The Town FilesTamaroa, Illinois
Village in Perry County · population 544 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,200
- Household income
- $48,646
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 9 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 45.4
Tamaroa is a village of 544 people in Perry County, Illinois. The median home is worth $80,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 100% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 93% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 92% of Illinois towns.
How Tamaroa 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 Tamaroa is worth $80,200, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $48,646, which is more affordable than 85% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $785 a month. 82.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tamaroa | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,200 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $785 | $960 |
| Median household income | $48,646 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.1% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Tamaroa
| People | Tamaroa | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.4 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.9% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 13.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 3.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 0.7% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 81.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Tamaroa
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 23.9°F. About 47.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 8.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 38 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 93 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tamaroa since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F5, struck on December 18, 1957 about 3.5 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 20 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 14, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 1, 2023.
Severe weather in Perry County since 1996
Perry County has been included in 7 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 26, 2020 | Biological | DR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3435: Covid-19 |
| June 7, 2011 | Severe Storm | DR-1991: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| September 7, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| May 21, 2002 | Tornado | DR-1416: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Perry County
Perry County had 4,622 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,313 a year. Unemployment was 5.3% in 2023; in Tamaroa itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Tamaroa
1 public school with 99 students, about 12.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamaroa Elem School | K-8 | 99 | 12.4 |
Towns near Tamaroa
- Pinckneyville, IL6.3 mi · 5,066 people · home $133,500
- Du Quoin, IL9.3 mi · 5,827 people · home $83,100
- Sesser, IL10.2 mi · 1,888 people · home $82,300
- Valier, IL13.0 mi · 554 people · home $80,100
- North City, IL13.5 mi · 509 people · home $114,100
- Christopher, IL14.9 mi · 2,697 people · home $66,600
- Elkville, IL15.7 mi · 838 people · home $71,000
- Nashville, IL16.9 mi · 3,105 people · home $156,500
Tamaroa questions
Is Tamaroa, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tamaroa scores better for retirees than 54% of Illinois towns and quieter than 100%. 15.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.4).
How much does a house cost in Tamaroa?
The median owner-occupied home in Tamaroa is valued at $80,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,646, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $785 a month.
What is the weather like in Tamaroa?
July highs average 87.2°F and January lows 23.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.7 inches of precipitation a year and 8.6 inches of snow.
Does Tamaroa get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tamaroa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F5 on December 18, 1957. 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)