The Town FilesMacon, Illinois
City in Macon County · population 1,177 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $108,600
- Household income
- $68,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 39
- Median age
- 45.3
Macon is a city of 1,177 people in Macon County, Illinois. The median home is worth $108,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 85% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 82% of Illinois towns, better for families than 77% of Illinois towns.
How Macon 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 Macon is worth $108,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $68,750, which is more affordable than 85% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $918 a month. 78.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Macon | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $108,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $918 | $960 |
| Median household income | $68,750 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 78.3% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Macon
| People | Macon | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.6% | — |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Macon
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 19.7°F. About 40.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Macon since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 3, 1974 about 6.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 39 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 22, 1960.
Severe weather in Macon County since 1996
Macon County has been included in 11 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 |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Macon County
Macon County had 45,051 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $67,788 a year. Unemployment was 6% in 2023; in Macon itself the ACS puts it at 2%.
Public schools in Macon
2 public schools with 509 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian High School | 9-12 | 307 | 13.3 |
| Meridian Middle School | 6-8 | 202 | 13.5 |
Towns near Macon
- Moweaqua, IL5.9 mi · 1,764 people · home $114,500
- Blue Mound, IL6.5 mi · 1,133 people · home $123,100
- Mount Zion, IL7.9 mi · 6,019 people · home $201,100
- Harristown, IL9.9 mi · 1,310 people · home $117,700
- Long Creek, IL10.4 mi · 1,261 people · home $167,500
- Decatur, IL10.7 mi · 70,522 people · home $99,600
- Stonington, IL11.5 mi · 837 people · home $106,100
- Niantic, IL13.5 mi · 612 people · home $114,800
Macon questions
Is Macon, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Macon scores better for retirees than 82% of Illinois towns and quieter than 85%. 21.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.3).
How much does a house cost in Macon?
The median owner-occupied home in Macon is valued at $108,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,750, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $918 a month.
What is the weather like in Macon?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 19.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.4 inches of precipitation a year and 13.6 inches of snow.
Does Macon get tornadoes?
39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Macon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 3, 1974. 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)