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Living in
Kewanee.
About
Life in Kewanee
Kewanee is a community of 12,280 people in Illinois. The median household income is $50,886, median rent runs about $797 per month, and median home values are around $70,000. The unemployment rate is 5.2%.
Kewanee at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
46.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.9%
Foreign-Born
4.3%
Broadband Internet
79.4%
of households
Population Growth
-3.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Kewanee: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kewanee, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (74.6%), and 10.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
18.5%
of residents
65 and Older
24.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.7%
of households
Married Couples
39.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.11
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 37% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Kewanee
In Kewanee, rent runs 37% below the IL average, and home values are 72% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
89.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,339
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
69.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1948
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $83,091 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above IL average
Unemployment in Kewanee
Unemployment in Henry County, which includes Kewanee, is 0.5 percentage points higher than the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Kewanee: Henry County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Henry County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Kewanee Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.4 min avg
How Kewanee residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kewanee, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 33 mi
Quad City International Airport (MLI)
Regional airport · few flights342k passengers boarded in 2025
- 116 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M 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 17% above national average
Crime rates for 2019
Older dataThe latest complete year reported to the FBI is 2019. It's compared with the national rate for 2019.
Violent crime in Kewanee runs 17% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
445.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (381 national, 2019)
Property Crime Rate
3,930.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (2,109 national, 2019)
Kewanee Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
57.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Henry County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Henry County, which includes Kewanee, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2,000 |
| 2024 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $150,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2022 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2021 | 11 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2020 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 20 | Flood | None reported |
| 2018 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Henry County, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Peoria County, IL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 32 miles from Kewanee) is typically good — 214 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
214
per year
Moderate Days
139
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Peoria County, IL (32 mi away)
Climate82°F summers, 17°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kewanee has warm summers (avg high 82°F) and very cold winters (avg low 17°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
82°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/17°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
39.6"
Annual Snowfall
30.8"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
142
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
124
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 14°F | 1.89" |
| Feb | 35°F | 17°F | 2.06" |
| Mar | 48°F | 27°F | 2.62" |
| Apr | 61°F | 38°F | 3.96" |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 5.07" |
| Jun | 81°F | 60°F | 5.00" |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.69" |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.86" |
| Sep | 77°F | 52°F | 3.68" |
| Oct | 64°F | 41°F | 2.93" |
| Nov | 49°F | 30°F | 2.65" |
| Dec | 36°F | 20°F | 2.17" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kewanee
Kewanee has 1 hospital, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
2.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Osf Saint Luke Medical Center
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.
Education15.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kewanee
Kewanee's student/teacher ratio is 15.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 16.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
8
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, 80 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kewanee
Kewanee has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Herbert Hoover National Historic Site (80 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Herbert Hoover National Historic Site
National Historic Site
80 mi awaySpringfield 1908 Race Riot National Monument
National Monument
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Kewanee
Kewanee Public Library District
102 South Tremont Street, Kewanee
Cities Near Kewanee
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kewanee?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kewanee FAQ
Is Kewanee, Illinois affordable?⌄
Kewanee's median rent is $797/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $50,886/year. Median home value is $73,200.
Is Kewanee, Illinois safe?⌄
Kewanee's violent crime rate was 446 per 100,000 residents in 2019, which is close to the national average of 381/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3931 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kewanee, Illinois?⌄
Henry County, which includes Kewanee, has an unemployment rate of 5.1%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Kewanee, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Kewanee is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $797/month and median household income is $50,886/year. The median home value is $73,200. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kewanee, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Kewanee is 19 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