The Town FilesWood River, Illinois
City in Madison County · population 10,464 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $108,100
- Household income
- $62,703
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 11 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 43
- Median age
- 40.3
Wood River is a city of 10,464 people in Madison County, Illinois. The median home is worth $108,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks more walkable than 91% of Illinois towns, more vibrant than 82% of Illinois towns.
How Wood River 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 Wood River is worth $108,100, below the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 1.7 times the median household income of $62,703, which is more affordable than 79% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $936 a month. 66.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wood River | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $108,100 | $156,600 |
| Median rent | $936 | $960 |
| Median household income | $62,703 | $72,500 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.7× | 2.2× |
| Homeownership | 66.8% | 76.6% |
| Median year built | 1955 | 1967 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Wood River
| People | Wood River | Typical Illinois town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 40.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 18.7% |
| Under 18 | 19.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.5% | 21.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.9% | 9.9% |
| Veterans | 6.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 8.9% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 26.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 90.4% |
Weather in Wood River
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 21.7°F. About 41.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.8 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 85 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wood River since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 18 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on April 3, 1981 about 6.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 277 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 128 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 13, 1979.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| June 24, 2008 | Severe Storm | DR-1771: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 105,166 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,153 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Wood River itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Wood River
5 public schools with 931 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Alton-Wood River High Sch | 9-12 | 520 | 15.8 |
| Lewis-Clark Elem School | K-5 | 235 | 9.8 |
| Lewis-Clark Jr High School | 6-8 | 176 | 13.5 |
| L&C Middle School/Region III | Other | — | — |
| Region III 9-12+ CLIP Program | Other | — | — |
Towns near Wood River
- Rosewood Heights, IL1.7 mi · 3,971 people · home $137,300
- East Alton, IL2.2 mi · 5,786 people · home $106,700
- Bethalto, IL3.2 mi · 9,310 people · home $168,900
- Alton, IL4.9 mi · 25,676 people · home $103,700
- Edwardsville, IL6.9 mi · 26,808 people · home $299,800
- Holiday Shores, IL8.7 mi · 2,840 people · home $245,100
- Spanish Lake, MO8.7 mi · 18,413 people · home $135,600
- Glen Carbon, IL8.9 mi · 13,842 people · home $282,000
Wood River questions
Is Wood River, Illinois a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wood River scores better for retirees than 6% of Illinois towns and quieter than 21%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Wood River?
The median owner-occupied home in Wood River is valued at $108,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $62,703, so homes cost about 1.7 times income. Median rent is $936 a month.
What is the weather like in Wood River?
July highs average 87.3°F and January lows 21.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 41.9 inches of precipitation a year and 10.8 inches of snow.
Does Wood River get tornadoes?
43 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wood River since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on April 3, 1981. 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)