The Town Files

Monroe County, Illinois

35,036 people. The median home is worth $282,100 (typical Illinois town: $156,600) and the median household earns $102,880.

Towns in Monroe County

Towns in Monroe County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Waterloo11,013$249,500$98,71141.5
Columbia10,999$293,000$107,60642.4

People and housing

Monroe CountyTypical Illinois town
Median home value$282,100$156,600
Median rent$1,042$960
Median household income$102,880$72,500
Median age43.240.4
Bachelor's degree or higher38.7%21.8%
Below the poverty line5.0%9.9%

Jobs and pay

8,442 jobs in 2024, average pay $48,706 a year.

Largest industries in Monroe CountyRetail1,241 jobs · $36,255Hotels & restaurants1,221 jobs · $21,486Health care & social assistan…922 jobs · $48,681Construction554 jobs · $76,328Finance & insurance512 jobs · $85,504Other services508 jobs · $43,910
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Monroe County0%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023 3.1%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 387 storm events in Monroe County from 1996 to 2026, with 1 deaths.

Storm events in Monroe County by type since 1996Hail100Heat30Flood12Drought4Tornado25High Wind6Heavy Snow13Flash Flood19Winter Storm29Excessive Heat33
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Monroe County has been included in 20 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 15, 2023Severe StormDR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding
March 26, 2020BiologicalDR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3435: Covid-19
September 19, 2019FloodDR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding
May 10, 2013FloodDR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding
June 24, 2008Severe StormDR-1771: Severe Storms And Flooding
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).