The Town FilesHardin, Illinois
Village in Calhoun County · population 801 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $89,000
- Household income
- $88,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 57.4
Hardin is a village of 801 people in Calhoun County, Illinois. The median home is worth $89,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 87% of Illinois towns, quieter than 81% of Illinois towns.
How Hardin 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 Hardin is worth $89,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.0 times the median household income of $88,875, which is more affordable than 99% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $476 a month. 69.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hardin | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $89,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $476 | $960 |
| Median household income | $88,875 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 69.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1967 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.5% | — |
Who lives in Hardin
| People | Hardin | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.4 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.0% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 13.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 17.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 52.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Hardin
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 19.7°F. About 41.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.3 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 42 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 107 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hardin since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on March 8, 2009 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 31, 2012.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 22, 2006.
Severe weather in Calhoun County since 1996
Calhoun County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Calhoun County
Calhoun County had 743 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $36,322 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Hardin itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Hardin
2 public schools with 502 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun Elementary/ Jr High Sch | PK-8 | 334 | 10.8 |
| Calhoun High School | 9-12 | 168 | 10.5 |
Towns near Hardin
- Elsberry, MO8.9 mi · 1,937 people · home $139,000
- Winfield, MO13.3 mi · 1,518 people · home $208,100
- Carrollton, IL14.9 mi · 2,485 people · home $114,000
- Jerseyville, IL16.1 mi · 8,337 people · home $143,900
- Grafton, IL16.5 mi · 626 people · home $275,800
- Elsah, IL20.2 mi · 519 people · home $221,400
- Moscow Mills, MO22.0 mi · 3,317 people · home $196,400
- St. Paul, MO22.3 mi · 3,005 people · home $443,600
Hardin questions
Is Hardin, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hardin scores better for retirees than 72% of Illinois towns and quieter than 81%. 32.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.4).
How much does a house cost in Hardin?
The median owner-occupied home in Hardin is valued at $89,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,875, so homes cost about 1.0 times income. Median rent is $476 a month.
What is the weather like in Hardin?
July highs average 86.8°F and January lows 19.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.2 inches of precipitation a year and 16.3 inches of snow.
Does Hardin get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hardin since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on March 8, 2009. 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)