The Town FilesOneida, Illinois
City in Knox County · population 696 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $114,100
- Household income
- $66,791
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 43.6
Oneida is a city of 696 people in Knox County, Illinois. The median home is worth $114,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 94% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 91% of Illinois towns, better for families than 84% of Illinois towns.
How Oneida 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 Oneida is worth $114,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $66,791, which is more affordable than 79% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $828 a month. 80.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oneida | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $114,100 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $828 | $960 |
| Median household income | $66,791 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 80.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oneida
| People | Oneida | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.1% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.1% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.9% | 90.4% |
Weather in Oneida
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 13.0°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oneida since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on May 17, 2017 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 13, 2006.
Severe weather in Knox County since 1996
Knox County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 Knox County
Knox County had 17,106 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,491 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Oneida itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Oneida
2 public schools with 611 students, about 10.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| R O W V A Elem School | PK-6 | 379 | 14.6 |
| R O W V A Jr and Sr High School | 7-12 | 232 | 7.3 |
Towns near Oneida
- Wataga, IL4.2 mi · 744 people · home $97,600
- Woodhull, IL8.9 mi · 754 people · home $122,400
- Oak Run, IL9.2 mi · 721 people · home $298,300
- East Galesburg, IL10.0 mi · 763 people · home $123,700
- Galesburg, IL11.6 mi · 30,052 people · home $96,400
- Alpha, IL11.6 mi · 675 people · home $111,400
- Galva, IL11.8 mi · 2,470 people · home $83,700
- Knoxville, IL11.9 mi · 2,901 people · home $145,300
Oneida questions
Is Oneida, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oneida scores better for retirees than 53% of Illinois towns and quieter than 71%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.6).
How much does a house cost in Oneida?
The median owner-occupied home in Oneida is valued at $114,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,791, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $828 a month.
What is the weather like in Oneida?
July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 13.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.4 inches of precipitation a year and 26.8 inches of snow.
Does Oneida get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oneida since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on May 17, 2017. 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)