The Town FilesShabbona, Illinois
Village in DeKalb County · population 863 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $186,600
- Household income
- $63,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 61.6
Shabbona is a village of 863 people in DeKalb County, Illinois. The median home is worth $186,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 84% of Illinois towns, better for young professionals than 75% of Illinois towns.
How Shabbona 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 Shabbona is worth $186,600, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $63,750, which is more affordable than 24% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $975 a month. 75.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shabbona | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $186,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $975 | $960 |
| Median household income | $63,750 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 75.4% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1962 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Shabbona
| People | Shabbona | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 45.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 11.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.9% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.5% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.2% | — |
| Work from home | 2.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 35.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Shabbona
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 13.4°F. About 37.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shabbona since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 15, 1958 about 7.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 22 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on February 27, 2024.
Severe weather in DeKalb County since 1996
DeKalb County has been included in 12 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 |
| October 3, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1800: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in DeKalb County
DeKalb County had 36,272 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,896 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Shabbona itself the ACS puts it at 8.5%.
Public schools in Shabbona
2 public schools with 512 students, about 10.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Creek High School | 9-12 | 261 | 11.3 |
| Indian Creek Elementary School | PK-4 | 251 | 10.0 |
Towns near Shabbona
- Waterman, IL6.1 mi · 1,433 people · home $217,300
- Paw Paw, IL7.3 mi · 830 people · home $153,900
- Leland, IL11.1 mi · 951 people · home $186,800
- Malta, IL11.4 mi · 1,143 people · home $180,300
- Earlville, IL12.4 mi · 1,613 people · home $142,200
- Hinckley, IL12.5 mi · 2,006 people · home $291,700
- Creston, IL12.6 mi · 627 people · home $167,400
- DeKalb, IL13.3 mi · 40,290 people · home $204,700
Shabbona questions
Is Shabbona, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shabbona scores better for retirees than 65% of Illinois towns and quieter than 49%. 45.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.6).
How much does a house cost in Shabbona?
The median owner-occupied home in Shabbona is valued at $186,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,750, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $975 a month.
What is the weather like in Shabbona?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 13.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.4 inches of precipitation a year and 29.8 inches of snow.
Does Shabbona get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shabbona since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 15, 1958. 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)