The Town FilesTampico, Illinois
Village in Whiteside County · population 689 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $86,000
- Household income
- $56,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 39.5
Tampico is a village of 689 people in Whiteside County, Illinois. The median home is worth $86,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks quieter than 97% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 91% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 89% of Illinois towns.
How Tampico 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 Tampico is worth $86,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $56,250, which is more affordable than 90% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,000 a month. 89.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tampico | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $86,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $1,000 | $960 |
| Median household income | $56,250 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 89.2% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Tampico
| People | Tampico | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.5 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.2% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Tampico
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 12.9°F. About 36.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.6 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tampico since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 29, 1981 about 8.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 26 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on May 15, 2025.
Severe weather in Whiteside County since 1996
Whiteside County has been included in 14 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 |
| September 19, 2019 | Flood | DR-4461: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 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 Whiteside County
Whiteside County had 21,197 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,164 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Tampico itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Tampico
1 public school with 146 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampico Elem School | PK-5 | 146 | 12.2 |
Towns near Tampico
- Prophetstown, IL8.2 mi · 1,946 people · home $116,600
- Lyndon, IL9.3 mi · 537 people · home $113,500
- Como, IL9.4 mi · 528 people · home $175,700
- Rock Falls, IL10.8 mi · 8,789 people · home $83,900
- Walnut, IL11.2 mi · 1,311 people · home $102,100
- Sterling, IL12.5 mi · 14,764 people · home $108,700
- Morrison, IL15.2 mi · 4,085 people · home $118,000
- Erie, IL15.4 mi · 1,518 people · home $151,900
Tampico questions
Is Tampico, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tampico scores better for retirees than 83% of Illinois towns and quieter than 97%. 21.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.5).
How much does a house cost in Tampico?
The median owner-occupied home in Tampico is valued at $86,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,250, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $1,000 a month.
What is the weather like in Tampico?
July highs average 83.3°F and January lows 12.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.8 inches of precipitation a year and 29.6 inches of snow.
Does Tampico get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tampico since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 29, 1981. 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)