The Town FilesBluffs, Illinois
Village in Scott County · population 618 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $73,600
- Household income
- $69,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 44.8
Bluffs is a village of 618 people in Scott County, Illinois. The median home is worth $73,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 96% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 90% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 87% of Illinois towns.
How Bluffs 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 Bluffs is worth $73,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.1 times the median household income of $69,250, which is more affordable than 98% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $700 a month. 72.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bluffs | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $73,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $700 | $960 |
| Median household income | $69,250 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.1× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 72.5% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bluffs
| People | Bluffs | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.2% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Bluffs
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 17.8°F. About 40.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bluffs since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 24, 1961 about 7.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 4 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 18, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on March 14, 2024.
Severe weather in Scott County since 1996
Scott County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| 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 Scott County
Scott County had 920 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,729 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Bluffs itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Bluffs
3 public schools with 178 students, about 8.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluffs Elementary School | PK-5 | 77 | 8.6 |
| Bluffs High School | 9-12 | 58 | 6.4 |
| Bluffs Junior High School | 6-8 | 43 | 14.3 |
Towns near Bluffs
- Meredosia, IL5.8 mi · 826 people · home $65,300
- Winchester, IL9.3 mi · 1,574 people · home $93,900
- Griggsville, IL10.6 mi · 1,097 people · home $86,200
- Jacksonville, IL16.2 mi · 17,616 people · home $128,200
- South Jacksonville, IL16.9 mi · 3,302 people · home $135,800
- Pittsfield, IL17.9 mi · 4,206 people · home $111,400
- Beardstown, IL18.8 mi · 5,951 people · home $82,100
- Murrayville, IL19.0 mi · 567 people · home $106,800
Bluffs questions
Is Bluffs, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bluffs scores better for retirees than 87% of Illinois towns and quieter than 96%. 20.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.8).
How much does a house cost in Bluffs?
The median owner-occupied home in Bluffs is valued at $73,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,250, so homes cost about 1.1 times income. Median rent is $700 a month.
What is the weather like in Bluffs?
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 17.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.4 inches of precipitation a year and 16.6 inches of snow.
Does Bluffs get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bluffs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 24, 1961. 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)