The Town FilesBismarck, Illinois
Village in Vermilion County · population 582 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,500
- Household income
- $79,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 13 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 41.8
Bismarck is a village of 582 people in Vermilion County, Illinois. The median home is worth $114,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 94% of Illinois towns, better for families than 70% of Illinois towns.
How Bismarck 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 Bismarck is worth $114,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $79,583, which is more affordable than 93% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $856 a month. 82.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bismarck | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $856 | $960 |
| Median household income | $79,583 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.0% | — |
Who lives in Bismarck
| People | Bismarck | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.5% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Bismarck
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 19.5°F. About 43.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 12.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bismarck since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 20, 1976 about 5.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 17 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 48 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 29, 2012.
Severe weather in Vermilion County since 1996
Vermilion County has been included in 12 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 |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| November 26, 2013 | Tornado | DR-4157: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Vermilion County
Vermilion County had 25,748 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,579 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Bismarck itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Bismarck
4 public schools with 814 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck-Henning Elem School | PK-4 | 297 | 14.9 |
| Coop HS 1 | 9-12 | 265 | — |
| Bismarck-Henning Jr High School | 5-8 | 251 | 13.2 |
| B H R A Cooperative HS | 9-12 | 1 | 0.0 |
Towns near Bismarck
- Danville, IL8.1 mi · 29,204 people · home $79,000
- Rossville, IL9.0 mi · 1,221 people · home $92,200
- Potomac, IL10.4 mi · 689 people · home $95,500
- Tilton, IL11.5 mi · 2,660 people · home $70,400
- West Lebanon, IN11.9 mi · 678 people · home $113,300
- Oakwood, IL13.5 mi · 1,325 people · home $103,000
- Hoopeston, IL14.2 mi · 4,915 people · home $78,100
- Catlin, IL14.2 mi · 1,983 people · home $124,700
Bismarck questions
Is Bismarck, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bismarck scores better for retirees than 13% of Illinois towns and quieter than 55%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.8).
How much does a house cost in Bismarck?
The median owner-occupied home in Bismarck is valued at $114,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $79,583, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $856 a month.
What is the weather like in Bismarck?
July highs average 85.4°F and January lows 19.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.2 inches of precipitation a year and 12.6 inches of snow.
Does Bismarck get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bismarck 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)