12.5 mi · 9,278 people · home $401,900
- Montgomery, IL14.3 mi · 20,262 people · home $299,500
- Oswego, IL14.6 mi · 34,585 people · home $344,500
- Boulder Hill, IL15.3 mi · 8,394 people · home $238,700
- North Aurora, IL18.0 mi · 18,261 people · home $342,100
Sandwich questions
Is Sandwich, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sandwich scores better for retirees than 51% of Illinois towns and quieter than 26%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Sandwich?
The median owner-occupied home in Sandwich is valued at $255,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,768, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,029 a month.
What is the weather like in Sandwich?
July highs average 84.4°F and January lows 14.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.8 inches of precipitation a year and 31.5 inches of snow.
Does Sandwich get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sandwich since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 25, 1978. 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)