The Town FilesShipman, Illinois
Town in Macoupin County · population 511 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $89,400
- Household income
- $56,771
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 86°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 32.8
Shipman is a town of 511 people in Macoupin County, Illinois. The median home is worth $89,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 88% of Illinois towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of Illinois towns.
How Shipman 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 Shipman is worth $89,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $56,771, which is more affordable than 85% of Illinois towns. 79.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shipman | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $89,400 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | — | $960 |
| Median household income | $56,771 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 79.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1963 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.8% | — |
Who lives in Shipman
| People | Shipman | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.8 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 33.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 1.3% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 35.2 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Shipman
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 40.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.5 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 27 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 110 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shipman since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 12, 1978 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 18, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 68 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 9, 2015.
Severe weather in Macoupin County since 1996
Macoupin County has been included in 9 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 13, 2021 | Tornado | EM-3577: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| October 3, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1800: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Macoupin County
Macoupin County had 10,150 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,689 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Shipman itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Shipman
1 public school with 159 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipman Elem School | 3-4 | 159 | 12.2 |
Towns near Shipman
- Bunker Hill, IL7.4 mi · 1,630 people · home $137,500
- Brighton, IL7.4 mi · 2,221 people · home $145,000
- Wilsonville, IL10.8 mi · 536 people · home $85,000
- Gillespie, IL12.2 mi · 3,168 people · home $91,000
- Benld, IL13.1 mi · 1,464 people · home $82,400
- Carlinville, IL14.2 mi · 5,710 people · home $105,700
- Holiday Shores, IL14.5 mi · 2,840 people · home $245,100
- Godfrey, IL14.9 mi · 17,825 people · home $192,200
Shipman questions
Is Shipman, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shipman scores better for retirees than 48% of Illinois towns and quieter than 63%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.8).
How much does a house cost in Shipman?
The median owner-occupied home in Shipman is valued at $89,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,771, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Shipman?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.0 inches of precipitation a year and 16.5 inches of snow.
Does Shipman get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Shipman since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 12, 1978. 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)