The Town FilesMount Vernon, Illinois
City in Jefferson County · population 14,600 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $99,800
- Household income
- $55,357
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 38.9
Mount Vernon is a city of 14,600 people in Jefferson County, Illinois. The median home is worth $99,800, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600).
How Mount Vernon 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 Mount Vernon is worth $99,800, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $55,357, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $910 a month. 53.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mount Vernon | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $99,800 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $910 | $960 |
| Median household income | $55,357 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 53.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1968 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Mount Vernon
| People | Mount Vernon | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 22.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 14.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Mount Vernon
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 45.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 21 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 108 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Vernon since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on December 18, 1957 about 0.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 52 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 14, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on May 5, 1999.
Severe weather in Jefferson County since 1996
Jefferson County has been included in 5 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, biological.
| 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 |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 21, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1416: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson County
Jefferson County had 19,307 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,833 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Mount Vernon itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Mount Vernon
15 public schools with 3,316 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Vernon High School | 9-12 | 1,240 | 13.9 |
| Dr Nick Osborne Primary Center | K-3 | 567 | 12.9 |
| Zadok Casey Middle School | 6-8 | 392 | 12.3 |
| J L Buford Intermediate Ed Ctr | 4-5 | 280 | 14.0 |
| Summersville Grade School | PK-8 | 264 | 11.5 |
| Dr Andy Hall Early Educ Ctr | PK-PK | 252 | 14.8 |
| Bethel Grade School | PK-8 | 145 | 11.2 |
| Spring Garden Elementary School | K-4 | 131 | 13.1 |
| McClellan Elementary School | K-8 | 45 | 9.0 |
| Mt Vernon Area Career Center | 11-12 | — | — |
| Mt Vernon Alternative School | 6-12 | — | — |
| Clnton/Mrn/Wshngtn Pre-Kind Prog | PK-PK | — | — |
Towns near Mount Vernon
- Centralia, IL18.2 mi · 12,182 people · home $89,600
- Benton, IL20.8 mi · 6,709 people · home $87,200
- Salem, IL21.8 mi · 7,282 people · home $106,100
- Christopher, IL24.8 mi · 2,697 people · home $66,600
- McLeansboro, IL25.7 mi · 2,675 people · home $79,500
- Nashville, IL25.8 mi · 3,105 people · home $156,500
- Pinckneyville, IL27.3 mi · 5,066 people · home $133,500
- Du Quoin, IL27.6 mi · 5,827 people · home $83,100
Mount Vernon questions
Is Mount Vernon, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mount Vernon scores better for retirees than 28% of Illinois towns and quieter than 34%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.9).
How much does a house cost in Mount Vernon?
The median owner-occupied home in Mount Vernon is valued at $99,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,357, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $910 a month.
What is the weather like in Mount Vernon?
July highs average 85.7°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.0 inches of precipitation a year and 10.4 inches of snow.
Does Mount Vernon get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mount Vernon since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on December 18, 1957. 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)