The Town FilesGoreville, Illinois
Village in Johnson County · population 1,068 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $131,300
- Household income
- $68,798
- Jan low / Jul high
- 25° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 47.3
Goreville is a village of 1,068 people in Johnson County, Illinois. The median home is worth $131,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 80% of Illinois towns.
How Goreville 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 Goreville is worth $131,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $68,798, which is more affordable than 68% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $968 a month. 72.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Goreville | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $131,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $968 | $960 |
| Median household income | $68,798 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 72.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Goreville
| People | Goreville | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 29.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 12.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Goreville
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 25.4°F. About 51.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.9 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 43 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 95 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Goreville since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on May 16, 2025 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 5, 1975.
Severe weather in Johnson County since 1996
Johnson County has been included in 7 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 2, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1826: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| February 1, 2005 | Snowstorm | EM-3199: Record/Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Johnson County
Johnson County had 2,439 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,740 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Goreville itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Public schools in Goreville
2 public schools with 649 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goreville Elementary School | PK-8 | 473 | 18.9 |
| Goreville High School | 9-12 | 176 | 9.8 |
Towns near Goreville
- Creal Springs, IL8.7 mi · 505 people · home $55,800
- Vienna, IL10.9 mi · 1,343 people · home $81,300
- Marion, IL12.5 mi · 16,855 people · home $158,300
- Crainville, IL14.5 mi · 1,443 people · home $185,300
- Makanda, IL15.1 mi · 547 people · home $242,600
- Energy, IL15.1 mi · 974 people · home $151,800
- Cobden, IL15.5 mi · 1,074 people · home $98,300
- Carterville, IL15.6 mi · 5,848 people · home $197,100
Goreville questions
Is Goreville, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Goreville scores better for retirees than 61% of Illinois towns and quieter than 57%. 29.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.3).
How much does a house cost in Goreville?
The median owner-occupied home in Goreville is valued at $131,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,798, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $968 a month.
What is the weather like in Goreville?
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 25.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.1 inches of precipitation a year and 9.9 inches of snow.
Does Goreville get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Goreville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on May 16, 2025. 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)