The Town FilesAlpha, Illinois
Village in Henry County · population 675 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $111,400
- Household income
- $77,639
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 45.6
Alpha is a village of 675 people in Henry County, Illinois. The median home is worth $111,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for retirees than 96% of Illinois towns, quieter than 93% of Illinois towns, hipper than 90% of Illinois towns.
How Alpha 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 Alpha is worth $111,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $77,639, which is more affordable than 93% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $819 a month. 86.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alpha | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $111,400 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $819 | $960 |
| Median household income | $77,639 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 86.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Alpha
| People | Alpha | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 11.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 0.5% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 90.4% |
Weather in Alpha
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 13.0°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alpha since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 14, 1974 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on June 14, 1974.
Severe weather in Henry County since 1996
Henry County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Henry County
Henry County had 13,805 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,950 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Alpha itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Alpha
1 public school with 184 students, about 9.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlWood Elem School | PK-5 | 184 | 9.2 |
Towns near Alpha
- Woodhull, IL3.2 mi · 754 people · home $122,400
- Windsor, IL3.4 mi · 668 people · home $109,800
- Andover, IL8.5 mi · 555 people · home $163,600
- Sherrard, IL10.4 mi · 692 people · home $150,200
- Viola, IL10.7 mi · 869 people · home $120,000
- Orion, IL11.0 mi · 1,754 people · home $178,500
- Oneida, IL11.6 mi · 696 people · home $114,100
- Cambridge, IL12.1 mi · 2,086 people · home $123,100
Alpha questions
Is Alpha, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alpha scores better for retirees than 96% of Illinois towns and quieter than 93%. 21.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.6).
How much does a house cost in Alpha?
The median owner-occupied home in Alpha is valued at $111,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,639, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $819 a month.
What is the weather like in Alpha?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 13.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.4 inches of precipitation a year and 26.8 inches of snow.
Does Alpha get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alpha since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 14, 1974. 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)