The Town FilesCerro Gordo, Illinois
Village in Piatt County · population 1,316 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,200
- Household income
- $77,857
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 42
- Median age
- 35.9
Cerro Gordo is a village of 1,316 people in Piatt County, Illinois. The median home is worth $109,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Illinois towns, better for families than 75% of Illinois towns.
How Cerro Gordo 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 Cerro Gordo is worth $109,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $77,857, which is more affordable than 93% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $846 a month. 78.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cerro Gordo | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,200 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $846 | $960 |
| Median household income | $77,857 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cerro Gordo
| People | Cerro Gordo | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 30.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 21.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Cerro Gordo
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 20.1°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.7 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cerro Gordo since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 20, 1976 about 4.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on August 26, 2000.
Severe weather in Piatt County since 1996
Piatt County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 21, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1416: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Piatt County
Piatt County had 3,707 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,937 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Cerro Gordo itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Cerro Gordo
2 public schools with 460 students, about 11.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cerro Gordo Elem School | PK-5 | 240 | 10.9 |
| Cerro Gordo Jr and Sr High Sch | 6-12 | 220 | 12.2 |
Towns near Cerro Gordo
- Oreana, IL7.9 mi · 891 people · home $137,300
- Argenta, IL8.0 mi · 913 people · home $106,300
- Long Creek, IL8.3 mi · 1,261 people · home $167,500
- Bement, IL8.9 mi · 1,484 people · home $99,300
- Hammond, IL9.7 mi · 508 people · home $102,500
- Mount Zion, IL10.8 mi · 6,019 people · home $201,100
- Decatur, IL10.8 mi · 70,522 people · home $99,600
- Forsyth, IL12.4 mi · 3,734 people · home $281,000
Cerro Gordo questions
Is Cerro Gordo, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cerro Gordo scores better for retirees than 60% of Illinois towns and quieter than 72%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Cerro Gordo?
The median owner-occupied home in Cerro Gordo is valued at $109,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $77,857, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $846 a month.
What is the weather like in Cerro Gordo?
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 20.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 20.7 inches of snow.
Does Cerro Gordo get tornadoes?
42 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cerro Gordo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 20, 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)