The Town FilesWataga, Illinois
Village in Knox County · population 744 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $97,600
- Household income
- $62,917
- Jan low / Jul high
- 14° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 26 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 32.7
Wataga is a village of 744 people in Knox County, Illinois. The median home is worth $97,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 99% of Illinois towns, quieter than 93% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 93% of Illinois towns.
How Wataga 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 Wataga is worth $97,600, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $62,917, which is more affordable than 85% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $636 a month. 74.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wataga | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $97,600 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $636 | $960 |
| Median household income | $62,917 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 74.3% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wataga
| People | Wataga | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.4% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.3% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.3% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.1% | — |
| Work from home | 0.8% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.4% | 90.4% |
Weather in Wataga
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 13.8°F. About 39.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 25.9 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 16 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 129 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wataga since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 14, 1974 about 8.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 20, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 45 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 13, 2006.
Severe weather in Knox County since 1996
Knox County has been included in 11 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 Knox County
Knox County had 17,106 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,491 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Wataga itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Towns near Wataga
- Oneida, IL4.2 mi · 696 people · home $114,100
- East Galesburg, IL6.0 mi · 763 people · home $123,700
- Galesburg, IL7.4 mi · 30,052 people · home $96,400
- Knoxville, IL8.2 mi · 2,901 people · home $145,300
- Oak Run, IL8.8 mi · 721 people · home $298,300
- Woodhull, IL10.9 mi · 754 people · home $122,400
- Alpha, IL12.7 mi · 675 people · home $111,400
- Alexis, IL14.8 mi · 793 people · home $97,600
Wataga questions
Is Wataga, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wataga scores better for retirees than 79% of Illinois towns and quieter than 93%. 15.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.7).
How much does a house cost in Wataga?
The median owner-occupied home in Wataga is valued at $97,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,917, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $636 a month.
What is the weather like in Wataga?
July highs average 84.0°F and January lows 13.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.0 inches of precipitation a year and 25.9 inches of snow.
Does Wataga get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wataga since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 14, 1974. 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)