Photograph of H. A. DuBois Company in, 1941
Cobden’s story
153 years in pictures
Census counts: 800 in 1880, 1,074 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1941 and 2 maps from 1984 on.
- 1873Cobden is settled
CobdenIL
A town of 1,024, settled in 1873.
Population
1,024
2025 Census estimate · −4.7% since 2020
Typical home
$191K
+4.4% in a year
Household income
$46K
median
Median age
46.8
years
Jobs based here
236
A commuter town
Is Cobden a good place to live?
The best of Cobden’s subject grades is an A− for cost of living; the weakest is a D for incomes. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Cobden, where Illinois’ towns sit at 8.4% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Only 33 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns score lower on incomes. Cobden is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 71% of U.S. towns. Cobden's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 80% of U.S. towns. Cobden has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Cobden stand out
Where Cobden beats most towns.
Typical home value
Cobden$191K
Illinois$296K
Cost of livingA−
3.4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 82% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
5.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Small town
1,024 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Cobden grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Cobden is from typical.
Jobs & income236 jobs based hereDOpen →Cost of livingA−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.9 of 20; 4.7% of households have no carB+Open →HealthDeaconess Illinois Union County 5.2 miles awayC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksC−Open →History2 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life2.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 46.8; 20% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Cobden: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cobden, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCobden water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Cobden’s trash rules yet
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 hereUnion County ClerkUnion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6292062920 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 Cobden.
HousingCost of living grade A−
Cobden’s typical home value is about $191K
The typical Cobden home is worth about $191,000, up 4.4% in a year, 35% below the Illinois typical home.
$191KZillow home value
Typical home value
Cobden$191K
Illinois$296K
+4.4%
value change, 1 year
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Cobden’s schools beat 52% of Illinois districts
Its public schools are run by Cobden SUD 17. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
52%of IL districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cobden Elem SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 223 | C+ |
| Cobden High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 135 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IL on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Cobden has 0.7 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Cobden for work: only 3% work in town. At $46,000, Cobden’s median household income is below both the Illinois town median ($83,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). The top destinations are Anna (14%), Carbondale (13%) and Marion (8%).
3%work in town
| Cobden | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $46,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.1% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Cobden3%
Anna14%
Carbondale13%
Marion8%
Harrisburg2%
16 mi
median commute distance
236
jobs based in Cobden
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 71% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Cobden faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 73% of U.S. communities.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingCold waves
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Cobden has four seasons and pleasant summers
Cobden has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Cobden is 88°F.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–45°
Spring46–67°
Summer66–86°
Fall47–68°
Oct 29
typical first frost
Apr 8
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Health in Cobden trails 58% of U.S. towns
Cobden beats the Illinois average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 14% of adults have diabetes in Cobden.
42%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Cobden | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| No health insurance, 18–64 (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
1 better23 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Cobden | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79% | 75.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.2% | 10.3% |
Deaconess Illinois Union County
5.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Cobden
18pages on Cobden
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Cobden
About 7 of every 100 Cobden residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Cobden for work
Where Cobden’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
236jobs based in Cobden
3%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Cobden
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Cobden, IL expensive?
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−.
What is Cobden, IL known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Mary Tracy Earle and Stuart Forbes.