The Town FilesWinnebago, Illinois
Village in Winnebago County · population 2,940 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $194,000
- Household income
- $92,614
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 37 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 39.6
Winnebago is a village of 2,940 people in Winnebago County, Illinois. The median home is worth $194,000, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks easier by car than 87% of Illinois towns, better for families than 81% of Illinois towns, more upscale than 71% of Illinois towns.
How Winnebago 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 Winnebago is worth $194,000, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $92,614, which is more affordable than 55% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $992 a month. 87.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Winnebago | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $194,000 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $992 | $960 |
| Median household income | $92,614 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 87.0% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Winnebago
| People | Winnebago | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.8% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 27.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.4% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.8% | 90.4% |
Weather in Winnebago
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 14.5°F. About 37.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.1 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 15 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 136 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winnebago since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 17, 1979 about 5.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 80 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 7, 2020.
Severe weather in Winnebago County since 1996
Winnebago County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 20, 2024 | Flood | DR-4819: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Floodng |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Winnebago County
Winnebago County had 126,415 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,400 a year. Unemployment was 6.2% in 2023; in Winnebago itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Public schools in Winnebago
4 public schools with 1,268 students, about 12.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago High School | 9-12 | 406 | 12.3 |
| Dorothy Simon Elem School | PK-2 | 306 | 13.3 |
| Winnebago Middle School | 6-8 | 297 | 12.4 |
| Jean McNair Elementary School | 3-5 | 259 | 12.3 |
Towns near Winnebago
- Rockford, IL8.7 mi · 148,655 people · home $129,000
- Byron, IL10.2 mi · 3,784 people · home $198,700
- Machesney Park, IL12.8 mi · 22,950 people · home $173,700
- Davis Junction, IL12.9 mi · 2,512 people · home $205,500
- Loves Park, IL13.0 mi · 23,397 people · home $160,400
- Cherry Valley, IL13.4 mi · 2,905 people · home $232,800
- Rockton, IL15.2 mi · 7,863 people · home $235,400
- Roscoe, IL15.9 mi · 10,983 people · home $227,800
Winnebago questions
Is Winnebago, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Winnebago scores better for retirees than 38% of Illinois towns and quieter than 55%. 21.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Winnebago?
The median owner-occupied home in Winnebago is valued at $194,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,614, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $992 a month.
What is the weather like in Winnebago?
July highs average 83.9°F and January lows 14.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.2 inches of precipitation a year and 37.1 inches of snow.
Does Winnebago get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Winnebago since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 17, 1979. 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)