The Town FilesWaverly, Illinois
City in Morgan County · population 1,194 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $98,400
- Household income
- $55,671
- Jan low / Jul high
- 21° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 41.7
Waverly is a city of 1,194 people in Morgan County, Illinois. The median home is worth $98,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 93% of Illinois towns, better for families than 74% of Illinois towns.
How Waverly 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 Waverly is worth $98,400, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $55,671, which is more affordable than 74% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $772 a month. 82.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waverly | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $98,400 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $772 | $960 |
| Median household income | $55,671 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 82.3% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1944 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Waverly
| People | Waverly | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.7 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.6% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 9.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.2% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.2% | 90.4% |
Weather in Waverly
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 20.9°F. About 38.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.4 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 25 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 101 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waverly since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 24, 1961 about 1.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 24, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on March 14, 2024.
Severe weather in Morgan County since 1996
Morgan County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 15, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4728: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| December 13, 2021 | Tornado | EM-3577: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Morgan County
Morgan County had 13,936 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,188 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Waverly itself the ACS puts it at 4.9%.
Public schools in Waverly
2 public schools with 350 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly Elementary School | PK-6 | 212 | 12.5 |
| Waverly Jr/Sr High School | 7-12 | 138 | 15.3 |
Towns near Waverly
- Franklin, IL5.4 mi · 610 people · home $116,400
- Loami, IL7.9 mi · 812 people · home $131,900
- New Berlin, IL9.4 mi · 1,381 people · home $163,400
- Thayer, IL11.0 mi · 632 people · home $97,100
- Palmyra, IL11.2 mi · 605 people · home $87,500
- Auburn, IL11.2 mi · 4,574 people · home $149,600
- Virden, IL11.4 mi · 3,231 people · home $101,300
- Girard, IL13.6 mi · 1,785 people · home $98,100
Waverly questions
Is Waverly, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waverly scores better for retirees than 67% of Illinois towns and quieter than 65%. 19.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.7).
How much does a house cost in Waverly?
The median owner-occupied home in Waverly is valued at $98,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,671, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $772 a month.
What is the weather like in Waverly?
July highs average 86.9°F and January lows 20.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 38.4 inches of precipitation a year and 16.4 inches of snow.
Does Waverly get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waverly since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 24, 1961. 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)