The Town FilesLanark, Illinois
City in Carroll County · population 1,504 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $96,600
- Household income
- $59,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 38.4
Lanark is a city of 1,504 people in Carroll County, Illinois. The median home is worth $96,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of Illinois towns, better for families than 90% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 85% of Illinois towns.
How Lanark 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 Lanark is worth $96,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $59,375, which is more affordable than 85% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $819 a month. 78.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lanark | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $96,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $819 | $960 |
| Median household income | $59,375 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1943 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.5% | — |
Who lives in Lanark
| People | Lanark | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Lanark
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 10.9°F. About 40.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lanark since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on January 24, 1967 about 5.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 15, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 26, 1978.
Severe weather in Carroll County since 1996
Carroll 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 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 Carroll County
Carroll County had 3,955 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,933 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Lanark itself the ACS puts it at 2.3%.
Public schools in Lanark
1 public school with 350 students, about 14.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastland Jr/Sr High School | 6-12 | 350 | 14.0 |
Towns near Lanark
- Lake Carroll, IL5.0 mi · 852 people · home $348,500
- Shannon, IL5.9 mi · 801 people · home $115,100
- Mount Carroll, IL7.4 mi · 1,479 people · home $86,600
- Milledgeville, IL10.0 mi · 1,026 people · home $94,200
- Pearl City, IL11.4 mi · 790 people · home $128,200
- Forreston, IL13.2 mi · 1,435 people · home $129,900
- Polo, IL15.3 mi · 2,291 people · home $109,600
- Savanna, IL15.7 mi · 2,783 people · home $72,400
Lanark questions
Is Lanark, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lanark scores better for retirees than 85% of Illinois towns and quieter than 75%. 21.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Lanark?
The median owner-occupied home in Lanark is valued at $96,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,375, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $819 a month.
What is the weather like in Lanark?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 10.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.3 inches of precipitation a year and 33.4 inches of snow.
Does Lanark get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lanark since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on January 24, 1967. 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)