Mercer County, Illinois
Among the top 3% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 33% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade A, better than 92% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade F, better than 6% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 97% of US counties
- top 11% for property crime
- top 11% for natural disaster risk
- bottom 4% for property tax rate
Mercer County is a county in Illinois with about 16,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for getting around. Standout strengths include property crime, natural disaster risk, and violent crime. It rates lower on walkability and property tax rate.
Official websitemercercountyil.org (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Snowy
freez.
v.cold
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comf.
warm
hot
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cool
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80%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in1.8 in
humid 93%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$67k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 52% of US counties
Home Value$131k33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$759better than 65% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 58% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.97%better than 4% of US counties
Income Tax5.00%better than 46% of US counties
Sales Tax8.86%better than 15% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.77%better than 19% of US counties
Unemployment3.3%better than 78% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)23°F18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F37th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation38.8 in40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall24.3 inbetter than 35% of US counties
Sunny Days237 daysbetter than 51% of US counties
Summer Humidity65°Fbetter than 53% of US counties
Comfortable Days87 daysbetter than 71% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk8.8better than 89% of US counties
School Quality53.6better than 48% of US counties
Violent Crime204/100kbetter than 88% of US counties
Property Crime158/100kbetter than 89% of US counties
Community
Population15,69234th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age44.776th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.098th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0369th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2535th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)94.1%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.6%26th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)2.8%28th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.4%38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.0%17th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 23% of US counties
Walkability4.6/20better than 10% of US counties
Airport Distance158 mibetter than 23% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.1%better than 74% of US counties
Amenities Nearby8.92better than 83% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 87% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mercer County an affordable place to live?
- Mercer County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 52% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Mercer County?
- The median home value in Mercer County is $131k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Mercer County?
- Median household income in Mercer County is $67k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Mercer County?
- Median gross rent in Mercer County is $759 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Mercer County safe?
- Mercer County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 204/100k (better than 88%). Property crime is 158/100k.
- What is the weather like in Mercer County?
- Mercer County averages 75°F in July and 23°F in January, with 38.8 in of annual precipitation and about 237 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Mercer County?
- Public-school quality in Mercer County is about average, scoring better than 48% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Mercer County?
- The average one-way commute in Mercer County is 29 min.
Other counties in Illinois
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Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)