The Town FilesStewardson, Illinois
Village in Shelby County · population 721 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,500
- Household income
- $61,875
- Jan low / Jul high
- 19° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 15 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 18
- Median age
- 42.9
Stewardson is a village of 721 people in Shelby County, Illinois. The median home is worth $109,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 93% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 90% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 88% of Illinois towns.
How Stewardson 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 Stewardson is worth $109,500, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $61,875, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $779 a month. 80.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Stewardson | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,500 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $779 | $960 |
| Median household income | $61,875 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 80.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Stewardson
| People | Stewardson | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.4% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.1% | — |
| Work from home | 10.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.1% | 90.4% |
Weather in Stewardson
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 19.2°F. About 41.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 39 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stewardson since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on June 17, 2026 about 6.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 60 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 21, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 6, 1971.
Severe weather in Shelby County since 1996
Shelby County has been included in 10 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 |
| 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 Shelby County
Shelby County had 4,848 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,311 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Stewardson itself the ACS puts it at 1.1%.
Towns near Stewardson
- Strasburg, IL6.0 mi · 531 people · home $97,600
- Neoga, IL10.4 mi · 1,398 people · home $123,100
- Effingham, IL10.8 mi · 12,252 people · home $177,500
- Teutopolis, IL12.2 mi · 1,618 people · home $247,700
- Windsor, IL12.2 mi · 1,079 people · home $105,400
- Cowden, IL12.3 mi · 515 people · home $77,000
- Shelbyville, IL13.6 mi · 4,674 people · home $116,400
- Altamont, IL15.7 mi · 2,216 people · home $129,800
Stewardson questions
Is Stewardson, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Stewardson scores better for retirees than 88% of Illinois towns and quieter than 93%. 28.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Stewardson?
The median owner-occupied home in Stewardson is valued at $109,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,875, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $779 a month.
What is the weather like in Stewardson?
July highs average 87.0°F and January lows 19.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.9 inches of precipitation a year and 14.8 inches of snow.
Does Stewardson get tornadoes?
18 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Stewardson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on June 17, 2026. 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)