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Living in
Mount Vernon.
About
Life in Mount Vernon
This is a working-class city of about 14,500 people built on high ground between two rivers—a place where you can actually afford a home without a six-figure income, and where most people stay because jobs are here and life moves at a reasonable pace. Housing is genuinely affordable: median home values sit around $99,800 and median rent hovers near $910 a month, which means your paycheck stretches further than in most Illinois cities. Your commute will be short, averaging just 13.7 minutes, which is one of the real quality-of-life wins here: you're not spending hours in traffic.
Mount Vernon at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
17.3%
Foreign-Born
2.5%
Broadband Internet
87.6%
of households
Population Growth
-2.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Mount Vernon: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Mount Vernon, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (40.6%), and 1.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.6%
of residents
65 and Older
19.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
37.9%
of households
Married Couples
33.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.22
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 29% below IL average
Rent, home values, and income in Mount Vernon
In Mount Vernon, rent runs 29% below the IL average, and home values are 62% below the IL average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.0%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,271
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1968
median year built
Vacant Homes
14.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $138,087 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for IL
Unemployment in Mount Vernon
Unemployment in Jefferson County, which includes Mount Vernon, is close to the IL average.
Unemployment rate
Mount Vernon: Jefferson County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Jefferson County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Mount Vernon Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute14 min avg
How Mount Vernon residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Mount Vernon, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 40 mi
Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois (MWA)
Regional airport · few flights13k passengers boarded in 2025
- 85 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 75% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Mount Vernon runs 75% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
576
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,012.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Mount Vernon Police Department
Natural DisastersDense Fog most common — 24 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
77.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Jefferson County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Jefferson County, which includes Mount Vernon, the most common type is dense fog, with 24 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | Dense Fog | $93,000 |
| 2024 | 33 | Dense Fog | $788,000 |
| 2023 | 25 | Strong Wind | $55,000 |
| 2022 | 28 | Dense Fog | $32,000 |
| 2021 | 21 | Winter Weather | $37,000 |
| 2020 | 20 | Dense Fog | $12,000 |
| 2019 | 28 | Strong Wind | $42,000 |
| 2018 | 32 | Strong Wind | $487,000 |
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.
3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Jefferson County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Hamilton County, IL (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 26 miles from Mount Vernon) is typically good — 245 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
245
per year
Moderate Days
116
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Hamilton County, IL (26 mi away)
Climate84°F summers, 24°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Mount Vernon has warm summers (avg high 84°F) and cold winters (avg low 24°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
84°/65°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
67°/45°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/24°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.0"
Annual Snowfall
10.4"
Hot Days/Year
21
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
108
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
115
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 22°F | 2.60" |
| Feb | 44°F | 25°F | 2.62" |
| Mar | 54°F | 34°F | 4.00" |
| Apr | 65°F | 44°F | 4.96" |
| May | 74°F | 55°F | 5.06" |
| Jun | 82°F | 64°F | 4.84" |
| Jul | 86°F | 67°F | 3.78" |
| Aug | 85°F | 65°F | 3.33" |
| Sep | 79°F | 57°F | 3.37" |
| Oct | 68°F | 45°F | 3.53" |
| Nov | 54°F | 34°F | 3.99" |
| Dec | 43°F | 26°F | 2.89" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
5.4%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Good Samaritan Regional Hlth Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Deaconess Illinois Crossroads
Acute Care 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.
Education13.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon's student/teacher ratio is 13.2:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 18.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
18.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park, 65 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park (65 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ste. Geneviève National Historical Park
National Historical Park
65 mi awayGateway Arch National Park
National Park
72 mi awayGeorge Rogers Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
79 mi awayUlysses S Grant National Historic Site
National Historic Site
79 mi awayPublic Libraries in Mount Vernon
C.E. Brehm Memorial Public Library District
101 South Seventh Street, Mount Vernon
Cities Near Mount Vernon
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Mount Vernon?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Mount Vernon FAQ
Is Mount Vernon, Illinois affordable?⌄
Mount Vernon's median rent is $910/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $55,357/year. Median home value is $99,800.
Is Mount Vernon, Illinois safe?⌄
Mount Vernon's violent crime rate was 576 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2013 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Mount Vernon, Illinois?⌄
Jefferson County, which includes Mount Vernon, has an unemployment rate of 4.9%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Mount Vernon, Illinois?⌄
The cost of living in Mount Vernon is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $910/month and median household income is $55,357/year. The median home value is $99,800. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Mount Vernon, Illinois?⌄
The average commute in Mount Vernon is 14 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