The Town FilesWalnut, Illinois
Village in Bureau County · population 1,311 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $102,100
- Household income
- $61,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 42.5
Walnut is a village of 1,311 people in Bureau County, Illinois. The median home is worth $102,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for retirees than 95% of Illinois towns, better for families than 80% of Illinois towns, better for cycling than 78% of Illinois towns.
How Walnut 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 Walnut is worth $102,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $61,750, which is more affordable than 79% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $617 a month. 86.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Walnut | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $102,100 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $617 | $960 |
| Median household income | $61,750 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 86.9% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1961 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Walnut
| People | Walnut | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.5 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 76.0% | 90.4% |
Weather in Walnut
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 35.9 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
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on April 21, 1967 about 7.2 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 21 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 4, 2023.
Severe weather in Bureau County since 1996
Bureau County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| 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 Bureau County
Bureau County had 10,032 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,297 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Walnut itself the ACS puts it at 3.2%.
Public schools in Walnut
1 public school with 171 students, about 9.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau Valley North | PK-5 | 171 | 9.0 |
Towns near Walnut
- Tampico, IL11.2 mi · 689 people · home $86,000
- Wyanet, IL13.6 mi · 886 people · home $99,700
- Princeton, IL13.9 mi · 7,832 people · home $134,700
- Sheffield, IL15.7 mi · 821 people · home $102,400
- Rock Falls, IL15.8 mi · 8,789 people · home $83,900
- La Moille, IL16.0 mi · 679 people · home $111,300
- Amboy, IL17.0 mi · 2,278 people · home $134,800
- Como, IL17.0 mi · 528 people · home $175,700
Walnut questions
Is Walnut, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Walnut scores better for retirees than 95% of Illinois towns and quieter than 68%. 24.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.5).
How much does a house cost in Walnut?
The median owner-occupied home in Walnut is valued at $102,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,750, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $617 a month.
What is the weather like in Walnut?
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 35.9 inches of snow.
Does Walnut get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Walnut since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on April 21, 1967. 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)