MKBTW, 2007
Colchester’s story
170 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,067 in 1880, a peak of 1,747 in 1970, 1,108 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1881 and 2 maps from 1913 on.
- 1856Colchester is settled
ColchesterIL
A town of 1,070, settled in 1856. A typical home costs 2 years of the Macomb area’s $53K median household income.
Trash & recyclingPhoto: Adam Moss · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
1,070
2025 Census estimate · −3.9% since 2020
Typical home
$104K
+8.8% in a year
Household income
$64K
median
Median age
41.6
years
Jobs based here
402
Balanced
Is Colchester a good place to live?
The best of Colchester’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a C for incomes. Colchester’s average trip to work is 16 minutes, below both Illinois’ towns (26 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Colchester has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
StrongestACost of living
What makes Colchester stand out
Where Colchester beats most towns.
A shrinking town
Colchester has shrunk 24% since 2010
1,401 counted in 2010 and 1,108 in 2020; an estimated 1,070 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Colchester grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Colchester is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & income402 jobs based hereCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 34% of U.S. communities; cold waves tops the listB+Open →SchoolsBehind 63% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationC+Open →HealthMc Donough District Hospital 6.9 miles awayC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6 of 20; 5.5% of households have no car; 2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsCOpen →History1 notable person born hereB−Open →Civic life3 library visits per resident; 3.1 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 41.6; 14% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
The other Colchester
Colchester takes its name from Colchester in Essex, England, 4,160 miles across the Atlantic.
UKUK editionEssex, EnglandColchesterA city of 130,259
Photo: PAUL FARMER · CC BY-SA 2.0Colchester, settled in 1856, takes its name from Colchester, a city in Essex, England.
Colchester, IL4,160 miles · Colchester, Essex
People130,2591,070 here
Typical home£305,000$104,000 here
Listed buildings44313 of them Grade I
TownGradeBagainst UK towns#37 of 81 in Essex
1 more U.S. town is named after Colchester:Colchester, CT15,825
Named after: each U.S. town’s Wikipedia article. Grades compare each town with towns in its own country, so they aren’t a head-to-head.
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Colchester: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Colchester, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterColchester water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpFrom the town’s siteTrash and recycling rulesTown site
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 hereMcDonough County ClerkMcDonough County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6232662326 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 Colchester.
HousingCost of living grade A
The typical home in Colchester is valued at about $104K
The typical Colchester home is worth about $104,000, up 8.8% in a year, 65% below the Illinois typical home. At $808 a month, Colchester’s median rent is where Illinois’ towns sit at $1,129 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
$104KZillow home value
| Colchester | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $808 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 74% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Colchester$104K
Illinois$296K
+8.8%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Colchester
Colchester has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 17° and about 11 inches of snow falls in a winter.
11″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring41–62°
Summer63–84°
Fall43–64°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 21
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Cold waves leads a low hazard risk in Colchester
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 66% of U.S. communities.
34risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingHeat waves
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About one in three of Colchester’s working residents commute to Macomb
Most working residents leave Colchester for work: only 9% work in town. Colchester’s median household income is $64,000. The top destinations are Macomb (34%), Carthage (3%) and Emmet Township (3%).
9%work in town
| Colchester | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $64,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Colchester9%
Macomb34%
Carthage3%
Emmet Township3%
Peoria3%
9 mi
median commute distance
402
jobs based in Colchester
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 38% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC+
Colchester is less healthy than 62% of U.S. towns
Colchester beats the Illinois average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 39% of Colchester adults have high blood pressure.
38%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Colchester | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
1 better23 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Colchester | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.5% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.5% | 6.3% |
Mc Donough District Hospital
6.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Safety
Crime reported in Colchester
Colchester's reported crime rate is well below Illinois's. The violent crime rate in Colchester is 0 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Colchester | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.9 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2022) | 8.5 per 1,000 residents | 10.5 | 14.1 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Colchester0
Illinois3.4
U.S.4
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Colchester8.5
Illinois18.4
U.S.20
0
violent crimes reported in 2022
9
property crimes reported in 2022
FBI crime data, 2022 · crimes reported to police
OutdoorsC
Colchester has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 731 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Friendway Park | — | 14 |
| 2. Colchester City Fair Grounds | — | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Colchester
20pages on Colchester
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 63% of IL districtsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2022)HealthC+Better than IL on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$104K typical home · up 8.8% in a yearWork & commuteC$64K median household income · 402 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 34% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Colchester
About 1 of every 100 Colchester residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Small town
1,070 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Colchester
City in Illinois, United States
Colchester is a city in McDonough County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,108 at the 2020 census, down from 1,401 in 2010. The city is named after the city of Colchester, England.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 689 ft
- ZIP code
- 62326
- Area code
- 309
Questions about Colchester
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Colchester, 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.