The Town FilesElizabeth, Illinois
Village in Jo Daviess County · population 694 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $135,900
- Household income
- $56,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 48.2
Elizabeth is a village of 694 people in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. The median home is worth $135,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 98% of Illinois towns, hipper than 94% of Illinois towns.
How Elizabeth 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 Elizabeth is worth $135,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $56,250, which is more affordable than 42% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $739 a month. 68.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Elizabeth | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $135,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $739 | $960 |
| Median household income | $56,250 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 68.5% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1948 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Elizabeth
| People | Elizabeth | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.2 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 15.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 71.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Elizabeth
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 10.4°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 156 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elizabeth since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on July 15, 2024 about 9.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 10, 2026.
Severe weather in Jo Daviess County since 1996
Jo Daviess County has been included in 16 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 |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| August 19, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1935: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 13, 2008 | Snowstorm | EM-3283: Record Snow And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Jo Daviess County
Jo Daviess County had 7,485 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,804 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Elizabeth itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Elizabeth
3 public schools with — students.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAP Elizabeth | 6-12 | — | — |
| Northwest Academy | Other | — | — |
| Jo Daviess Carroll CTE Academy | 11-12 | — | — |
Towns near Elizabeth
- Hanover, IL5.0 mi · 863 people · home $89,500
- The Galena Territory, IL7.5 mi · 1,500 people · home $324,700
- Apple Canyon Lake, IL8.7 mi · 574 people · home $329,400
- Bellevue, IA11.4 mi · 2,363 people · home $216,500
- Stockton, IL11.5 mi · 1,728 people · home $93,700
- Galena, IL12.8 mi · 3,308 people · home $233,200
- Savanna, IL15.9 mi · 2,783 people · home $72,400
- Warren, IL17.1 mi · 1,323 people · home $102,200
Elizabeth questions
Is Elizabeth, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Elizabeth scores better for retirees than 98% of Illinois towns and quieter than 86%. 29.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.2).
How much does a house cost in Elizabeth?
The median owner-occupied home in Elizabeth is valued at $135,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,250, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $739 a month.
What is the weather like in Elizabeth?
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 10.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.4 inches of precipitation a year and 30.2 inches of snow.
Does Elizabeth get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Elizabeth since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on July 15, 2024. 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)