The Town FilesSavanna, Illinois
City in Carroll County · population 2,783 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $72,400
- Household income
- $48,036
- Jan low / Jul high
- 11° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 48.5
Savanna is a city of 2,783 people in Carroll County, Illinois. The median home is worth $72,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks hipper than 98% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Illinois towns.
How Savanna 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 Savanna is worth $72,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $48,036, which is more affordable than 90% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $835 a month. 60.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Savanna | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $72,400 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $835 | $960 |
| Median household income | $48,036 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 60.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1944 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Savanna
| People | Savanna | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.5 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.1% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.7% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 11.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.5% | — |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Savanna
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 10.9°F. About 40.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 33.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Savanna since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on January 24, 1967 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 2, 2026.
Severe weather in Carroll County since 1996
Carroll County has been included in 16 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 |
| 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 Carroll County
Carroll County had 3,955 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,933 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Savanna itself the ACS puts it at 1.7%.
Public schools in Savanna
2 public schools with 688 students, about 15.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Carroll Primary | PK-5 | 410 | 16.4 |
| West Carroll High School | 9-12 | 278 | 14.6 |
Towns near Savanna
- Fulton, IL15.8 mi · 3,647 people · home $121,700
- Clinton, IA18.2 mi · 24,469 people · home $118,200
- Morrison, IL21.8 mi · 4,085 people · home $118,000
- Camanche, IA22.0 mi · 4,570 people · home $172,400
- Lena, IL25.5 mi · 2,772 people · home $146,000
- Maquoketa, IA27.0 mi · 6,128 people · home $132,500
- Galena, IL27.1 mi · 3,308 people · home $233,200
- DeWitt, IA28.0 mi · 5,514 people · home $237,100
Savanna questions
Is Savanna, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Savanna scores better for retirees than 46% of Illinois towns and quieter than 48%. 24.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.5).
How much does a house cost in Savanna?
The median owner-occupied home in Savanna is valued at $72,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,036, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $835 a month.
What is the weather like in Savanna?
July highs average 84.9°F and January lows 10.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.3 inches of precipitation a year and 33.4 inches of snow.
Does Savanna get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Savanna since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on January 24, 1967. 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)