The Town FilesAshland, Illinois
Village in Cass County · population 1,218 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $98,500
- Household income
- $68,060
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 39.3
Ashland is a village of 1,218 people in Cass County, Illinois. The median home is worth $98,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 87% of Illinois towns, hipper than 75% of Illinois towns.
How Ashland 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 Ashland is worth $98,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $68,060, which is more affordable than 93% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $571 a month. 83.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ashland | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $98,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $571 | $960 |
| Median household income | $68,060 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.5% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.9% | — |
Who lives in Ashland
| People | Ashland | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.9% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Ashland
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 17.5°F. About 38.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashland since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 22, 1963 about 8.8 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 13 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 5, 1977.
Severe weather in Cass County since 1996
Cass County has been included in 21 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 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cass County
Cass County had 5,143 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,068 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Ashland itself the ACS puts it at 2.2%.
Public schools in Ashland
2 public schools with 197 students, about 10.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-C Central High School | 9-12 | 106 | 9.6 |
| A-C Central Middle School | 5-8 | 91 | 13.0 |
Towns near Ashland
- Pleasant Plains, IL4.8 mi · 808 people · home $169,000
- Lake Petersburg, IL10.4 mi · 740 people · home $338,700
- Virginia, IL11.6 mi · 1,514 people · home $93,100
- Petersburg, IL12.2 mi · 2,258 people · home $177,700
- New Berlin, IL12.3 mi · 1,381 people · home $163,400
- Chandlerville, IL13.3 mi · 527 people · home $68,800
- Athens, IL16.0 mi · 1,977 people · home $164,000
- Jacksonville, IL16.2 mi · 17,616 people · home $128,200
Ashland questions
Is Ashland, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ashland scores better for retirees than 67% of Illinois towns and quieter than 87%. 16.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Ashland?
The median owner-occupied home in Ashland is valued at $98,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,060, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $571 a month.
What is the weather like in Ashland?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 17.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.4 inches of precipitation a year and 18.4 inches of snow.
Does Ashland get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ashland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 22, 1963. 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)