The Town FilesBethany, Illinois
Village in Moultrie County · population 1,255 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $106,200
- Household income
- $44,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 42.9
Bethany is a village of 1,255 people in Moultrie County, Illinois. The median home is worth $106,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Illinois towns, hipper than 87% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 75% of Illinois towns.
How Bethany 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 Bethany is worth $106,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $44,583, which is more affordable than 42% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,002 a month. 66.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bethany | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $106,200 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,002 | $960 |
| Median household income | $44,583 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 66.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bethany
| People | Bethany | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 23.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 90.4% |
Weather in Bethany
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 18.5°F. About 41.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.1 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 2, 1990 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 17, 2026.
Severe weather in Moultrie County since 1996
Moultrie County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Moultrie County
Moultrie County had 5,140 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,569 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Bethany itself the ACS puts it at 2.6%.
Public schools in Bethany
2 public schools with 338 students, about 11.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Okaw Valley Elementary School | PK-4 | 169 | 10.6 |
| Okaw Valley High School | 9-12 | 169 | 12.1 |
Towns near Bethany
- Lovington, IL7.5 mi · 1,069 people · home $87,400
- Sullivan, IL7.8 mi · 4,413 people · home $102,500
- Findlay, IL8.5 mi · 664 people · home $88,000
- Mount Zion, IL12.3 mi · 6,019 people · home $201,100
- Long Creek, IL12.5 mi · 1,261 people · home $167,500
- Hammond, IL13.3 mi · 508 people · home $102,500
- Macon, IL14.3 mi · 1,177 people · home $108,600
- Moweaqua, IL15.0 mi · 1,764 people · home $114,500
Bethany questions
Is Bethany, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bethany scores better for retirees than 75% of Illinois towns and quieter than 68%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Bethany?
The median owner-occupied home in Bethany is valued at $106,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $44,583, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,002 a month.
What is the weather like in Bethany?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 18.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.6 inches of precipitation a year and 15.1 inches of snow.
Does Bethany get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bethany since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 2, 1990. 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)