The Town FilesUrsa, Illinois
Village in Adams County · population 609 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $161,900
- Household income
- $64,375
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 40.1
Ursa is a village of 609 people in Adams County, Illinois. The median home is worth $161,900, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 85% of Illinois towns, quieter than 71% of Illinois towns.
How Ursa 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 Ursa is worth $161,900, close to the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $64,375, which is more affordable than 38% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $823 a month. 74.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ursa | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $161,900 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $823 | $960 |
| Median household income | $64,375 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 74.6% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ursa
| People | Ursa | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.7% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.7% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 11.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.0% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.6% | 90.4% |
Weather in Ursa
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 17.0°F. About 39.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 17.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 122 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ursa since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on May 10, 2003 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 5, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 56 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on June 17, 1992.
Severe weather in Adams County since 1996
Adams County has been included in 21 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 Adams County
Adams County had 32,154 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,986 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Ursa itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Towns near Ursa
- Mendon, IL4.7 mi · 872 people · home $111,600
- La Grange, MO7.1 mi · 825 people · home $92,000
- Canton, MO9.0 mi · 2,774 people · home $117,900
- Quincy, IL9.7 mi · 39,463 people · home $153,200
- Camp Point, IL16.5 mi · 1,121 people · home $127,800
- Golden, IL18.8 mi · 648 people · home $122,800
- Payson, IL19.0 mi · 1,025 people · home $132,000
- Warsaw, IL19.4 mi · 1,510 people · home $96,100
Ursa questions
Is Ursa, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ursa scores better for retirees than 61% of Illinois towns and quieter than 71%. 18.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Ursa?
The median owner-occupied home in Ursa is valued at $161,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $64,375, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $823 a month.
What is the weather like in Ursa?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 17.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.5 inches of precipitation a year and 17.4 inches of snow.
Does Ursa get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ursa since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on May 10, 2003. 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)