Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 279, settled in 1855.
22% of residents live below the poverty line in Bureau Junction, above both Illinois’ towns (8.4%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Only 1 of the 769 Illinois towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Bureau Junction. Bureau Junction’s trail density is 1.1 miles per square mile, above both the Illinois town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). The biggest park or preserve is Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, at 34 acres. Bureau Junction 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: 240 in 1880, a peak of 682 in 1920, 281 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2016 and 5 maps from 1893 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bureau Junction, 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 Bureau Junction.
Bureau Junction’s average trip to work is 32 minutes. The top destinations are Peru (8%), Monmouth (6%) and Spring Valley (6%). Bureau Junction’s median household income is $57,000.
| Bureau Junction | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Bureau Junction has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 15° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 67% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lake Depue State Fish and Wildlife Area | — | 81 |
| 2. Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park | — | 34 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
20% of Bureau Junction adults report frequent mental distress. Bureau Junction beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 36% of Bureau Junction adults feel lonely.
| Bureau Junction | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 17% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 33% | 33% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 22% | 23% |
| What stands out | Bureau Junction | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.3% | 10.3% |
| More smokers | 17.5% | 12.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.4% | 6.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
1 within 15 miles of the center of Bureau Junction
About 3 of every 100 Bureau Junction residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Where Bureau Junction’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Illinois, US
Bureau Junction, usually called Bureau, is a village in Bureau County, Illinois, United States. The population was 281 at the 2020 census. The village name is shown as both "Bureau Junction" and "Bureau" on federal maps, and is commonly called "Bureau", including by phone companies and the United States Post Office. It is part of the Ottawa Micropolitan Statistical Area. Bureau Junction was the point where the Rock Island Line railroad's branch line to Peoria split. Track west and south of Bureau is operated by Iowa Interstate, while tracks east to Chicago were formerly operated by CSX but are currently leased to Iowa Interstate.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bureau Junction has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.