Niantic Illinois Farmers Elevator, 2007
Niantic’s story
168 years in pictures
Census counts: 321 in 1880, 612 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 2 maps from 1954 on.
- 1858Niantic is settled
NianticIL
Photo: Dual Freq · CC BY 2.5
Population
578
2025 Census estimate · −5.2% since 2020
Typical home
$138K
+2.5% in a year
Household income
$67K
median
Median age
33.8
years
Jobs based here
60
A commuter town
Is Niantic a good place to live?
8.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Niantic, against 29% in Illinois’ towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Niantic has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Niantic stand out
Where Niantic beats most towns.
Small town
578 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 Niantic: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Niantic, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEj Water-NianticNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Niantic’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 hereMacon County ClerkMacon County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6255162551 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 Niantic.
Housing
A typical Niantic home is worth about $138K
The typical Niantic home is worth about $138,000, up 2.5% in a year, 53% below the Illinois typical home. 89% of Niantic households own their home, where Illinois’ towns sit at 75% and U.S. towns at 73%.
$138KZillow home value
| Niantic | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 89% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,066 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Niantic$138K
Illinois$296K
+2.5%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
About half of Niantic’s working residents commute to Decatur
Most working residents leave Niantic for work: only 2% work in town. Niantic’s median household income is $67,000. The top destinations are Decatur (50%), Chicago (4%) and Peoria (3%).
2%work in town
| Niantic | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $67,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Niantic2%
Decatur50%
Chicago4%
Peoria3%
Springfield2%
13 mi
median commute distance
60
jobs based in Niantic
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Niantic
Niantic has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 19° and about 19 inches of snow falls in a winter.
19″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–38°
Spring42–64°
Summer63–85°
Fall44–66°
Oct 24
typical first frost
Apr 14
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Niantic
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 62% of U.S. communities.
38risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingDroughtCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Health
How healthy Niantic is
Niantic beats the Illinois average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 20% of Niantic adults binge drink.
| Niantic | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 11% | 12% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Niantic | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.7% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.1% | 15.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 8.6% | 7.6% |
Decatur Memorial Hospital
10.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Niantic has set aside 0% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 663 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Niantic Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Niantic
18pages on Niantic
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Niantic
Millikin UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Decatur10.1 mi$26,892 tuitionRichland Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Decatur14.5 mi$4,680 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Niantic residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Niantic for work
Where Niantic’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
60jobs based in Niantic
2%of working residents work in town
13 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Niantic
Village in Illinois, United States
Niantic is a village in Macon County, Illinois, United States. Its population was 612 at the 2020 census, down from 707 in 2010. It is included in the Decatur, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 601 ft
- ZIP code
- 62551
Questions about Niantic
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Niantic, IL a good place to live?
Niantic has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.