Entrance sign to Hamel, Illinois, Route 66, 2009
Hamel’s story
155 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2009.
- 1871Hamel is settled
HamelIL
A town of 937, settled in 1871.
Photo: TCP04 · CC BY 4.0
Population
937
2025 Census estimate · −0.2% since 2020
Typical home
$284K
+3.7% in a year
Household income
$109K
median
Median age
34.8
years
Jobs based here
218
A commuter town
Is Hamel a good place to live?
30% of residents are under 18 in Hamel, against 22% in Illinois’ towns and 22% across U.S. towns. Hamel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
937 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hamel: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hamel, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHamel water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Hamel’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 hereMadison County ClerkMadison County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes62046, 6209762046 98% · 62097 2%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 Hamel.
Work & commute
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of Hamel’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Hamel for work: only 2% work in town. 2.8% of residents live below the poverty line in Hamel, where Illinois’ towns sit at 8.4% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Hamel’s median household income is $109,000.
2%work in town
| Hamel | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 2.8% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $109,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Hamel2%
Edwardsville12%
St. Louis8%
Granite City5%
Alton4%
21 mi
median commute distance
218
jobs based in Hamel
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Hamel, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Hamel has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Hamel is 88°F.
11″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–42°
Spring45–66°
Summer66–86°
Fall46–67°
Nov 5
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More children than Illinois overall
15% of Hamel residents are 65 or older. 35% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 38% across Illinois.
34.8median age · IL 39
| Hamel | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.8 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 15% | 19% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 29% | 29% |
HamelIllinoisUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school28%
Some college18%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate9%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.8 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Hamel | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16.8% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.1% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 7.6% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.1% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 16.1% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.5% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.8% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.1% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.1% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.9% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 28.3% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 17.7% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 14.2% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 25.6% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.2% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
Safety
Crime reported in Hamel
7 crimes were reported in Hamel in 2025: 7 property and 0 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Hamel is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
0
violent crimes reported in 2025
7
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Hamel is
Hamel beats the Illinois average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 20% of adults binge drink in Hamel.
| Hamel | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.5% | 11% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 23% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
7 better25 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Hamel | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.7% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.6% | 15.9% |
Community Hospital of Staunton
8.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Hamel, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities.
56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Homes in Hamel are worth about $284K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Hamel home is worth about $284,000, up 3.7% in a year, close to the Illinois typical home.
$284KZillow home value
| Hamel | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $954 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 76% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Hamel$284K
Illinois$296K
+3.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1.1%conserved
1.1%
conserved · 8 of 766 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hamel Community Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 59 attractions →Cahokia and 48 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hamel. Close and well known come first.
Big draw21 mi State parkCahokia
Big draw26 mi Stadium & arenaThe Dome at America's Center
27 mi Stadium & arenaBusch Stadium
20 mi LandmarkMonks Mound
26 mi National ParkGateway Arch National Park2.2M visitors a year
19 mi Ancient sitePiasaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Cahokia: Thank You (24 Millions ) views, CC BY 2.0 · The Dome at America's Center: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0 · Busch Stadium: Lee Ann Ratledge, CC BY 4.0 · Monks Mound: Skubasteve834, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gateway Arch National Park: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Piasa: Burfalcy, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hamel
18pages on Hamel
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Hamel
About 5 of every 100 Hamel residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Hamel for work
Where Hamel’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
218jobs based in Hamel
2%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Hamel
Village in Illinois, United States
Hamel is a village in Madison County, Illinois, United States. The population was 929 at the 2020 census, up from 816 in 2010. It is a part of the Illinois Metro East portion of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. The village is located along Interstate 55 (I-55), and Illinois Routes 140 and 157.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.2 sq mi
- Elevation
- 548 ft
- ZIP code
- 62046
Questions about Hamel
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hamel, IL a good place to live?
Hamel has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.