The Town FilesChatsworth, Illinois
Town in Livingston County · population 1,185 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $103,200
- Household income
- $69,559
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 45.4
Chatsworth is a town of 1,185 people in Livingston County, Illinois. The median home is worth $103,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 81% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 79% of Illinois towns, quieter than 78% of Illinois towns.
How Chatsworth 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 Chatsworth is worth $103,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $69,559, which is more affordable than 90% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $723 a month. 73.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chatsworth | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $103,200 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $723 | $960 |
| Median household income | $69,559 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 73.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chatsworth
| People | Chatsworth | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.4 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 17.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.9% | 90.4% |
Weather in Chatsworth
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 44.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 27.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chatsworth since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 7, 1980 about 2.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 26, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 20, 1981.
Severe weather in Livingston County since 1996
Livingston County has been included in 11 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 |
| March 7, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1747: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Livingston County
Livingston County had 13,762 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,455 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Chatsworth itself the ACS puts it at 8.8%.
Public schools in Chatsworth
1 public school with 132 students, about 12.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Central Primary East | PK-1 | 132 | 12.0 |
Towns near Chatsworth
- Forrest, IL6.1 mi · 1,041 people · home $113,000
- Piper City, IL6.3 mi · 745 people · home $80,400
- Cullom, IL11.0 mi · 520 people · home $100,800
- Fairbury, IL11.4 mi · 3,633 people · home $162,200
- Onarga, IL15.1 mi · 1,333 people · home $99,300
- Gilman, IL15.8 mi · 1,738 people · home $120,500
- Gibson City, IL18.1 mi · 3,475 people · home $153,800
- Danforth, IL18.2 mi · 594 people · home $151,200
Chatsworth questions
Is Chatsworth, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chatsworth scores better for retirees than 31% of Illinois towns and quieter than 78%. 12.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.4).
How much does a house cost in Chatsworth?
The median owner-occupied home in Chatsworth is valued at $103,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $69,559, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $723 a month.
What is the weather like in Chatsworth?
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 44.4 inches of precipitation a year and 27.6 inches of snow.
Does Chatsworth get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chatsworth since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 7, 1980. 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)