The Town FilesLa Harpe, Illinois
City in Hancock County · population 1,175 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $86,400
- Household income
- $49,205
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 42.3
La Harpe is a city of 1,175 people in Hancock County, Illinois. The median home is worth $86,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 96% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 94% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Illinois towns.
How La Harpe 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 La Harpe is worth $86,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $49,205, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $491 a month. 85.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | La Harpe | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $86,400 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $491 | $960 |
| Median household income | $49,205 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 85.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in La Harpe
| People | La Harpe | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 4.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 71.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in La Harpe
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 14.9°F. About 39.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 19.5 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 134 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Harpe since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 10, 2003 about 9.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 9, 2021.
Severe weather in Hancock County since 1996
Hancock County has been included in 19 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 Hancock County
Hancock County had 4,144 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,832 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in La Harpe itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in La Harpe
1 public school with 190 students, about 10.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Harpe Elementary School | PK-8 | 190 | 10.6 |
Towns near La Harpe
- Blandinsville, IL5.7 mi · 569 people · home $68,800
- Dallas City, IL10.8 mi · 805 people · home $90,000
- Stronghurst, IL11.6 mi · 833 people · home $124,600
- Colchester, IL14.4 mi · 1,108 people · home $91,700
- Carthage, IL14.4 mi · 2,490 people · home $112,900
- Macomb, IL17.0 mi · 15,051 people · home $103,300
- Burlington, IA17.4 mi · 23,982 people · home $114,300
- Roseville, IL18.9 mi · 892 people · home $85,700
La Harpe questions
Is La Harpe, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, La Harpe scores better for retirees than 94% of Illinois towns and quieter than 96%. 24.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.3).
How much does a house cost in La Harpe?
The median owner-occupied home in La Harpe is valued at $86,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,205, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $491 a month.
What is the weather like in La Harpe?
July highs average 84.6°F and January lows 14.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.1 inches of precipitation a year and 19.5 inches of snow.
Does La Harpe get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of La Harpe since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 10, 2003. 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)