The Town FilesMounds, Illinois
City in Pulaski County · population 661 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $30,917
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 36.4
Mounds is a city of 661 people in Pulaski County, Illinois. It ranks hipper than 78% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 74% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 72% of Illinois towns.
How Mounds 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
Median rent is $592 a month. 49.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mounds | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $592 | $960 |
| Median household income | $30,917 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 49.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.0% | — |
Who lives in Mounds
| People | Mounds | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.4 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 36.1% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 11.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.1% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 66.8% | 90.4% |
Weather in Mounds
July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 26.0°F. About 51.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.5 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 42 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 81 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mounds since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on February 29, 2012 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 16, 2025.
Severe weather in Pulaski County since 1996
Pulaski County has been included in 14 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 |
| June 7, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1991: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 2, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1826: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Pulaski County
Pulaski County had 1,195 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,329 a year. Unemployment was 7.7% in 2023; in Mounds itself the ACS puts it at 3.9%.
Public schools in Mounds
2 public schools with 442 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meridian Elementary School | PK-5 | 232 | 12.2 |
| Meridian High School | 6-12 | 210 | 15.0 |
Towns near Mounds
- Mound City, IL3.0 mi · 526 people · home $55,600
- Cairo, IL7.6 mi · 1,733 people · home $32,000
- Olive Branch, IL9.4 mi · 650 people · home $61,500
- Barlow, KY9.8 mi · 653 people · home $68,100
- Wickliffe, KY12.3 mi · 670 people · home $68,400
- La Center, KY12.8 mi · 872 people · home $92,300
- Charleston, MO15.5 mi · 5,056 people · home $123,700
- Dongola, IL16.8 mi · 661 people · home $59,900
Mounds questions
Is Mounds, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mounds scores better for retirees than 74% of Illinois towns and quieter than 70%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.4).
What is the weather like in Mounds?
July highs average 88.7°F and January lows 26.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.0 inches of precipitation a year and 7.5 inches of snow.
Does Mounds get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mounds since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on February 29, 2012. 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)