The Town FilesSheffield, Illinois
Village in Bureau County · population 821 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $102,400
- Household income
- $74,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 38.3
Sheffield is a village of 821 people in Bureau County, Illinois. The median home is worth $102,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 97% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 88% of Illinois towns, better for families than 79% of Illinois towns.
How Sheffield 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 Sheffield is worth $102,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $74,750, which is more affordable than 93% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,047 a month. 76.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sheffield | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $102,400 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,047 | $960 |
| Median household income | $74,750 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 76.2% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1946 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Sheffield
| People | Sheffield | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.4% | — |
| Work from home | 2.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Sheffield
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 13.8°F. About 39.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.7 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 142 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sheffield since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 10, 2004 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 10, 2004.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 24 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 13, 1981.
Severe weather in Bureau County since 1996
Bureau County has been included in 17 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 |
| 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 Bureau County
Bureau County had 10,032 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,297 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Sheffield itself the ACS puts it at 4%.
Public schools in Sheffield
1 public school with 303 students, about 10.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau Valley High School | 9-12 | 303 | 10.4 |
Towns near Sheffield
- Wyanet, IL8.1 mi · 886 people · home $99,700
- Annawan, IL8.3 mi · 884 people · home $135,100
- Kewanee, IL12.7 mi · 12,509 people · home $73,200
- Tiskilwa, IL12.9 mi · 740 people · home $84,700
- Bradford, IL13.2 mi · 676 people · home $80,700
- Atkinson, IL14.3 mi · 965 people · home $119,600
- Princeton, IL14.3 mi · 7,832 people · home $134,700
- Walnut, IL15.7 mi · 1,311 people · home $102,100
Sheffield questions
Is Sheffield, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sheffield scores better for retirees than 51% of Illinois towns and quieter than 97%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.3).
How much does a house cost in Sheffield?
The median owner-occupied home in Sheffield is valued at $102,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,750, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $1,047 a month.
What is the weather like in Sheffield?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 13.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.6 inches of precipitation a year and 29.7 inches of snow.
Does Sheffield get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sheffield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 10, 2004. 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)