The Town FilesSt. Elmo, Illinois
City in Fayette County · population 1,254 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $82,600
- Household income
- $45,294
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 40.1
St. Elmo is a city of 1,254 people in Fayette County, Illinois. The median home is worth $82,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 85% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 84% of Illinois towns, better transit than 76% of Illinois towns.
How St. Elmo 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 St. Elmo is worth $82,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $45,294, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $762 a month. 82.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Elmo | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $82,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $762 | $960 |
| Median household income | $45,294 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1954 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in St. Elmo
| People | St. Elmo | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.1% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.8% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 83.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in St. Elmo
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 21.3°F. About 41.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.9 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Elmo since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 3, 2018 about 6.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 2, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 12 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 6, 2023.
Severe weather in Fayette County since 1996
Fayette County has been included in 8 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 |
| November 26, 2013 | Tornado | DR-4157: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
Jobs and pay in Fayette County
Fayette County had 5,030 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,171 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in St. Elmo itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Public schools in St. Elmo
3 public schools with 404 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Elmo Elem School | PK-6 | 225 | 14.1 |
| St Elmo Sr High School | 9-12 | 122 | 13.6 |
| St Elmo Jr High School | 7-8 | 57 | 11.4 |
Towns near St. Elmo
- Brownstown, IL5.9 mi · 690 people · home $72,900
- Altamont, IL6.1 mi · 2,216 people · home $129,800
- Farina, IL13.8 mi · 540 people · home $83,800
- Vandalia, IL14.3 mi · 7,458 people · home $98,500
- Watson, IL15.2 mi · 668 people · home $100,000
- Cowden, IL15.7 mi · 515 people · home $77,000
- Ramsey, IL16.3 mi · 911 people · home $65,800
- Kinmundy, IL17.2 mi · 733 people · home $95,400
St. Elmo questions
Is St. Elmo, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Elmo scores better for retirees than 15% of Illinois towns and quieter than 85%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in St. Elmo?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Elmo is valued at $82,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $45,294, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $762 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Elmo?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 21.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.2 inches of precipitation a year and 14.9 inches of snow.
Does St. Elmo get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Elmo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 3, 2018. 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)