The Town FilesPleasant Plains, Illinois
Village in Sangamon County · population 808 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $169,000
- Household income
- $89,643
- Jan low / Jul high
- 18° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 33.8
Pleasant Plains is a village of 808 people in Sangamon County, Illinois. The median home is worth $169,000, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 75% of Illinois towns, better for families than 74% of Illinois towns, quieter than 74% of Illinois towns.
How Pleasant Plains 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 Pleasant Plains is worth $169,000, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $89,643, which is more affordable than 68% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,079 a month. 83.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pleasant Plains | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $169,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,079 | $960 |
| Median household income | $89,643 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Pleasant Plains
| People | Pleasant Plains | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 5.3% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 90.4% |
Weather in Pleasant Plains
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 17.5°F. About 38.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pleasant Plains since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on December 31, 2010 about 8.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 14 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 20, 2025.
Severe weather in Sangamon County since 1996
Sangamon County has been included in 12 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 |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Sangamon County
Sangamon County had 134,376 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,350 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Pleasant Plains itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Pleasant Plains
3 public schools with 1,284 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmingdale Elem School | PK-4 | 478 | 15.9 |
| Pleasant Plains High School | 9-12 | 421 | 13.2 |
| Pleasant Plains Middle School | 5-8 | 385 | 14.8 |
Towns near Pleasant Plains
- Ashland, IL4.8 mi · 1,218 people · home $98,500
- Lake Petersburg, IL8.3 mi · 740 people · home $338,700
- New Berlin, IL10.3 mi · 1,381 people · home $163,400
- Petersburg, IL10.4 mi · 2,258 people · home $177,700
- Athens, IL12.1 mi · 1,977 people · home $164,000
- Leland Grove, IL14.1 mi · 1,454 people · home $274,300
- Loami, IL14.4 mi · 812 people · home $131,900
- Jerome, IL14.7 mi · 1,692 people · home $127,800
Pleasant Plains questions
Is Pleasant Plains, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pleasant Plains scores better for retirees than 56% of Illinois towns and quieter than 74%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.8).
How much does a house cost in Pleasant Plains?
The median owner-occupied home in Pleasant Plains is valued at $169,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $89,643, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $1,079 a month.
What is the weather like in Pleasant Plains?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 17.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.4 inches of precipitation a year and 18.4 inches of snow.
Does Pleasant Plains get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pleasant Plains since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on December 31, 2010. 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)