Crab OrchardIL
Home to 394 people, the town was settled in 1853.
Is Crab Orchard a good place to live?
Crab Orchard’s average commute is 42 minutes, above both Illinois’ towns (26 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). Only 5 of the 769 Illinois towns we compare have a higher January low than Crab Orchard. Crab Orchard has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
394 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Crab Orchard: who provides what
Crab Orchard is unincorporated, so Williamson County and regional agencies provide most services.
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 Crab Orchard.
More middle-aged adults than Illinois overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 55% of residents (39% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 9% of residents (23% statewide). Crab Orchard’s median age stands at 45.2 years. The bachelor’s-degree share among adults 25 and older is 29%, against 38% across Illinois.
| Crab Orchard | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.2 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 29% | 29% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
42% women, 58% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.4 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Crab Orchard | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.1% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 17.5% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.8% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5.6% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.7% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 33% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 8.9% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.3% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.5% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 33.9% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.1% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 12.4% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 400, single groups can be off by several points
The schools Crab Orchard’s kids attend
The public schools here belong to Crab Orchard CUSD 3. Its two schools are below. The 2 public schools in Crab Orchard teach 477 students between them.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crab Orchard Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 323 | B− |
| Crab Orchard High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 154 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
Crab Orchard faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
FEMA puts nearly two fifths of the town’s expected hazard losses down to earthquakes, and 23% to inland flooding. Crab Orchard’s FEMA risk score comes in at 79 of 100.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Crab Orchard stands out in Illinois and nationally, with fewer of its working residents who work locally
In Crab Orchard, the middle household income is $149,000. The median commute is under 15 miles. 5.6% of Crab Orchard residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Marion (34%), Carbondale (9%) and Herrin (5%).
| Crab Orchard | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $149,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.7% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.6% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Crab Orchard has four seasons and pleasant summers
Summer afternoons peak near 88° in July, and January nights bottom out around 25°; snowfall runs to about 11 inches a winter. Winters in Crab Orchard are chilly and summers warm, with plenty of rain.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Compared with most of Illinois and the rest of the country, more of Crab Orchard’s adults have been diagnosed with depression
The share of adults in Crab Orchard who had a checkup this year: 77%. Against the Illinois average, Crab Orchard comes out ahead on 2 CDC measures out of 32, and behind on 9. Among adults locally, 19% binge drink and 16% smoke cigarettes.
| Crab Orchard | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| What stands out | Crab Orchard | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.9% | 9.9% |
| More adults screened for colon cancer | 66.1% | 60.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.7% | 10.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Crab Orchard
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Crab Orchard; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Crab Orchard residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
99% of working residents leave Crab Orchard for work
Where Crab Orchard’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Crab Orchard
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Crab Orchard, IL a good place to live?
Crab Orchard has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.