The Town FilesStanford, Illinois
Village in McLean County · population 600 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $115,300
- Household income
- $84,821
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 18 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 32.3
Stanford is a village of 600 people in McLean County, Illinois. The median home is worth $115,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Illinois towns, better for families than 83% of Illinois towns, more of a college town than 76% of Illinois towns.
How Stanford 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 Stanford is worth $115,300, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $84,821, which is more affordable than 93% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,292 a month. 90.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stanford | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $115,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,292 | $960 |
| Median household income | $84,821 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 90.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1944 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Stanford
| People | Stanford | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 90.4% |
Weather in Stanford
July highs average 84.2°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 40.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 18.0 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stanford since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 5, 1977 about 8.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 18, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 40 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on May 9, 2003.
Severe weather in McLean County since 1996
McLean County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| February 9, 2007 | Severe Ice Storm | DR-1681: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in McLean County
McLean County had 88,945 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,183 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Stanford itself the ACS puts it at 9.9%.
Public schools in Stanford
2 public schools with 860 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia High School | 9-12 | 493 | 13.7 |
| Olympia Middle School | 6-8 | 367 | 13.1 |
Towns near Stanford
- Minier, IL4.9 mi · 1,154 people · home $148,400
- Twin Grove, IL7.1 mi · 1,524 people · home $264,800
- Danvers, IL7.2 mi · 1,089 people · home $166,200
- McLean, IL8.6 mi · 743 people · home $140,400
- Heritage Lake, IL9.8 mi · 1,523 people · home $207,300
- Mackinaw, IL10.0 mi · 1,879 people · home $158,300
- Hopedale, IL10.6 mi · 830 people · home $144,700
- Carlock, IL11.5 mi · 548 people · home $154,600
Stanford questions
Is Stanford, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stanford scores better for retirees than 44% of Illinois towns and quieter than 60%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.3).
How much does a house cost in Stanford?
The median owner-occupied home in Stanford is valued at $115,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,821, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $1,292 a month.
What is the weather like in Stanford?
July highs average 84.2°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.4 inches of precipitation a year and 18.0 inches of snow.
Does Stanford get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stanford since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 5, 1977. 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)