Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 441, settled in 1880.
33% of residents are under 18 in Bowen, against 22% in Illinois’ towns and 22% across U.S. towns. Only 7 of the 749 Illinois towns we compare have a lower median rent than Bowen. Bowen has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 289 in 1880, a peak of 715 in 1920, 464 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2026 and 2 maps from 1948 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bowen, 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 Bowen.
Most working residents leave Bowen for work: only 4% work in town. Bowen’s median household income is $64,000, below both the Illinois town median ($83,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). The top destinations are Carthage (12%), Macomb (11%) and Quincy (7%).
| Bowen | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.1% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 11% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Bowen has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 18° and about 24 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Bowen beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 17% of Bowen adults smoke cigarettes.
| Bowen | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| What stands out | Bowen | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.1% | 10.3% |
| More smokers | 16.7% | 12.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.6% | 6.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 52% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Liberty Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
None within 15 miles of Bowen; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Bowen residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Where Bowen’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Illinois, United States
Bowen (formerly Bowensburg) is a village in southeast Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 464 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bowen has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.