The Town FilesPaw Paw, Illinois
Village in Lee County · population 830 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $153,900
- Household income
- $65,156
- Jan low / Jul high
- 12° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 40.9
Paw Paw is a village of 830 people in Lee County, Illinois. The median home is worth $153,900, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 83% of Illinois towns, quieter than 71% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 71% of Illinois towns.
How Paw Paw 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 Paw Paw is worth $153,900, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.4 times the median household income of $65,156, which is more affordable than 42% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $920 a month. 75.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Paw Paw | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $153,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $920 | $960 |
| Median household income | $65,156 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.5% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Paw Paw
| People | Paw Paw | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.1% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 6.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 39.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.3% | 90.4% |
Weather in Paw Paw
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 11.8°F. About 36.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 30.1 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paw Paw since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on December 6, 1951 about 7.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 1 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 2.25 inches on May 12, 1998.
Severe weather in Lee County since 1996
Lee County has been included in 10 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 |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| December 29, 2006 | Snowstorm | EM-3269: Snow |
Jobs and pay in Lee County
Lee County had 12,375 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,453 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Paw Paw itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Paw Paw
2 public schools with 127 students, about 9.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paw Paw Elem School | K-5 | 99 | 11.0 |
| Paw Paw Junior High School | 6-8 | 28 | 5.6 |
Towns near Paw Paw
- Shabbona, IL7.3 mi · 863 people · home $186,600
- Earlville, IL7.5 mi · 1,613 people · home $142,200
- Leland, IL10.6 mi · 951 people · home $186,800
- Mendota, IL11.0 mi · 7,061 people · home $134,100
- Waterman, IL12.4 mi · 1,433 people · home $217,300
- Somonauk, IL15.5 mi · 1,786 people · home $234,400
- Rochelle, IL16.5 mi · 9,446 people · home $164,300
- Lake Holiday, IL16.9 mi · 5,687 people · home $256,400
Paw Paw questions
Is Paw Paw, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Paw Paw scores better for retirees than 61% of Illinois towns and quieter than 71%. 22.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.9).
How much does a house cost in Paw Paw?
The median owner-occupied home in Paw Paw is valued at $153,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $65,156, so homes cost about 2.4 times income. Median rent is $920 a month.
What is the weather like in Paw Paw?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 11.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.8 inches of precipitation a year and 30.1 inches of snow.
Does Paw Paw get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Paw Paw since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on December 6, 1951. 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)