The Town FilesPolo, Illinois
City in Ogle County · population 2,291 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,600
- Household income
- $63,080
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 31 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 33.1
Polo is a city of 2,291 people in Ogle County, Illinois. The median home is worth $109,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for retirees than 91% of Illinois towns, better transit than 87% of Illinois towns, quieter than 72% of Illinois towns.
How Polo 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 Polo is worth $109,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $63,080, which is more affordable than 79% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $851 a month. 59.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Polo | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $851 | $960 |
| Median household income | $63,080 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 59.3% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Polo
| People | Polo | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.6% | — |
| Work from home | 8.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Polo
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 13.3°F. About 40.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 31.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 138 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Polo since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 5, 1979 about 1.6 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 9 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on April 18, 2002.
Severe weather in Ogle County since 1996
Ogle County has been included in 14 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 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| August 19, 2010 | Severe Storm | DR-1935: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ogle County
Ogle County had 14,934 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,187 a year. Unemployment was 5.4% in 2023; in Polo itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Polo
3 public schools with 591 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial Elem School | PK-5 | 297 | 15.6 |
| Polo Comm High School | 9-12 | 189 | 12.6 |
| Aplington Middle School | 6-8 | 105 | 11.7 |
Towns near Polo
- Mount Morris, IL8.9 mi · 2,861 people · home $121,800
- Forreston, IL9.8 mi · 1,435 people · home $129,900
- Milledgeville, IL10.1 mi · 1,026 people · home $94,200
- Dixon, IL11.1 mi · 15,274 people · home $120,800
- Lost Nation, IL12.0 mi · 714 people · home $236,300
- Oregon, IL12.7 mi · 3,604 people · home $142,600
- Sterling, IL14.1 mi · 14,764 people · home $108,700
- Shannon, IL14.2 mi · 801 people · home $115,100
Polo questions
Is Polo, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Polo scores better for retirees than 91% of Illinois towns and quieter than 72%. 17.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.1).
How much does a house cost in Polo?
The median owner-occupied home in Polo is valued at $109,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,080, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $851 a month.
What is the weather like in Polo?
July highs average 84.5°F and January lows 13.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.0 inches of precipitation a year and 31.2 inches of snow.
Does Polo get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Polo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 5, 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)