The Town FilesOlive Branch, Illinois
Community in Alexander County · population 650 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $61,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 56.2
Olive Branch is a community of 650 people in Alexander County, Illinois. The median home is worth $61,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 89% of Illinois towns.
How Olive Branch 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 Olive Branch is worth $61,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). 89.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Olive Branch | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $61,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | — | $960 |
| Median household income | — | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 89.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.4% | — |
Who lives in Olive Branch
| People | Olive Branch | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 56.2 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 23.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 14.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 3.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.1% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 47.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Olive Branch
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 26.2°F. About 47.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 90 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olive Branch since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on February 29, 2012 about 9.7 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 29 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 30, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 29 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 16, 2025.
Severe weather in Alexander County since 1996
Alexander County has been included in 17 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 |
| June 7, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1991: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 2, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1826: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Alexander County
Alexander County had 888 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,443 a year. Unemployment was 6.3% in 2023; in Olive Branch itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Olive Branch
- Mounds, IL9.4 mi · 661 people · home —
- Scott City, MO10.7 mi · 4,346 people · home $147,500
- Kelso, MO11.1 mi · 554 people · home $215,400
- Mound City, IL12.3 mi · 526 people · home $55,600
- Benton, MO13.0 mi · 866 people · home $254,300
- Cape Girardeau, MO14.4 mi · 39,540 people · home $196,300
- Cairo, IL15.3 mi · 1,733 people · home $32,000
- Dongola, IL15.7 mi · 661 people · home $59,900
Olive Branch questions
Is Olive Branch, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Olive Branch scores better for retirees than 44% of Illinois towns and quieter than 89%. 23.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 56.2).
How much does a house cost in Olive Branch?
The median owner-occupied home in Olive Branch is valued at $61,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of —. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Olive Branch?
July highs average 89.2°F and January lows 26.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.9 inches of precipitation a year and 8.2 inches of snow.
Does Olive Branch get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Olive Branch 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)