Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
17% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Leaf River, where Illinois’ towns sit at 29% and U.S. towns at 29%. Only 10 of the 769 Illinois towns we compare have a lower January low than Leaf River. Leaf River has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Leaf River beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 339 in 1890, a peak of 637 in 1980, 432 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and a map from 1922 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Leaf River, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in Leaf River.
The typical Leaf River home is worth about $146,000, up 13.9% in a year, 51% below the Illinois typical home. 84% of Leaf River households own their home, above both the Illinois town median (75%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%). Leaf River’s median rent is $917 a month.
| Leaf River | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 84% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $917 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Most working residents leave Leaf River for work: only 1% work in town. 13% of Leaf River residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Rockford (24%), Byron (7%) and Chicago (7%).
| Leaf River | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.9% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 13% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Leaf River has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 13° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 62% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 11 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Leaf River.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Leaf River beats the Illinois average on 9 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 19% of adults binge drink in Leaf River.
| Leaf River | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 23% | 25% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 8.7% | 13% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 18% | 19% |
| What stands out | Leaf River | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.7% | 15.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 5.7% | 9.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.1% | 7.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Leaf River. Close and well known come first.
19 mi Stadium & arenaBMO Center
20 mi National Historic SiteRonald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site
21 mi GardenAnderson Japanese Gardens
36 mi TheatreEgyptian Theatre, DeKalb
20 mi MuseumJohn Deere House and Shop
36 mi MuseumEllwood HouseBMO Center: SimLibrarian, CC0 · Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Anderson Japanese Gardens: M. Readey, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Egyptian Theatre, DeKalb: Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5 · John Deere House and Shop: IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5 · Ellwood House: Paul R. Burley, CC0
None within 15 miles of Leaf River; the nearest are
About 5 of every 100 Leaf River residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
Where Leaf River’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Village in Illinois, United States
Leaf River is a village in Leaf River Township, Ogle County, Illinois, United States, along a stream of the same name. As of the 2020 census, Leaf River had a population of 432.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Leaf River has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
.jpg){kind=link}
