The Town FilesBlue Island, Illinois
City in Cook County · population 22,558 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $178,700
- Household income
- $59,489
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 39 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 32
- Median age
- 38.1
Blue Island is a city of 22,558 people in Cook County, Illinois. The median home is worth $178,700, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better transit than 99% of Illinois towns, more walkable than 97% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 97% of Illinois towns.
How Blue Island 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 Blue Island is worth $178,700, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $59,489, which is more affordable than 21% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,072 a month. 51.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Blue Island | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $178,700 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,072 | $960 |
| Median household income | $59,489 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 51.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Blue Island
| People | Blue Island | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.1% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 22.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Blue Island
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 19.5°F. About 40.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 38.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Blue Island since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 21, 1967 about 2.9 miles from the town center and killed 33. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 35 deaths and 620 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on July 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 119 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 13, 2015.
Severe weather in Cook County since 1996
Cook County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| November 20, 2023 | Flood | DR-4749: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Cook County
Cook County had 2,565,567 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $86,931 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Blue Island itself the ACS puts it at 15.5%.
Public schools in Blue Island
9 public schools with 3,686 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| DD Eisenhower High Sch (Campus) | 9-12 | 1,841 | 13.3 |
| Veterans Memorial Middle Sch | 6-8 | 350 | 10.9 |
| Paul Revere Primary School | K-3 | 329 | 16.5 |
| Everett F Kerr Middle School | 6-8 | 324 | 9.8 |
| Lincoln Elem School | K-3 | 315 | 13.7 |
| Horace Mann School | PK-PK | 197 | 17.9 |
| Paul Revere Intermediate School | 4-5 | 177 | 17.7 |
| Whittier Elementary School | 4-5 | 153 | 15.3 |
| A.N.C.H.O.R. Academy | 3-8 | — | — |
Towns near Blue Island
- Calumet Park, IL1.3 mi · 7,025 people · home $184,700
- Robbins, IL1.7 mi · 4,629 people · home $121,300
- Dixmoor, IL1.8 mi · 2,973 people · home $84,400
- Posen, IL2.0 mi · 5,632 people · home $172,900
- Riverdale, IL2.6 mi · 10,663 people · home $113,800
- Alsip, IL3.0 mi · 19,063 people · home $225,000
- Midlothian, IL3.1 mi · 14,325 people · home $207,000
- Crestwood, IL3.2 mi · 10,826 people · home $195,200
Blue Island questions
Is Blue Island, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Blue Island scores better for retirees than 1% of Illinois towns and quieter than 3%. 14.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Blue Island?
The median owner-occupied home in Blue Island is valued at $178,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,489, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $1,072 a month.
What is the weather like in Blue Island?
July highs average 85.2°F and January lows 19.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.9 inches of precipitation a year and 38.8 inches of snow.
Does Blue Island get tornadoes?
32 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Blue Island since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 21, 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)