First and Washington in, 2013
Karnak’s story
121 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2013.
- 1905Karnak is settled
KarnakIL
A town of 394, settled in 1905.
Population
394
2025 Census estimate · −7.3% since 2020
Typical home
$77K
+1.1% in a year
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
47.3
years
Jobs based here
68
A commuter town
Is Karnak a good place to live?
29% of residents live below the poverty line in Karnak, against 8.4% in Illinois’ towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 1 of the 769 Illinois towns we compare have a higher January low than Karnak. 48% of the land in Karnak is conserved, above both Illinois’ towns (3.7%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest park or preserve is Cache River State Natural Area, at 546 acres. Karnak has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
394 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 Karnak: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Karnak, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterKarnak water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers69% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Karnak’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 herePulaski County ClerkPulaski County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6295662956 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 Karnak.
Housing
A typical Karnak home is worth about $77K
The typical Karnak home is worth about $77,000, up 1.1% in a year, 74% below the Illinois typical home. The median rent in Karnak is $686 a month.
$77KZillow home value
| Karnak | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $686 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Karnak$77K
Illinois$296K
+1.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
48.2%conserved
48.2%
conserved · 557 of 1,154 acres
0.6 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cache River State Natural Area | 0.6 mi | 546 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazards
The FEMA risk score in Karnak is higher than in the typical Illinois or U.S. town
Karnak’s FEMA risk score is 88 of 100. Since 2008, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Karnak.
88risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesCold wavesInland flooding
2
paid flood claims since 2008
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Karnak has 0.4 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Karnak for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Karnak has lost 386 jobs, to 68 in 2023. The top destinations are Anna (7%), Metropolis (7%) and Paducah (6%).
3%work in town
| Karnak | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.6% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Karnak3%
Anna7%
Metropolis7%
Paducah6%
Mound City5%
23 mi
median commute distance
68
jobs based in Karnak
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Karnak stands out in Illinois and nationally, with a typical July afternoon hotter than most
Only 9 of the 769 Illinois towns we compare have a higher July high than Karnak. Karnak has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain.
7″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter28–46°
Spring47–68°
Summer66–88°
Fall47–70°
Nov 5
typical first frost
Apr 3
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Karnak is
Karnak beats the Illinois average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 19% of adults report frequent physical distress in Karnak. Only 7 of the 768 Illinois towns we compare have a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Karnak.
| Karnak | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 35% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
1 better10 too close to call21 worse
| What stands out | Karnak | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81% | 75.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23% | 10.3% |
Massac Memorial Hospital
15.7 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 Karnak
17pages on Karnak
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Karnak
About 11 of every 100 Karnak residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
97% of working residents leave Karnak for work
Where Karnak’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
68jobs based in Karnak
3%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Questions about Karnak
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Karnak, IL a good place to live?
Karnak has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.