Mason City and Greenview, Illinois, 2012
Mason City’s story
169 years in pictures
Census counts: 264 in 1860, 2,077 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2012 and 2 maps from 1948 on.
- 1857Mason City is settled
Mason CityIL
A town of 1,956, settled in 1857. A typical home costs 2 years of the county’s $63K median household income.
Population
1,956
2025 Census estimate · −5.6% since 2020
Typical home
$128K
+18.1% in a year
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
49.8
years
Jobs based here
388
A commuter town
Is Mason City a good place to live?
Mason City’s best subject grade is an A for cost of living; its weakest is a C for incomes. Only 111 of Illinois’ 1,284 towns score higher on cost of living. Mason City's schools rank behind 71% of the state's. Mason City has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Mason City stand out
Where Mason City beats most towns.
A shrinking town
Mason City has shrunk 16% since 2010
2,343 counted in 2010 and 2,077 in 2020; an estimated 1,956 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Mason City grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Mason City is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & income$67K median household income; 388 jobs based hereCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 44% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.7 of 20; 7.3% of households have no car; 1.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →HealthAbraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital 16.5 miles awayB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1% conserved landC−Open →History2 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life2.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 49.8; 21% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Mason City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Mason City, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMason City water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Mason City’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 hereMason County ClerkMason County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6266462664 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 Mason City.
HousingCost of living grade A
Homes in Mason City are worth about $128K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Mason City home is worth about $128,000, up 18.1% in a year, 57% below the Illinois typical home. Mason City’s median rent is $767 a month, below both Illinois’ towns ($1,129 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
$128KZillow home value
| Mason City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $767 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 78% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Mason City$128K
Illinois$296K
+18.1%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Most of Mason City’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
About one in 5 of Mason City’s working residents works in town. Mason City’s average trip to work is 32 minutes, where Illinois’ towns sit at 26 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. 17% of Mason City residents live below the poverty line.
21%work in town
| Mason City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 21% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Mason City21%
Springfield24%
Mason City Township4%
Easton2%
Chicago2%
28 mi
median commute distance
388
jobs based in Mason City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 53% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Mason City has four seasons and pleasant summers
Mason City has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 18° and about 13 inches of snow falls in a winter.
13″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–38°
Spring42–64°
Summer63–85°
Fall44–66°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 17
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Mason City
Mason City's reported crime rate is well below Illinois's. The property crime rate in Mason City is 5.6 per 1,000 residents. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Mason City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 5.6 per 1,000 residents | 9.3 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0.5 per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Mason City0.5
Illinois2.9
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Mason City5.6
Illinois17.7
U.S.17.7
1
violent crimes reported in 2024
11
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Mason City faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 56% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Mason City.
44risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
8
paid flood claims since 1982
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1.3%conserved
1.3%
conserved · 8 of 647 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Skaggs Ball Park | — | 4 |
| 2. Tourist Park | — | 3 |
| 3. Memorial Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthB−
Residents of Mason City are healthier than 50% of U.S. towns
Mason City beats the Illinois average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 38% of adults have high blood pressure in Mason City.
50%healthier than U.S. townsB−Health Grade
| Mason City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
4 better20 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Mason City | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.4% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.7% | 10.3% |
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital
16.5 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 Mason City
20pages on Mason City
The big questions
SchoolsCBehind 71% of IL districtsSafety0.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthB−Better than IL on 4 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$128K typical home · up 18.1% in a yearWork & commuteC$67K median household income · 388 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 44% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Mason City; the nearest are
St. John's College-Department of NursingUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Springfield27.4 miSpoon River CollegeCommunity college · Public · Canton29.9 mi$6,090 in-state tuitionUniversity of Illinois SpringfieldUniversity or college · Public · Springfield32.9 mi$12,252 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Mason City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
About Mason City
City in Illinois, United States
Mason City is a city in Mason County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,077 at the 2020 census, down from 2,343 in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1857
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 577 ft
- ZIP code
- 62664
- Area code
- 217
Questions about Mason City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Mason City, IL expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Mason City, IL known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Gordon Buehrig and Joe Sullivan.