The Town FilesThomson, Illinois
Village in Carroll County · population 1,610 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $117,000
- Household income
- $61,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 32 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 40.7
Thomson is a village of 1,610 people in Carroll County, Illinois. The median home is worth $117,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Illinois towns, quieter than 95% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 89% of Illinois towns.
How Thomson 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 Thomson is worth $117,000, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.9 times the median household income of $61,250, which is more affordable than 68% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $918 a month. 69.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Thomson | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $117,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $918 | $960 |
| Median household income | $61,250 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.9× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 69.3% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Thomson
| People | Thomson | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 1.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.4% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 8.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.4% | — |
| Work from home | 1.3% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Thomson
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 13.6°F. About 34.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.2 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 132 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thomson since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on May 8, 1988 about 8.5 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 33 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 2, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 2, 2026.
Severe weather in Carroll County since 1996
Carroll County has been included in 16 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 Carroll County
Carroll County had 3,955 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,933 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Thomson itself the ACS puts it at 8.9%.
Towns near Thomson
- Sabula, IA7.5 mi · 506 people · home $133,300
- Fulton, IL7.9 mi · 3,647 people · home $121,700
- Savanna, IL8.3 mi · 2,783 people · home $72,400
- Mount Carroll, IL10.8 mi · 1,479 people · home $86,600
- Clinton, IA11.3 mi · 24,469 people · home $118,200
- Morrison, IL13.9 mi · 4,085 people · home $118,000
- Albany, IL14.1 mi · 864 people · home $148,800
- Camanche, IA15.1 mi · 4,570 people · home $172,400
Thomson questions
Is Thomson, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Thomson scores better for retirees than 89% of Illinois towns and quieter than 95%. 7.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.7).
How much does a house cost in Thomson?
The median owner-occupied home in Thomson is valued at $117,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,250, so homes cost about 1.9 times income. Median rent is $918 a month.
What is the weather like in Thomson?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 13.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.3 inches of precipitation a year and 32.2 inches of snow.
Does Thomson get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Thomson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on May 8, 1988. 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)