The Town FilesSt. Joseph, Illinois
Village in Champaign County · population 3,810 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $270,900
- Household income
- $120,789
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 25 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 37.9
St. Joseph is a village of 3,810 people in Champaign County, Illinois. The median home is worth $270,900, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 97% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 92% of Illinois towns, more upscale than 84% of Illinois towns.
How St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph is worth $270,900, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $120,789, which is more affordable than 50% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $968 a month. 84.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Joseph | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $270,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $968 | $960 |
| Median household income | $120,789 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 84.7% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in St. Joseph
| People | St. Joseph | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 28.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 17.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.3% | 90.4% |
Weather in St. Joseph
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 18.2°F. About 41.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.0 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 118 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Joseph since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 20, 1976 about 1.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 51 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 36 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 11, 2020.
Severe weather in Champaign County since 1996
Champaign County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| November 26, 2013 | Tornado | DR-4157: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 21, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1416: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Champaign County
Champaign County had 94,777 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,216 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in St. Joseph itself the ACS puts it at 0.9%.
Public schools in St. Joseph
3 public schools with 1,229 students, about 14.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph Elem School | PK-4 | 451 | 15.0 |
| St Joseph-Ogden High School | 9-12 | 442 | 13.4 |
| St Joseph Middle School | 5-8 | 336 | 15.3 |
Towns near St. Joseph
- Urbana, IL8.6 mi · 38,336 people · home $184,900
- Savoy, IL12.2 mi · 8,857 people · home $320,300
- Champaign, IL12.6 mi · 88,302 people · home $210,900
- Rantoul, IL14.4 mi · 12,371 people · home $118,200
- Tolono, IL14.7 mi · 3,604 people · home $208,600
- Mahomet, IL19.4 mi · 9,434 people · home $299,100
- Tilton, IL20.8 mi · 2,660 people · home $70,400
- Westville, IL21.5 mi · 3,167 people · home $100,000
St. Joseph questions
Is St. Joseph, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Joseph scores better for retirees than 63% of Illinois towns and quieter than 38%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.9).
How much does a house cost in St. Joseph?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Joseph is valued at $270,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $120,789, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $968 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Joseph?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 18.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.2 inches of precipitation a year and 25.0 inches of snow.
Does St. Joseph get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Joseph since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 20, 1976. 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)