The Town FilesSaybrook, Illinois
Village in McLean County · population 654 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $98,100
- Household income
- $52,721
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 37.6
Saybrook is a village of 654 people in McLean County, Illinois. The median home is worth $98,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 80% of Illinois towns.
How Saybrook 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 Saybrook is worth $98,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $52,721, which is more affordable than 68% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $923 a month. 83.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Saybrook | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $98,100 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $923 | $960 |
| Median household income | $52,721 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 83.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1960 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.9% | — |
Who lives in Saybrook
| People | Saybrook | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.2% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 11.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 34.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in Saybrook
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 16.0°F. About 37.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.3 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 19 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Saybrook since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 3, 1974 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 10, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 21, 2014.
Severe weather in McLean County since 1996
McLean County has been included in 11 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 |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in McLean County
McLean County had 88,945 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,183 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Saybrook itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Towns near Saybrook
- Gibson City, IL8.2 mi · 3,475 people · home $153,800
- Colfax, IL10.7 mi · 996 people · home $136,300
- Fisher, IL12.1 mi · 2,062 people · home $190,100
- Le Roy, IL13.8 mi · 3,512 people · home $167,600
- Farmer City, IL13.8 mi · 1,828 people · home $138,500
- Mansfield, IL15.0 mi · 928 people · home $142,200
- Lake of the Woods, IL17.3 mi · 2,403 people · home $193,500
- Mahomet, IL18.0 mi · 9,434 people · home $299,100
Saybrook questions
Is Saybrook, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Saybrook scores better for retirees than 17% of Illinois towns and quieter than 66%. 20.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).
How much does a house cost in Saybrook?
The median owner-occupied home in Saybrook is valued at $98,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $52,721, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $923 a month.
What is the weather like in Saybrook?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 16.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.7 inches of precipitation a year and 18.3 inches of snow.
Does Saybrook get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Saybrook since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 3, 1974. 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)