The Town FilesPrairie du Rocher, Illinois
Village in Randolph County · population 502 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $88,800
- Household income
- $66,161
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 8 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 40.3
Prairie du Rocher is a village of 502 people in Randolph County, Illinois. The median home is worth $88,800, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 92% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 86% of Illinois towns, better for families than 72% of Illinois towns.
How Prairie du Rocher 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 Prairie du Rocher is worth $88,800, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $66,161, which is more affordable than 96% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $773 a month. 79.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prairie du Rocher | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $88,800 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $773 | $960 |
| Median household income | $66,161 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.3× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 79.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Prairie du Rocher
| People | Prairie du Rocher | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 24.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 4.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.8% | 90.4% |
Weather in Prairie du Rocher
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 24.0°F. About 42.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 7.9 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 58 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 99 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie du Rocher since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 11, 2006 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 15, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 8, 2024.
Severe weather in Randolph County since 1996
Randolph County has been included in 17 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 |
| June 7, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1991: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 2, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1850: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Randolph County
Randolph County had 11,393 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,632 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Prairie du Rocher itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Prairie du Rocher
1 public school with 119 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie Du Rocher Elem School | PK-8 | 119 | 13.2 |
Towns near Prairie du Rocher
- Ste. Genevieve, MO7.8 mi · 4,999 people · home $172,400
- Bloomsdale, MO8.1 mi · 639 people · home $244,000
- Evansville, IL9.0 mi · 547 people · home $88,200
- Red Bud, IL10.1 mi · 3,804 people · home $171,000
- Goose Creek Lake, MO14.5 mi · 524 people · home $132,900
- Waterloo, IL18.2 mi · 11,013 people · home $249,500
- Crystal City, MO18.2 mi · 4,740 people · home $185,800
- Chester, IL18.2 mi · 6,814 people · home $111,700
Prairie du Rocher questions
Is Prairie du Rocher, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prairie du Rocher scores better for retirees than 86% of Illinois towns and quieter than 92%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Prairie du Rocher?
The median owner-occupied home in Prairie du Rocher is valued at $88,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,161, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is $773 a month.
What is the weather like in Prairie du Rocher?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 24.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.8 inches of precipitation a year and 7.9 inches of snow.
Does Prairie du Rocher get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie du Rocher since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 11, 2006. 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)