The Town FilesBluford, Illinois
Village in Jefferson County · population 630 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $94,500
- Household income
- $51,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 34.7
Bluford is a village of 630 people in Jefferson County, Illinois. The median home is worth $94,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for cycling than 80% of Illinois towns, quieter than 76% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 74% of Illinois towns.
How Bluford 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 Bluford is worth $94,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $51,583, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $786 a month. 76.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bluford | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $94,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $786 | $960 |
| Median household income | $51,583 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 76.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bluford
| People | Bluford | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 32.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 80.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Bluford
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.4 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
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bluford since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on December 18, 1957 about 3.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 96 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 14, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on May 5, 1999.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| June 7, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1991: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 21, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1416: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 19,307 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,833 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Bluford itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Bluford
3 public schools with 421 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluford Grade School | PK-8 | 239 | 13.3 |
| Webber High School | 9-12 | 129 | 12.9 |
| Farrington Elem School | PK-8 | 53 | 8.8 |
Towns near Bluford
- Wayne City, IL8.0 mi · 994 people · home $98,300
- Dahlgren, IL9.3 mi · 504 people · home $80,800
- Mount Vernon, IL9.9 mi · 14,600 people · home $99,800
- Ina, IL15.2 mi · 1,641 people · home $104,200
- Woodlawn, IL16.2 mi · 617 people · home $132,700
- McLeansboro, IL19.5 mi · 2,675 people · home $79,500
- Fairfield, IL20.0 mi · 4,883 people · home $88,800
- Iuka, IL20.4 mi · 512 people · home $72,600
Bluford questions
Is Bluford, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bluford scores better for retirees than 33% of Illinois towns and quieter than 76%. 21.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.7).
How much does a house cost in Bluford?
The median owner-occupied home in Bluford is valued at $94,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $51,583, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $786 a month.
What is the weather like in Bluford?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 10.4 inches of snow.
Does Bluford get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bluford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on December 18, 1957. 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)