The Town FilesBradford, Illinois
Village in Stark County · population 676 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,700
- Household income
- $52,292
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 23 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 46.9
Bradford is a village of 676 people in Stark County, Illinois. The median home is worth $80,700, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for retirees than 93% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 88% of Illinois towns, quieter than 82% of Illinois towns.
How Bradford 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 Bradford is worth $80,700, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $52,292, which is more affordable than 90% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $809 a month. 80.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bradford | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,700 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $809 | $960 |
| Median household income | $52,292 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 80.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1943 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bradford
| People | Bradford | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.0% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.1% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Bradford
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 13.8°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 22.5 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradford since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 4, 1976 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 9, 2001.
Severe weather in Stark County since 1996
Stark County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| December 29, 2006 | Snowstorm | EM-3269: Snow |
Jobs and pay in Stark County
Stark County had 1,696 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $60,314 a year. Unemployment was 5.6% in 2023; in Bradford itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Bradford
2 public schools with 176 students, about 11.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford Grade School | PK-5 | 132 | 13.2 |
| Bradford Jr High School | 6-8 | 44 | 8.8 |
Towns near Bradford
- Wyoming, IL9.8 mi · 1,300 people · home $109,500
- Tiskilwa, IL11.2 mi · 740 people · home $84,700
- Toulon, IL12.1 mi · 1,193 people · home $95,500
- Sheffield, IL13.2 mi · 821 people · home $102,400
- Wyanet, IL13.3 mi · 886 people · home $99,700
- Kewanee, IL14.5 mi · 12,509 people · home $73,200
- Henry, IL16.2 mi · 2,320 people · home $117,000
- Lacon, IL16.9 mi · 1,878 people · home $121,900
Bradford questions
Is Bradford, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bradford scores better for retirees than 93% of Illinois towns and quieter than 82%. 25.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.9).
How much does a house cost in Bradford?
The median owner-occupied home in Bradford is valued at $80,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,292, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $809 a month.
What is the weather like in Bradford?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 13.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 22.5 inches of snow.
Does Bradford get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bradford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 4, 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)