Illinois - New Baden through Newton, 1917
New Baden’s story
171 years in pictures
Census counts: 510 in 1900, 3,428 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1917 and 3 maps from 1906 on.
- 1855New Baden is founded
New BadenIL
A town of 3,378, founded in 1855.
Photo: Farragutful · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
3,378
2025 Census estimate · −1.4% since 2020
Typical home
$227K
+4.8% in a year
Household income
$81K
median
Median age
38.5
years
Jobs based here
844
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#90 of 767 in IL
Why does New Baden grade so well?
Few places in the country grade higher. New Baden earns an A, ranked 90th of 767 in Illinois. It reports less crime per resident than 92% of U.S. towns, its schools outperform 84% of the state's, and the median household earns $81K. The exception is hazard risk: FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 60% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. New Baden is more walkable than 78% of U.S. towns. Only 8 of the 357 Illinois towns we compare have a lower property crime rate than New Baden. The biggest park or preserve is New Baden Community Park, at 36 acres.
What makes New Baden stand out
Where New Baden beats most towns.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave New Baden for work
Where New Baden’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
844jobs based in New Baden
5%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How New Baden grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far New Baden is from typical.
SafetyAOpen →SchoolsA−Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.1 of 20; 0% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →HealthSt. Josephs Hospital 11.5 miles awayBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3% conserved landCOpen →HistoryCOpen →Civic life3 library visits per resident; 2.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to New Baden: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in New Baden, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNew Baden water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have New Baden’s trash rules yet
SchoolsWesclin Community Unit School District 3Mascoutah Community Unit School District 192 districts serve New Baden; 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 hereClinton County ClerkClinton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6226562265 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 New Baden.
New Baden pairs an A overall with homes cheaper than the Illinois norm, sees little violent crime and has commutes shorter than most of Illinois.
SafetyA
For safety, New Baden earns an A
Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2025, 0.9 per 1,000 residents.
92%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
New Baden0.9
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
New Baden0.6
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
92nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
91st
percentile among IL towns
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
2
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 0.6 jobs for every working resident, most of New Baden’s workers commute out
The average commute for its 1,483 working residents takes 21.7 minutes, against 27.8 across Illinois. Jobs based here grew from 584 in 2013 to 844.
Most working residents leave New Baden for work: only 5% work in town. New Baden’s average trip to work is 22 minutes, where Illinois’ towns sit at 26 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Jobs based in New Baden grew to 844 in 2023, 260 more than in 2013.
5%work in town
| New Baden | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.1% | 8.4% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.4% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In New Baden5%
St. Louis7%
Belleville6%
O'Fallon4%
Breese4%
18 mi
median commute distance
844
jobs based in New Baden
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 78% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade B−
Homes in New Baden are worth about $227K, by Zillow’s estimate
New Baden grades A overall with a typical home of about $227K, below the Illinois typical value; only 48 of the 183 Illinois towns graded A− or better can say that.
The typical New Baden home is worth about $227,000, up 4.8% in a year, 23% below the Illinois typical home. 58% of households own their home in New Baden, below both Illinois’ towns (75%) and U.S. towns (73%).
$227KZillow home value
| New Baden | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,133 a month | $1,128 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
New Baden$227K
Illinois$296K
+4.8%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Four seasons and hot summers in New Baden
New Baden has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in New Baden is 88°F.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter26–43°
Spring45–67°
Summer66–87°
Fall46–68°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 12
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More children than Illinois overall
Children under 18 are 28% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 11% of residents (17% statewide). 29% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 38% across Illinois.
38.5median age · IL 39
| New Baden | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 11% | 19% | 18% |
| Median age | 38.5 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
New BadenIllinoisUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma8%
High school32%
Some college23%
Associate’s8%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
54% women, 46% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.1 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women. Among residents 75 and older, 84% are women (IL 59%).
| New Baden | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12.3% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.8% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.3% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.5% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.9% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.3% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 5.1% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.8% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8.1% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.5% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 23% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 8.3% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.9% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.2% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,400, single groups can be off by several points
HealthB
On CDC estimates, New Baden is healthier than 60% of U.S. towns
New Baden beats the Illinois average on 4 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 20% of adults binge drink in New Baden.
60%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| New Baden | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
4 better27 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | New Baden | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.5% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 12.7% | 15.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.7% | 10.3% |
St. Josephs Hospital
11.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
43rd
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in New Baden
Since 1987, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in New Baden.
60risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesHeat waves
4
paid flood claims since 1987
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
3.4%conserved
3.4%
conserved · 40 of 1,169 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. New Baden Community Park | — | 36 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about New Baden
19pages on New Baden
The big questions
SchoolsA−Beat 84% of IL districtsSafetyA0.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than IL on 4 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$227K typical home · up 4.8% in a yearWork & commuteA−$81K median household income · 844 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 60% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of New Baden
McKendree UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Lebanon7.7 mi$34,740 tuitionSouthwestern Illinois CollegeCommunity college · Public · Belleville11.8 mi$3,960 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 New Baden residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
About New Baden
Village in Illinois, United States
New Baden is a village in Clinton County, Illinois, United States (and partially in St. Clair County). The population was 3,428 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- ZIP code
- 62265
Questions about New Baden
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is New Baden, IL a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. New Baden grades A overall, better than 93% of U.S. towns and #90 of 767 in Illinois. It grades B for health, A for safety and A− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is New Baden, IL expensive?
That is 2.8 years of the area's median household income ($80,196 across the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.