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Living in
Belleville.
About
Life in Belleville
If you're considering Belleville, you're looking at a stable, mid-sized city with reasonable housing costs and solid job prospects, particularly if you're connected to the military or federal sector. The median home value hovers around $141,000 and median rent sits at $1,019 a month, which is affordable for the region, though you should know the unemployment rate is 4.7%, slightly above the national average. The commute to St.
Belleville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.6%
Foreign-Born
2.9%
Broadband Internet
90.9%
of households
Population Growth
-5.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Belleville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Belleville, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (11.8%), and 1.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.6%
of residents
65 and Older
16.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.0%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.9%
of households
Married Couples
34.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.24
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 20% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Belleville
In Belleville, rent runs 20% below the IL average, and home values are 46% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.0%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,110
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1962
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $159,308 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IL
Unemployment in Belleville and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Belleville is close to the IL average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Belleville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
St. Louis, MO-IL metro area
Commute25.1 min avg
How Belleville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Belleville, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 68% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 8 mi
Scott AFB/Midamerica Airport (BLV)
Regional airport · few flights193k passengers boarded in 2025
- 26 mi
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
Medium hub7.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 46% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Belleville runs 46% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
480.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,639.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Belleville Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
St. Clair County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In St. Clair County, which includes Belleville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $770,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | Hail | $80,500 |
| 2023 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $40,000 |
| 2022 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10.2M |
| 2021 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $91,000 |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $8.1M |
| 2018 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
St. Clair County, county-wide
Air Quality55 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in St. Louis city, MO (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 16 miles from Belleville) is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
55
Good Days
125
per year
Moderate Days
232
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: St. Louis city, MO (16 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 27°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Belleville has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and cold winters (avg low 27°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/46°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
71°/47°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/27°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
44.6"
Annual Snowfall
11.2"
Hot Days/Year
53
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
94
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
122
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 24°F | 2.56" |
| Feb | 49°F | 28°F | 2.16" |
| Mar | 59°F | 36°F | 3.44" |
| Apr | 71°F | 46°F | 4.90" |
| May | 79°F | 56°F | 5.05" |
| Jun | 87°F | 65°F | 4.62" |
| Jul | 90°F | 68°F | 4.03" |
| Aug | 89°F | 65°F | 3.92" |
| Sep | 83°F | 57°F | 3.35" |
| Oct | 73°F | 47°F | 3.12" |
| Nov | 58°F | 37°F | 3.60" |
| Dec | 46°F | 28°F | 2.61" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Belleville
Belleville has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Hshs St Elizabeth's Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.5 mi away · O Fallon
Touchette Regional Hospital Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.4 mi away · Centreville
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Belleville
Belleville's student/teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 28.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
23
within city limits
Private Schools
9
within city limits
College Degree Rate
28.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Belleville (within 15 miles)
Public · 4-year · 960 students · in-state tuition $7,008 · 29% graduate · median earnings $39,919 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Gateway Arch National Park, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Belleville
Belleville has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Gateway Arch National Park (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Gateway Arch National Park
National Park
13 mi awayUlysses S Grant National Historic Site
National Historic Site
20 mi awaySte. Geneviève National Historical Park
National Historical Park
37 mi awayLincoln Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
90 mi awaySpringfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
91 mi awayNew Philadelphia National Historic Site
National Historic Site
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Belleville
Belleville Public Library
121 East Washington Street, Belleville
West Branch Library
3414 W. Main Street, Belleville
Cities Near Belleville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Belleville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Belleville FAQ
Is Belleville, Illinois affordable?⌄
Belleville's median rent is $1,019/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $63,535/year. Median home value is $141,300.
Is Belleville, Illinois safe?⌄
Belleville's violent crime rate was 481 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1639 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Belleville, Illinois?⌄
Belleville has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Belleville, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Belleville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,019/month and median household income is $63,535/year. The median home value is $141,300. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Belleville, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Belleville is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from