The Town FilesScott AFB, Illinois
Community in St. Clair County · population 3,688 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $103,390
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 43
- Median age
- 26.6
Scott AFB is a community of 3,688 people in St. Clair County, Illinois. It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 99% of Illinois towns, better for young professionals than 97% of Illinois towns.
How Scott AFB 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
Median rent is $1,610 a month. 3.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Scott AFB | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,610 | $960 |
| Median household income | $103,390 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 3.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Scott AFB
| People | Scott AFB | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 35.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 22.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.7% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 13.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Scott AFB
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.3°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 11.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 53 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 94 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scott AFB since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on February 25, 1956 about 3.0 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 53 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 118 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 28, 2012.
Severe weather in St. Clair County since 1996
St. Clair County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| October 14, 2022 | Flood | DR-4676: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in St. Clair County
St. Clair County had 89,981 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,001 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Scott AFB itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Scott AFB
1 public school with 805 students, about 15.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Elem School | PK-5 | 805 | 15.2 |
Towns near Scott AFB
- Mascoutah, IL3.3 mi · 8,754 people · home $224,900
- Shiloh, IL3.5 mi · 14,098 people · home $274,000
- Lebanon, IL4.6 mi · 4,691 people · home $170,700
- O'Fallon, IL5.2 mi · 32,289 people · home $295,700
- Swansea, IL7.3 mi · 14,386 people · home $223,600
- Belleville, IL7.7 mi · 42,404 people · home $141,300
- New Baden, IL7.8 mi · 3,428 people · home $172,200
- Freeburg, IL8.0 mi · 4,582 people · home $241,200
Scott AFB questions
Is Scott AFB, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Scott AFB scores better for retirees than 14% of Illinois towns and quieter than 2%. 0.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 26.6).
What is the weather like in Scott AFB?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 11.2 inches of snow.
Does Scott AFB get tornadoes?
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Scott AFB since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on February 25, 1956. 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)