The Town FilesPocahontas, Illinois
Village in Bond County · population 697 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $96,200
- Household income
- $53,971
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 40.5
Pocahontas is a village of 697 people in Bond County, Illinois. The median home is worth $96,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 74% of Illinois towns.
How Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas is worth $96,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $53,971, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $759 a month. 68.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pocahontas | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $96,200 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $759 | $960 |
| Median household income | $53,971 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 68.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1958 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Pocahontas
| People | Pocahontas | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.3% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.6% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 17.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.8% | 90.4% |
Weather in Pocahontas
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 21.5°F. About 45.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 32 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pocahontas since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 28, 1976 about 7.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 2 deaths and 31 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 2, 2006.
Severe weather in Bond County since 1996
Bond County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 13, 2021 | Tornado | EM-3577: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 Bond County
Bond County had 4,511 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,963 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Pocahontas itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Pocahontas
1 public school with 183 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pocahontas Center | PK-8 | 183 | 10.2 |
Towns near Pocahontas
- Highland, IL8.8 mi · 9,991 people · home $202,900
- Greenville, IL9.1 mi · 7,083 people · home $122,000
- Alhambra, IL11.5 mi · 622 people · home $154,300
- Marine, IL13.2 mi · 912 people · home $157,300
- St. Jacob, IL14.2 mi · 1,358 people · home $201,000
- Aviston, IL14.3 mi · 2,340 people · home $244,800
- Breese, IL14.6 mi · 4,641 people · home $229,600
- Livingston, IL15.7 mi · 763 people · home $110,300
Pocahontas questions
Is Pocahontas, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pocahontas scores better for retirees than 39% of Illinois towns and quieter than 58%. 13.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.5).
How much does a house cost in Pocahontas?
The median owner-occupied home in Pocahontas is valued at $96,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,971, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $759 a month.
What is the weather like in Pocahontas?
July highs average 88.3°F and January lows 21.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.9 inches of precipitation a year and 10.2 inches of snow.
Does Pocahontas get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pocahontas since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 28, 1976. 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)