MaterDeiFrontPhoto, 2005
Breese’s story
171 years in pictures
Census counts: 489 in 1870, 4,641 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1906 on.
- 1855Breese is founded
BreeseIL
A town of 4,602, founded in 1855.
Photo: Asteve77767 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,602
2025 Census estimate · −0.8% since 2020
Typical home
$263K
+5.5% in a year
Household income
$85K
median
Median age
44.3
years
Jobs based here
2,348
Balanced
TownGrade
A+
#37 of 767 in IL
Why does Breese grade so well?
Few places in the country grade higher. Breese earns an A+, ranked 37th of 767 in Illinois. It reports less crime per resident than 94% of U.S. towns and its schools rank ahead of 77% of Illinois towns. The exception is hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 72% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. On civic life, just 116 of Illinois’ 1,240 towns do better. 20% of working residents work locally in Breese, above both Illinois’ towns (8.3%) and U.S. towns (8%). Breese Community Park, at 20 acres with 1.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve.
What makes Breese stand out
Where Breese beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Breese0.6
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
77% less violent crime than IL
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Breese7.2
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical IL town3.4
Civic lifeA
2.2 times the nonprofits per person
than the typical Illinois town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Typical home value
Breese$263K
Illinois$296K
Cost of livingB+
3.3 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 74% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
How Breese grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Breese is from typical.
SafetyAOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →SchoolsA−Open →Cost of livingB+Open →HealthSt. Josephs Hospital 0.8 miles awayB+Open →Jobs & income$85K median household incomeB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.3 of 20; 5.3% of households have no car; 0.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trails; 2% conserved landBOpen →History5 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life4.9 library visits per resident; 7.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Breese: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Breese, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of BreeseEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterBreese water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Breese’s trash rules yet
SchoolsCentral Community High School District 71Breese School District 122 districts serve Breese; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereClinton County ClerkClinton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6223062230 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Breese.
Breese pairs an A+ overall with homes cheaper than the Illinois norm, trades workers with Highland and other neighbors and has less food insecurity than most of Illinois.
SafetyA
Breese earns an A for safety
Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
The property crime rate in Breese is 1.7 per 1,000 residents.
94%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Breese | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.7 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Breese0.6
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Breese1.7
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
94th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
96th
percentile among IL towns
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
8
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsB
Breese has set aside 1.6% of its land for conservation
1.5 miles of trail in 3 parks and preserves.
#243for trails in IL
| Breese | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.6% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1.6%
conserved · 27 of 1,717 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Breese Community Park | 1.1 mi | 20 |
| 2. Breese Southside Park | 0.4 mi | 9 |
| 3. Breese Soccer Park | — | 19 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB+
Breese ranks healthier than 71% of the country’s towns
Its widest gap with Illinois is food insecurity: 10.2% of its 3,603 adults worry about having enough food, against 15.9% statewide.
Breese beats the Illinois average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 19% of adults binge drink in Breese.
71%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Breese | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 23% | 25% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 18% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
6 better24 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Breese | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.2% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.7% | 13.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.9% | 7.6% |
St. Josephs Hospital
0.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
58th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in Breese
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Breese, expect four seasons and hot summers
Breese has chilly winters and warm summers. Breese’s July high is 88°F.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–42°
Spring45–66°
Summer66–87°
Fall46–68°
Oct 29
typical first frost
Apr 6
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About one in five working residents works right in Breese
Breese has about as many jobs (2,348) as working residents, but only 443 people both live and work here.
About one in 5 of Breese’s working residents works in town. 4.2% of Breese residents live below the poverty line. Jobs based in Breese fell to 2,348 in 2023, 204 fewer than in 2013.
20%work in town
| Breese | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 4.2% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Breese20%
Highland5%
Belleville5%
St. Louis4%
Carlyle4%
18 mi
median commute distance
2,348
jobs based in Breese
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 42% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B+
A typical Breese home is worth about $263K
Breese grades A+ overall with a typical home of about $263K, below the Illinois typical value; only 48 of the 183 Illinois towns graded A− or better can say that.
The typical Breese home is worth about $263,000, up 5.5% in a year, 11% below the Illinois typical home.
$263KZillow home value
Typical home value
Breese$263K
Illinois$296K
+5.5%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Who lives here
Fewer middle-aged adults than Illinois overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 34% of residents (39% statewide). 39% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 38% across Illinois.
44.3median age · IL 39
| Breese | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 29% | 29% |
| Median age | 44.3 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 21% | 22% | 22% |
BreeseIllinoisUnited States
Ages · share of residents
14%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school28%
Some college15%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate14%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.8 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Breese | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.1% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.5% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.8% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.1% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.7% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.2% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.2% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.4% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.8% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.5% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.5% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 14.6% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.1% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.7% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 13.6% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,600, single groups can be off by several points
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Breese
20pages on Breese
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 77% of IL districtsSafetyA0.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than IL on 6 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB+$263K typical home · up 5.5% in a yearWork & commuteB+$85K median household income · 2,348 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 72% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Breese; the nearest are
McKendree UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Lebanon15.8 mi$34,740 tuitionKaskaskia CollegeCommunity college · Public · Centralia18.3 mi$4,800 in-state tuitionSouthern Illinois University EdwardsvilleUniversity or college · Public · Edwardsville28.4 mi$12,922 in-state tuition
About 7 of every 100 Breese residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
Famous people from Breese
5 notable people were born in Breese.
About Breese
City in Illinois, United States
Breese is a city in Clinton County, Illinois, United States. Breese is the most populous city completely within Clinton County. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,641, the majority of whom are of German ancestry. Breese is part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1856
- Area
- 2.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 453 ft
- ZIP code
- 62230
- Area code
- 618
Questions about Breese
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Breese, IL a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Breese grades A+ overall, better than 97% of U.S. towns and #37 of 767 in Illinois. It grades B+ for health, A for safety and A− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Breese, IL expensive?
Not for the area. Louis, MO-IL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
What is Breese, IL known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Jake Odorizzi and Josh Thole.