The Town FilesCarlyle, Illinois
City in Clinton County · population 3,253 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $155,000
- Household income
- $77,273
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 37.8
Carlyle is a city of 3,253 people in Clinton County, Illinois. The median home is worth $155,000, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 79% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 71% of Illinois towns.
How Carlyle 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 Carlyle is worth $155,000, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $77,273, which is more affordable than 61% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $983 a month. 75.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carlyle | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $155,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $983 | $960 |
| Median household income | $77,273 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1957 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Carlyle
| People | Carlyle | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 11.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Carlyle
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 45.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carlyle since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on February 25, 1956 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 28, 2012.
Severe weather in Clinton County since 1996
Clinton County has been included in 7 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 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 21, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1416: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
| December 13, 1982 | Severe Storm | DR-674: Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Clinton County
Clinton County had 12,592 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,189 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Carlyle itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Carlyle
3 public schools with 910 students, about 12.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlyle Elementary School | PK-4 | 357 | 13.7 |
| Carlyle Junior High School | 5-8 | 278 | 12.6 |
| Carlyle High School | 9-12 | 275 | 10.6 |
Towns near Carlyle
- Breese, IL8.0 mi · 4,641 people · home $229,600
- Centralia, IL15.3 mi · 12,182 people · home $89,600
- Trenton, IL16.8 mi · 2,690 people · home $178,200
- Greenville, IL18.3 mi · 7,083 people · home $122,000
- New Baden, IL18.9 mi · 3,428 people · home $172,200
- Nashville, IL19.2 mi · 3,105 people · home $156,500
- Highland, IL19.6 mi · 9,991 people · home $202,900
- Salem, IL22.5 mi · 7,282 people · home $106,100
Carlyle questions
Is Carlyle, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carlyle scores better for retirees than 49% of Illinois towns and quieter than 49%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.8).
How much does a house cost in Carlyle?
The median owner-occupied home in Carlyle is valued at $155,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,273, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $983 a month.
What is the weather like in Carlyle?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.9 inches of precipitation a year and 9.4 inches of snow.
Does Carlyle get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carlyle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on February 25, 1956. 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)