The Town FilesPecatonica, Illinois
Village in Winnebago County · population 2,090 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $143,900
- Household income
- $73,162
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 35 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 48.1
Pecatonica is a village of 2,090 people in Winnebago County, Illinois. The median home is worth $143,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 82% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 79% of Illinois towns, quieter than 72% of Illinois towns.
How Pecatonica 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 Pecatonica is worth $143,900, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $73,162, which is more affordable than 61% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,038 a month. 80.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pecatonica | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $143,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,038 | $960 |
| Median household income | $73,162 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 80.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Pecatonica
| People | Pecatonica | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.8% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 90.4% |
Weather in Pecatonica
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 11.3°F. About 38.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 35.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pecatonica since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 17, 1979 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 51 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 7, 2020.
Severe weather in Winnebago County since 1996
Winnebago County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| 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 Winnebago County
Winnebago County had 126,415 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,400 a year. Unemployment was 6.2% in 2023; in Pecatonica itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Pecatonica
3 public schools with 904 students, about 13.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pecatonica Elem School | PK-4 | 330 | 12.7 |
| Pecatonica High School | 9-12 | 318 | 14.5 |
| Pecatonica Comm Middle School | 5-8 | 256 | 12.8 |
Towns near Pecatonica
- Westlake Village, IL3.3 mi · 1,493 people · home $239,200
- Winnebago, IL6.9 mi · 2,940 people · home $194,000
- Davis, IL8.3 mi · 589 people · home $142,700
- Durand, IL8.8 mi · 1,390 people · home $135,500
- Lake Summerset, IL10.2 mi · 2,342 people · home $237,300
- Dakota, IL10.2 mi · 500 people · home $115,600
- Byron, IL13.7 mi · 3,784 people · home $198,700
- Freeport, IL14.2 mi · 23,973 people · home $92,100
Pecatonica questions
Is Pecatonica, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pecatonica scores better for retirees than 25% of Illinois towns and quieter than 72%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.1).
How much does a house cost in Pecatonica?
The median owner-occupied home in Pecatonica is valued at $143,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,162, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $1,038 a month.
What is the weather like in Pecatonica?
July highs average 82.4°F and January lows 11.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.4 inches of precipitation a year and 35.4 inches of snow.
Does Pecatonica get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pecatonica since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 17, 1979. 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)