The Town FilesSt. Jacob, Illinois
Village in Madison County · population 1,358 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $201,000
- Household income
- $112,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 36
- Median age
- 33.9
St. Jacob is a village of 1,358 people in Madison County, Illinois. The median home is worth $201,000, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 100% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 97% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 91% of Illinois towns.
How St. Jacob 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. Jacob is worth $201,000, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $112,188, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,138 a month. 85.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Jacob | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $201,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,138 | $960 |
| Median household income | $112,188 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 85.5% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in St. Jacob
| People | St. Jacob | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 5.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 37.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 12.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 28.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 90.4% |
Weather in St. Jacob
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.3°F. About 43.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 53 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 94 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Jacob since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on February 25, 1956 about 7.4 miles from the town center and killed 6. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 46 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 28, 2012.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| June 24, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1771: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 105,166 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,153 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in St. Jacob itself the ACS puts it at 2.4%.
Public schools in St. Jacob
2 public schools with 1,187 students, about 17.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triad Middle School | 6-8 | 948 | 17.2 |
| St Jacob Elem School | PK-5 | 239 | 15.9 |
Towns near St. Jacob
- Marine, IL4.9 mi · 912 people · home $157,300
- Highland, IL5.5 mi · 9,991 people · home $202,900
- Troy, IL7.0 mi · 10,960 people · home $268,000
- Lebanon, IL8.5 mi · 4,691 people · home $170,700
- Trenton, IL8.7 mi · 2,690 people · home $178,200
- Aviston, IL10.3 mi · 2,340 people · home $244,800
- Maryville, IL11.0 mi · 8,221 people · home $261,800
- O'Fallon, IL11.6 mi · 32,289 people · home $295,700
St. Jacob questions
Is St. Jacob, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Jacob scores better for retirees than 36% of Illinois towns and quieter than 50%. 5.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.9).
How much does a house cost in St. Jacob?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Jacob is valued at $201,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $112,188, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $1,138 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Jacob?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 43.4 inches of precipitation a year and 10.2 inches of snow.
Does St. Jacob get tornadoes?
36 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Jacob since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on February 25, 1956. 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)