The Town FilesWaterman, Illinois
Village in DeKalb County · population 1,433 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $217,300
- Household income
- $100,139
- Jan low / Jul high
- 13° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 30 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 31.0
Waterman is a village of 1,433 people in DeKalb County, Illinois. The median home is worth $217,300, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more of a college town than 92% of Illinois towns, easier by car than 84% of Illinois towns, better for young professionals than 75% of Illinois towns.
How Waterman 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 Waterman is worth $217,300, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $100,139, which is more affordable than 50% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $877 a month. 87.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waterman | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $217,300 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $877 | $960 |
| Median household income | $100,139 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 87.7% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Waterman
| People | Waterman | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.0 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.1% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 29.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.0% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 39.0 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.9% | 90.4% |
Weather in Waterman
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 13.4°F. About 37.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 29.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 144 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterman since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 15, 1958 about 8.8 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 17 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on February 27, 2024.
Severe weather in DeKalb County since 1996
DeKalb County has been included in 12 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 |
| May 10, 2013 | Flood | DR-4116: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| March 17, 2011 | Snowstorm | DR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm |
| October 3, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1800: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in DeKalb County
DeKalb County had 36,272 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,896 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Waterman itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Public schools in Waterman
1 public school with 224 students, about 13.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indian Creek Middle School | 5-8 | 224 | 13.2 |
Towns near Waterman
- Shabbona, IL6.1 mi · 863 people · home $186,600
- Hinckley, IL6.3 mi · 2,006 people · home $291,700
- Somonauk, IL9.8 mi · 1,786 people · home $234,400
- Leland, IL10.5 mi · 951 people · home $186,800
- Sandwich, IL10.9 mi · 7,221 people · home $255,700
- Lake Holiday, IL11.3 mi · 5,687 people · home $256,400
- DeKalb, IL11.3 mi · 40,290 people · home $204,700
- Big Rock, IL12.2 mi · 1,104 people · home $337,900
Waterman questions
Is Waterman, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waterman scores better for retirees than 64% of Illinois towns and quieter than 49%. 8.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.0).
How much does a house cost in Waterman?
The median owner-occupied home in Waterman is valued at $217,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,139, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $877 a month.
What is the weather like in Waterman?
July highs average 81.5°F and January lows 13.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.4 inches of precipitation a year and 29.8 inches of snow.
Does Waterman get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waterman since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 15, 1958. 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)