Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The best of Altamont’s subject grades are an A+ for cost of living and an A− for history. On cost of living, just 25 of Illinois’ 1,284 towns do better. Altamont is more walkable than 72% of U.S. towns. Dr. Charles M. Wright House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Altamont has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Altamont beats most towns.
Dr. Charles M. Wright HouseEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Altamont is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 654 in 1880, 2,216 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1935 and 2 maps from 1985 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Altamont, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Altamont.
The typical Altamont home is worth about $169,000, up 5.3% in a year, 43% below the Illinois typical home. Altamont’s median rent is $791 a month, below both Illinois’ towns ($1,129 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
| Altamont | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $791 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 75% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Altamont’s property crime rate is 5 per 1,000 residents, below both the Illinois town median (7.9) and the median of U.S. towns (9.9). Altamont’s violent crime rate is 0.5 per 1,000 residents.
| Altamont | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Altamont has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Altamont is 87°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Altamont for work: only 15% work in town. The top destinations are Effingham (28%), Springfield (4%) and Mound Township (3%). Half commute less than 12 miles.
| Altamont | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $76,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 57% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Altamont beats the Illinois average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 14% of adults report frequent physical distress in Altamont.
| Altamont | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| What stands out | Altamont | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.5% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.4% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.5% | 6.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Schmidt Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Heritage Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Altamont; the nearest are
About 6 of every 100 Altamont residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
City in Illinois, United States
Altamont is a city in Effingham County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,216 at the 2020 census. Altamont is part of the Effingham, Illinois Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.