Untitled photo, 2003
Makanda’s story
156 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2003.
- 1870Makanda is settled
MakandaIL
A town of 542, settled in 1870.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: David Wilson · CC BY 2.0
Population
542
2025 Census estimate · −1.1% since 2020
Median home value
$243K
Census ACS
Household income
$79K
median
Median age
50.3
years
Jobs based here
19
A commuter town
Is Makanda a good place to live?
66% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Makanda, where Illinois’ towns sit at 29% and U.S. towns at 29%. Among 769 Illinois towns, just 7 have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Makanda. The biggest place to walk is Giant City State Park, 200 acres with 1.4 miles of trail. Makanda has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
542 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Makanda TownshipPomona TownshipMakanda
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Makanda: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Makanda, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBuncombe Water District3 health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Makanda’s trash rules yet
SchoolsCarbondale Community High School District 165Unity Point Community Consolidated School District 1402 districts serve Makanda; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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 hereJackson County ClerkJackson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6295862958 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 Makanda.
Work & commute
Makanda has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Makanda for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Carbondale (36%), Marion (10%) and Anna (4%). Half commute less than 11 miles.
1%work in town
| Makanda | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Makanda1%
Carbondale36%
Marion10%
Anna4%
Murphysboro4%
11 mi
median commute distance
19
jobs based in Makanda
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
High risk in Makanda, with earthquakes at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 76% of U.S. communities. Since 2005, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Makanda.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland floodingCold waves
4
paid flood claims since 2005
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In Makanda, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Makanda has chilly winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. At 88°F, Makanda’s July high is above both Illinois’ towns (84°F) and U.S. towns (85°F).
11″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter27–44°
Spring46–67°
Summer66–86°
Fall47–68°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 9
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
A larger share of adults had a checkup this year in Makanda than in most of Illinois or the rest of the country
83% of Makanda adults had a checkup this year. Makanda beats the Illinois average on 13 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 4.8% of Makanda adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance.
| Makanda | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 83% | 78% | 79% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 22% | 23% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
13 better14 too close to call5 worse
| What stands out | Makanda | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 4.8% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.3% | 13.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.2% | 7.6% |
Memorial Hospital of Carbondale
7.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Makanda has set aside 9.3% of its land for conservation
3.0 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
9.3%conserved
| Makanda | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 9.3% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
9.3%
conserved · 317 of 3,389 acres
3.0 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Giant City State Park | 1.4 mi | 200 |
| 2. Fern Rocks Nature Preserve | 0.6 mi | 39 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Makanda
16pages on Makanda
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Makanda
Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleUniversity or college · Public · Carbondale6.6 mi$13,334 in-state tuitionJohn A Logan CollegeCommunity college · Public · Carterville11.9 mi$4,630 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Makanda residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Makanda for work
Where Makanda’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
19jobs based in Makanda
1%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Makanda
Village in Illinois, United States
Makanda ( muh-KAN-duh) is a village in Jackson County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 547, down from 561 in 2010. In the early 20th Century it used the slogan "Star of Egypt." Makanda is part of the Carbondale, Illinois Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 5.3 sq mi
- ZIP code
- 62958
- Area code
- 618
Questions about Makanda
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Makanda, IL a good place to live?
Makanda has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.