Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 2,607, founded in 1879.
Christopher gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $76K, 1.3 years of the county’s $57K median household income. It grades C− overall, 660th among Illinois's 767 graded towns. The low prices come with trade-offs. The median household income is $48K, and 21% of residents live below the poverty line, and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 83% of the country. Christopher’s property crime rate is 32.8 per 1,000 residents, where Illinois’ towns sit at 9.3 and U.S. towns at 11.5. Only 5 of the 458 Illinois towns we compare have a lower typical home value than Christopher.
Where Christopher beats most towns.
2,382 counted in 2010 and 2,697 in 2020; an estimated 2,607 in 2025.
Since 2020 the trend has turned: down 3%, after 13.2% growth in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Christopher is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,825 in 1910, a peak of 4,244 in 1930, 2,697 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2021 and 3 maps from 1910 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Christopher, 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 Christopher.
Christopher is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has homes that are cheap against local pay, but it has household incomes well below the Illinois norm.
At 1.3 years of the county’s $57K median household income, the typical home (about $76K) costs less against local pay than in 97% of Illinois towns; that ratio is one input to its A for cost of living. Values fell 8.6% in the past year while the Illinois typical home rose 5.3%.
The median rent in Christopher is $725 a month. Typical home values fell 8.6% in the year to September 2026. The typical Christopher home is worth about $76,000, 74% below the Illinois typical home.
| Christopher | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $725 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 75% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Against the 5,106 U.S. towns with household incomes like Christopher’s, it is less healthy than 54%, so its C− isn’t only a matter of income.
24% of Christopher adults have been diagnosed with depression. Christopher beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 42% of Christopher adults have obesity.
| Christopher | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| What stands out | Christopher | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10.5% | 6.3% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.6% | 10.3% |
| More smokers | 18.1% | 12.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Jobs based here fell from 568 in 2013 to 376.
Most working residents leave Christopher for work: only 8% work in town. Jobs based in Christopher fell to 376 in 2023, 192 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Mount Vernon (12%), Marion (8%) and Benton (7%).
| Christopher | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Christopher since 1979.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Christopher has chilly winters and warm summers. Christopher’s July high is 88°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Christopher's reported crime rate is well above Illinois's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2024.
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
1 within 15 miles of the center of Christopher
About 1 of every 100 Christopher residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Where Christopher’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
6 notable people were born in Christopher.
City in Illinois, United States
Christopher is a city in Franklin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,697 at the time of the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Christopher.
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher | #660 | C− | A | — | C+ | C− |
| North City | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Christopher reports no FBI crime data of its own. North City isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Christopher with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Christopher grades C− overall, better than 19% of U.S. towns and #660 of 767 in Illinois. It grades C− for health and C+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
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.
6 notable people were born here, including John Malkovich and Doug Collins.