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Living in
Jacksonville.
About
Life in Jacksonville
Housing is genuinely affordable—median home values hover around $128,000 and rent averages $711 a month—which matters if you're building equity or stretching a modest salary, though the job market isn't booming; unemployment sits at 4.2%, and the economy centers on manufacturing (Reynolds Group, Nestlé), education (Illinois College, three state institutions), and heritage rather than high-growth sectors. The town has real cultural infrastructure for its size: a symphony orchestra, theater guild, art galleries, and an unusual number of pipe organs across local churches, plus Illinois College anchors intellectual life in a way that smaller towns rarely experience. Winters are cold and the landscape is flat farmland, though Lake Jacksonville (named the number one fishing spot in Illinois by Field & Stream) is four miles out, and outdoor recreation feels natural and accessible rather than something you have to drive for.
Jacksonville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.5%
Foreign-Born
1.2%
Broadband Internet
86.7%
of households
Population Growth
-2.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.2% foreign-born, most often from Korea
Who lives in Jacksonville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Jacksonville, the largest foreign-born group is from Korea (39.8%), and 2.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
16.6%
of residents
65 and Older
18.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
21.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.1%
of households
Married Couples
35.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.32
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 44% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Jacksonville
In Jacksonville, rent runs 44% below the IL average, and home values are 51% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
30.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
15.0%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,487
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1962
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $140,263 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below IL average
Unemployment in Jacksonville
Unemployment in Morgan County, which includes Jacksonville, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Jacksonville: Morgan County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Morgan County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Jacksonville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16 min avg
How Jacksonville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Jacksonville, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 81% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 30 mi
Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI)
Regional airport · few flights49k passengers boarded in 2025
- 68 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 40% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Jacksonville runs 40% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
197.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,786.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Jacksonville Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
71.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Morgan County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Morgan County, which includes Jacksonville, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2024 | 4 | Hail | None reported |
| 2023 | 10 | Hail | None reported |
| 2022 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $15,000 |
| 2020 | 5 | Flash Flood | $10,000 |
| 2019 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $12,000 |
| 2018 | 4 | Thunderstorm Wind | $39,000 |
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
Morgan County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Sangamon County, IL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 30 miles from Jacksonville) is typically good — 256 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
256
per year
Moderate Days
106
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Sangamon County, IL (30 mi away)
Climate85°F summers, 20°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Jacksonville has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 20°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/64°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/20°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
41.4"
Annual Snowfall
16.2"
Hot Days/Year
35
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
121
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°F | 18°F | 2.21" |
| Feb | 41°F | 21°F | 2.02" |
| Mar | 52°F | 30°F | 3.04" |
| Apr | 65°F | 41°F | 4.46" |
| May | 75°F | 53°F | 5.09" |
| Jun | 83°F | 62°F | 4.96" |
| Jul | 87°F | 65°F | 3.97" |
| Aug | 86°F | 63°F | 3.32" |
| Sep | 80°F | 55°F | 3.78" |
| Oct | 67°F | 43°F | 3.11" |
| Nov | 52°F | 32°F | 3.08" |
| Dec | 40°F | 23°F | 2.35" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Jacksonville
Jacksonville has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.8%
of residents
Jacksonville Memorial Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
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.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Jacksonville
Jacksonville's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 22.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
15
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
22.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Jacksonville
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 930 students · in-state tuition $39,854 · 65% graduate · median earnings $57,546 (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: Lincoln Home National Historic Site, 32 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Jacksonville
Jacksonville has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Lincoln Home National Historic Site (32 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Lincoln Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
32 mi awaySpringfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
32 mi awayNew Philadelphia National Historic Site
National Historic Site
39 mi awayGateway Arch National Park
National Park
76 mi awayUlysses S Grant National Historic Site
National Historic Site
82 mi awayPublic Libraries in Jacksonville
Jacksonville Public Library
201 West College Avenue, Jacksonville
Cities Near Jacksonville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Jacksonville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Jacksonville FAQ
Is Jacksonville, Illinois affordable?⌄
Jacksonville's median rent is $711/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $65,432/year. Median home value is $128,200.
Is Jacksonville, Illinois safe?⌄
Jacksonville's violent crime rate was 198 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1786 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Jacksonville, Illinois?⌄
Morgan County, which includes Jacksonville, has an unemployment rate of 4.1%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Jacksonville, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Jacksonville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $711/month and median household income is $65,432/year. The median home value is $128,200. About 31% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Jacksonville, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Jacksonville is 16 minutes, which is shorter than 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