The Town FilesBement, Illinois
Village in Piatt County · population 1,484 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $99,300
- Household income
- $76,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 39.2
Bement is a village of 1,484 people in Piatt County, Illinois. The median home is worth $99,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 93% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 74% of Illinois towns.
How Bement 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 Bement is worth $99,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $76,250, which is more affordable than 96% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $807 a month. 80.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bement | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $99,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $807 | $960 |
| Median household income | $76,250 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 80.7% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.5% | — |
Who lives in Bement
| People | Bement | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Bement
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 17.4°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.1 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bement since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 20, 1976 about 2.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on August 26, 2000.
Severe weather in Piatt County since 1996
Piatt County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 21, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1416: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Piatt County
Piatt County had 3,707 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,937 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Bement itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Bement
3 public schools with 297 students, about 12.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bement Elementary School | PK-5 | 137 | 13.7 |
| Bement High School | 9-12 | 93 | 10.3 |
| Bement Middle School | 6-8 | 67 | 16.8 |
Towns near Bement
- Monticello, IL7.6 mi · 5,941 people · home $210,500
- Hammond, IL8.6 mi · 508 people · home $102,500
- Cerro Gordo, IL8.9 mi · 1,316 people · home $109,200
- Atwood, IL10.3 mi · 1,116 people · home $128,200
- Argenta, IL13.8 mi · 913 people · home $106,300
- Lovington, IL14.7 mi · 1,069 people · home $87,400
- Arthur, IL15.4 mi · 2,231 people · home $151,300
- Pesotum, IL15.7 mi · 550 people · home $163,000
Bement questions
Is Bement, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bement scores better for retirees than 40% of Illinois towns and quieter than 93%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Bement?
The median owner-occupied home in Bement is valued at $99,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,250, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is $807 a month.
What is the weather like in Bement?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 17.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 18.1 inches of snow.
Does Bement get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bement since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 20, 1976. 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)