The Town FilesOreana, Illinois
Village in Macon County · population 891 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $137,300
- Household income
- $89,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 53
- Median age
- 34.1
Oreana is a village of 891 people in Macon County, Illinois. The median home is worth $137,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 80% of Illinois towns, hipper than 78% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 76% of Illinois towns.
How Oreana 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 Oreana is worth $137,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $89,000, which is more affordable than 90% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $907 a month. 86.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oreana | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $137,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $907 | $960 |
| Median household income | $89,000 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 86.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Oreana
| People | Oreana | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 11.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Oreana
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 20.1°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 113 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oreana since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 19, 1996 about 4.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 105 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 58 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on June 23, 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 Oreana itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Oreana
1 public school with 462 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argenta-Oreana Elementary School | PK-5 | 462 | 14.4 |
Towns near Oreana
- Argenta, IL4.2 mi · 913 people · home $106,300
- Forsyth, IL5.1 mi · 3,734 people · home $281,000
- Decatur, IL6.6 mi · 70,522 people · home $99,600
- Cerro Gordo, IL7.9 mi · 1,316 people · home $109,200
- Maroa, IL8.2 mi · 1,577 people · home $126,800
- Long Creek, IL9.2 mi · 1,261 people · home $167,500
- Warrensburg, IL10.3 mi · 1,110 people · home $145,400
- Mount Zion, IL10.7 mi · 6,019 people · home $201,100
Oreana questions
Is Oreana, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oreana scores better for retirees than 55% of Illinois towns and quieter than 80%. 17.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.1).
How much does a house cost in Oreana?
The median owner-occupied home in Oreana is valued at $137,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,000, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $907 a month.
What is the weather like in Oreana?
July highs average 85.8°F and January lows 20.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 13.6 inches of snow.
Does Oreana get tornadoes?
53 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oreana since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 19, 1996. 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)