The Town FilesCowden, Illinois
Village in Shelby County · population 515 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $77,000
- Household income
- $62,031
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 32.4
Cowden is a village of 515 people in Shelby County, Illinois. The median home is worth $77,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 95% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 79% of Illinois towns, better for families than 79% of Illinois towns.
How Cowden 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 Cowden is worth $77,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.2 times the median household income of $62,031, which is more affordable than 98% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $698 a month. 63.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cowden | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $77,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $698 | $960 |
| Median household income | $62,031 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 63.9% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cowden
| People | Cowden | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.4 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 35.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.4% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.3% | 90.4% |
Weather in Cowden
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 41.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 114 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cowden since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 17, 2026 about 5.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 17 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 10, 2001.
Severe weather in Shelby County since 1996
Shelby County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 13, 2021 | Tornado | EM-3577: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Shelby County
Shelby County had 4,848 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,311 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Cowden itself the ACS puts it at 8.2%.
Public schools in Cowden
1 public school with 170 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowden-Herrick Jr/Sr High School | 6-12 | 170 | 10.6 |
Towns near Cowden
- Shelbyville, IL11.6 mi · 4,674 people · home $116,400
- Stewardson, IL12.3 mi · 721 people · home $109,500
- Strasburg, IL14.5 mi · 531 people · home $97,600
- Altamont, IL14.6 mi · 2,216 people · home $129,800
- Ramsey, IL15.2 mi · 911 people · home $65,800
- St. Elmo, IL15.7 mi · 1,254 people · home $82,600
- Pana, IL15.9 mi · 5,199 people · home $77,900
- Brownstown, IL18.4 mi · 690 people · home $72,900
Cowden questions
Is Cowden, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cowden scores better for retirees than 79% of Illinois towns and quieter than 95%. 15.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.4).
How much does a house cost in Cowden?
The median owner-occupied home in Cowden is valued at $77,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,031, so homes cost about 1.2 times income. Median rent is $698 a month.
What is the weather like in Cowden?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.4 inches of precipitation a year and 16.2 inches of snow.
Does Cowden get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cowden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 17, 2026. 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)