The Town FilesSpring Valley, Illinois
City in Bureau County · population 5,582 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $153,300
- Household income
- $70,598
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 29 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 41.7
Spring Valley is a city of 5,582 people in Bureau County, Illinois. The median home is worth $153,300, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks hipper than 74% of Illinois towns.
How Spring Valley 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 Spring Valley is worth $153,300, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $70,598, which is more affordable than 50% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $915 a month. 65.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spring Valley | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $915 | $960 |
| Median household income | $70,598 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 65.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Spring Valley
| People | Spring Valley | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.2% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.1% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.9% | 90.4% |
Weather in Spring Valley
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 14.0°F. About 38.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.5 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spring Valley since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 20, 2004 about 1.5 miles from the town center and killed 8. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 14 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 66 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on September 22, 2005.
Severe weather in Bureau County since 1996
Bureau County has been included in 17 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 |
| 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 Bureau County
Bureau County had 10,032 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,297 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Spring Valley itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Spring Valley
2 public schools with 1,033 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| John F Kennedy Elem School | PK-8 | 623 | 13.0 |
| Hall High School | 9-12 | 410 | 11.7 |
Towns near Spring Valley
- Peru, IL3.3 mi · 9,896 people · home $154,300
- LaSalle, IL4.5 mi · 9,582 people · home $113,500
- Oglesby, IL6.2 mi · 3,712 people · home $139,700
- Princeton, IL15.1 mi · 7,832 people · home $134,700
- Mendota, IL16.7 mi · 7,061 people · home $134,100
- Ottawa, IL18.8 mi · 18,840 people · home $154,000
- Streator, IL22.9 mi · 12,500 people · home $94,700
- Marseilles, IL26.3 mi · 4,845 people · home $142,500
Spring Valley questions
Is Spring Valley, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spring Valley scores better for retirees than 57% of Illinois towns and quieter than 39%. 23.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).
How much does a house cost in Spring Valley?
The median owner-occupied home in Spring Valley is valued at $153,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,598, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $915 a month.
What is the weather like in Spring Valley?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 14.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.0 inches of precipitation a year and 28.5 inches of snow.
Does Spring Valley get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spring Valley since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 20, 2004. 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)