The Town FilesAlton, Illinois
City in Madison County · population 25,676 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $103,700
- Household income
- $54,568
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 37
- Median age
- 38.0
Alton is a city of 25,676 people in Madison County, Illinois. The median home is worth $103,700, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks hipper than 93% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 88% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 83% of Illinois towns.
How Alton 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 Alton is worth $103,700, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $54,568, which is more affordable than 68% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,015 a month. 59.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Alton | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $103,700 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,015 | $960 |
| Median household income | $54,568 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 59.9% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Alton
| People | Alton | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Alton
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 41.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 85 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alton since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 15 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on January 24, 1967 about 6.0 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 255 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 87 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 13, 1979.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 13, 2021 | Tornado | EM-3577: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| June 24, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1771: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 105,166 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,153 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Alton itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Alton
9 public schools with 4,644 students, about 14.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alton High School | 9-12 | 1,909 | 17.5 |
| Alton Middle School | 6-8 | 1,219 | 13.7 |
| East Elementary School | 3-5 | 440 | 13.8 |
| West Elementary School | 2-5 | 418 | 12.7 |
| Lovejoy Elem School | K-2 | 234 | 12.3 |
| Early Childhood | PK-PK | 233 | 33.3 |
| Eunice Smith Elem School | K-2 | 191 | 13.6 |
| Mark Twain | K-12 | — | — |
| Journeys School | 7-12 | — | — |
Towns near Alton
- East Alton, IL2.7 mi · 5,786 people · home $106,700
- Rosewood Heights, IL4.3 mi · 3,971 people · home $137,300
- Wood River, IL4.9 mi · 10,464 people · home $108,100
- Godfrey, IL5.1 mi · 17,825 people · home $192,200
- Bethalto, IL5.7 mi · 9,310 people · home $168,900
- Spanish Lake, MO8.5 mi · 18,413 people · home $135,600
- Old Jamestown, MO8.6 mi · 19,790 people · home $236,100
- Black Jack, MO9.4 mi · 6,634 people · home $193,000
Alton questions
Is Alton, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Alton scores better for retirees than 10% of Illinois towns and quieter than 22%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.0).
How much does a house cost in Alton?
The median owner-occupied home in Alton is valued at $103,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $54,568, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,015 a month.
What is the weather like in Alton?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.9 inches of precipitation a year and 13.2 inches of snow.
Does Alton get tornadoes?
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Alton since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on January 24, 1967. 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)