The Town FilesCoal City, Illinois
Village in Grundy County · population 5,705 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $201,600
- Household income
- $72,857
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 26
- Median age
- 44.3
Coal City is a village of 5,705 people in Grundy County, Illinois. The median home is worth $201,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more of a college town than 78% of Illinois towns, better for families than 71% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Illinois towns.
How Coal City 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 Coal City is worth $201,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $72,857, which is more affordable than 27% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,123 a month. 76.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Coal City | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $201,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,123 | $960 |
| Median household income | $72,857 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 76.9% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.5% | — |
Who lives in Coal City
| People | Coal City | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.4% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.6% | — |
| Work from home | 11.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.8% | 90.4% |
Weather in Coal City
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 37.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Coal City since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 14 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 22, 2015 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 10, 2013.
Severe weather in Grundy County since 1996
Grundy 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 |
| November 26, 2013 | Tornado | DR-4157: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 Grundy County
Grundy County had 22,349 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,868 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Coal City itself the ACS puts it at 6.1%.
Public schools in Coal City
5 public schools with 2,134 students, about 15.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coal City High School | 9-12 | 638 | 16.0 |
| Coal City Middle School | 6-8 | 491 | 13.6 |
| Coal City Early Childhood Center | PK-1 | 436 | 16.8 |
| Coal City Elem School | 2-3 | 299 | 16.6 |
| Coal City Intermediate School | 4-5 | 270 | 15.9 |
Towns near Coal City
- Diamond, IL1.6 mi · 2,640 people · home $220,200
- Braidwood, IL3.0 mi · 6,194 people · home $202,500
- Wilmington, IL6.8 mi · 5,664 people · home $223,800
- Channahon, IL10.0 mi · 13,383 people · home $327,900
- Morris, IL10.2 mi · 14,163 people · home $247,400
- Minooka, IL11.8 mi · 12,758 people · home $315,600
- Dwight, IL14.5 mi · 4,032 people · home $155,600
- Shorewood, IL16.8 mi · 18,186 people · home $337,800
Coal City questions
Is Coal City, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Coal City scores better for retirees than 30% of Illinois towns and quieter than 40%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.3).
How much does a house cost in Coal City?
The median owner-occupied home in Coal City is valued at $201,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $72,857, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $1,123 a month.
What is the weather like in Coal City?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.2 inches of precipitation a year and 18.4 inches of snow.
Does Coal City get tornadoes?
26 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Coal City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 22, 2015. 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)