The Town FilesPayson, Illinois
Village in Adams County · population 1,025 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $132,000
- Household income
- $60,478
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 35.8
Payson is a village of 1,025 people in Adams County, Illinois. The median home is worth $132,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Illinois towns, quieter than 85% of Illinois towns, better for families than 80% of Illinois towns.
How Payson 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 Payson is worth $132,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $60,478, which is more affordable than 50% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $768 a month. 83.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Payson | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $132,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $768 | $960 |
| Median household income | $60,478 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Payson
| People | Payson | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 30.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.4% | 90.4% |
Weather in Payson
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 18.6°F. About 36.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.0 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 112 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Payson since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 14, 1961 about 2.0 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 51 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 11, 2016.
Severe weather in Adams County since 1996
Adams County has been included in 21 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 |
| 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 Adams County
Adams County had 32,154 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,986 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Payson itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Payson
2 public schools with 479 students, about 12.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seymour Elementary School | PK-6 | 250 | 11.4 |
| Seymour High School | 7-12 | 229 | 13.5 |
Towns near Payson
- Liberty, IL8.5 mi · 543 people · home $137,500
- Quincy, IL10.8 mi · 39,463 people · home $153,200
- Hannibal, MO10.8 mi · 17,108 people · home $127,700
- Barry, IL13.6 mi · 1,303 people · home $92,700
- Palmyra, MO15.0 mi · 3,613 people · home $184,200
- Camp Point, IL17.9 mi · 1,121 people · home $127,800
- New London, MO18.1 mi · 943 people · home $134,100
- Mendon, IL18.9 mi · 872 people · home $111,600
Payson questions
Is Payson, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Payson scores better for retirees than 29% of Illinois towns and quieter than 85%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.8).
How much does a house cost in Payson?
The median owner-occupied home in Payson is valued at $132,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,478, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $768 a month.
What is the weather like in Payson?
July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 18.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.4 inches of precipitation a year and 17.0 inches of snow.
Does Payson get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Payson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 14, 1961. 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)