The Town FilesTilton, Illinois
Village in Vermilion County · population 2,660 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $70,400
- Household income
- $55,697
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 48.3
Tilton is a village of 2,660 people in Vermilion County, Illinois. The median home is worth $70,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 87% of Illinois towns.
How Tilton 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 Tilton is worth $70,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $55,697, which is more affordable than 96% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $877 a month. 75.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tilton | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $70,400 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $877 | $960 |
| Median household income | $55,697 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.2% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Tilton
| People | Tilton | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.9% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Tilton
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 19.5°F. About 43.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tilton since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 20, 1976 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 29, 2012.
Severe weather in Vermilion County since 1996
Vermilion County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Vermilion County
Vermilion County had 25,748 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,579 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Tilton itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Towns near Tilton
- Westville, IL3.5 mi · 3,167 people · home $100,000
- Danville, IL3.7 mi · 29,204 people · home $79,000
- Georgetown, IL8.1 mi · 3,143 people · home $71,800
- Covington, IN13.6 mi · 2,668 people · home $164,400
- St. Joseph, IL20.8 mi · 3,810 people · home $270,900
- Attica, IN24.8 mi · 3,036 people · home $118,000
- Hoopeston, IL25.3 mi · 4,915 people · home $78,100
- Urbana, IL29.4 mi · 38,336 people · home $184,900
Tilton questions
Is Tilton, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tilton scores better for retirees than 19% of Illinois towns and quieter than 87%. 25.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.3).
How much does a house cost in Tilton?
The median owner-occupied home in Tilton is valued at $70,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,697, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is $877 a month.
What is the weather like in Tilton?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 19.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.2 inches of precipitation a year and 14.8 inches of snow.
Does Tilton get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tilton 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)