The Town FilesCarbon Cliff, Illinois
Village in Rock Island County · population 1,846 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $134,600
- Household income
- $55,536
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 51
- Median age
- 36.7
Carbon Cliff is a village of 1,846 people in Rock Island County, Illinois. The median home is worth $134,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for cycling than 78% of Illinois towns.
How Carbon Cliff 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 Carbon Cliff is worth $134,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $55,536, which is more affordable than 42% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,034 a month. 53.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carbon Cliff | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $134,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,034 | $960 |
| Median household income | $55,536 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 53.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Carbon Cliff
| People | Carbon Cliff | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.1% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Carbon Cliff
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 14.1°F. About 37.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.1 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 126 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
51 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carbon Cliff since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 13, 1990 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 138 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 20, 2023.
Severe weather in Rock Island County since 1996
Rock Island County has been included in 15 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Rock Island County
Rock Island County had 70,119 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,332 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Carbon Cliff itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Carbon Cliff
1 public school with — students.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Program | Other | — | — |
Towns near Carbon Cliff
- Silvis, IL1.0 mi · 8,003 people · home $161,600
- East Moline, IL1.5 mi · 21,374 people · home $134,600
- Colona, IL3.5 mi · 5,045 people · home $147,500
- Hampton, IL4.1 mi · 1,779 people · home $184,900
- Coal Valley, IL4.8 mi · 3,873 people · home $215,700
- Moline, IL5.4 mi · 42,985 people · home $146,300
- Rapids City, IL6.2 mi · 964 people · home $203,700
- Bettendorf, IA6.5 mi · 39,102 people · home $306,500
Carbon Cliff questions
Is Carbon Cliff, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carbon Cliff scores better for retirees than 14% of Illinois towns and quieter than 37%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.7).
How much does a house cost in Carbon Cliff?
The median owner-occupied home in Carbon Cliff is valued at $134,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,536, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $1,034 a month.
What is the weather like in Carbon Cliff?
July highs average 85.0°F and January lows 14.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.1 inches of precipitation a year and 36.1 inches of snow.
Does Carbon Cliff get tornadoes?
51 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carbon Cliff since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 13, 1990. 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)