19960106 23 BNSF, 1996
Hillsdale’s story
155 years in pictures
Census counts: 37 in 1880, a peak of 731 in 1980, 417 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1996 and 2 maps from 1952 on.
- 1871Hillsdale is settled
HillsdaleIL
A town of 413, settled in 1871.
Population
413
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$150K
+3.9% in a year
Household income
$86K
median
Median age
45.4
years
Jobs based here
61
A commuter town
Is Hillsdale a good place to live?
12% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Hillsdale, against 29% in Illinois’ towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Only 8 of the 769 Illinois towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Hillsdale. Hillsdale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
413 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 Hillsdale: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hillsdale, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy10.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHillsdale Properties 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 Hillsdale’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 hereRock Island County ClerkRock Island County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6125761257 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 Hillsdale.
Housing
Homes in Hillsdale are worth about $150K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Hillsdale home is worth about $150,000, up 3.9% in a year, 49% below the Illinois typical home. Hillsdale’s median rent is $794 a month, where Illinois’ towns sit at $1,129 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. 86% of Hillsdale households own their home.
$150KZillow home value
| Hillsdale | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $794 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Hillsdale$150K
Illinois$296K
+3.9%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Hillsdale faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 83% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 55 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hillsdale.
83risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
55
paid flood claims since 1979
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Hillsdale’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Hillsdale for work: only 1% work in town. Since 2013, Hillsdale has lost 25 jobs, to 61 in 2023. The top destinations are Davenport (15%), Moline (9%) and East Moline (8%).
1%work in town
| Hillsdale | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 27 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $86,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 10% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Hillsdale1%
Davenport15%
Moline9%
East Moline8%
Rock Island6%
22 mi
median commute distance
61
jobs based in Hillsdale
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Hillsdale
Hillsdale has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 14° and about 28 inches of snow falls in a winter.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–34°
Spring40–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall42–63°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Hillsdale is
Hillsdale beats the Illinois average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 21% of adults binge drink in Hillsdale.
| Hillsdale | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 78% | 79% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
2 better25 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Hillsdale | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.1% | 10.3% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.5% | 13.2% |
| More smokers | 15.9% | 12.1% |
Hammond Henry Hospital
10 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Nearby attractions
All 20 attractions →Rock Island Arsenal and 13 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hillsdale. Close and well known come first.
20 mi Ancient siteRock Island Arsenal
23 mi MuseumBlack Hawk State Historic Site
22 mi MuseumFigge Art Museum77K visitors a year
39 mi National Historic SiteRonald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site18 mi Zoo & aquariumNiabi Zoo
23 mi MuseumPutnam MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Rock Island Arsenal: Robert A, Ryan, J. Ceronia, and Bruce A. Harms, Photographers, Public domain · Black Hawk State Historic Site: Bill Whittaker (talk). Original uploader was Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Figge Art Museum: Ctjf83, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Putnam Museum: Ctjf83 of English Wikipedia (log), Public domain
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hillsdale
16pages on Hillsdale
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hillsdale; the nearest are
Black Hawk CollegeCommunity college · Public · Moline16.7 mi$4,920 in-state tuitionUniversity of IowaUniversity or college · Public · Iowa City, IA70.5 mi$11,283 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Hillsdale residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Hillsdale for work
Where Hillsdale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
61jobs based in Hillsdale
1%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Hillsdale
Village in Illinois, United States
Hillsdale is a village in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was around 531 at the time of the 2020 census, up from around 523 at the 2010 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 581 ft
- ZIP code
- 61257
Questions about Hillsdale
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hillsdale, IL a good place to live?
Hillsdale has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.