Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Oregon gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $238K for a typical one, or 2.9 years of the Rochelle area’s $82K median household income. It grades B+ overall, 286th of 767 graded towns in Illinois. On the plus side, it reports less crime per resident than 76% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 96% of U.S. towns, with 4 places on the National Register. Only 19 of Illinois’ 1,240 towns score higher on civic life. 11% of the land in Oregon is conserved, above both the Illinois town median (3.6%) and the median of U.S. towns (4.3%). Only 32 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns score higher on history.
Where Oregon beats most towns.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Oregon is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 1,088 in 1880, 3,604 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 2 maps from 1922 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Oregon, 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 Oregon.
Oregon trades workers with Rockford and other neighbors, but it has seen reported crime rise by about half.
Reported crimes rose from 0 to 47 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Oregon’s property crime rate is 11.8 per 1,000 residents, above Illinois’ towns (7.9) and close to U.S. towns (9.9).
| Oregon | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 11.8 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 1.4 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Oregon 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
59% of Oregon households own their home. Typical home values rose 8.1% in the year to September 2026. The median rent in Oregon is $916 a month.
| Oregon | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 59% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $916 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Oregon beats the Illinois average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 41% of adults have obesity in Oregon.
| Oregon | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 37% | 35% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Oregon | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.7% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 6.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Oregon has about as many jobs (1,537) as working residents, but only 307 people both live and work here.
About one in 5 of Oregon’s working residents works in town. Oregon’s average trip to work is 22 minutes. Jobs based in Oregon fell to 1,537 in 2023, 109 fewer than in 2013.
| Oregon | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 20% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
0.4 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Oregon Park West, at 58 acres.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Oregon Park West | — | 58 |
| 2. Park East | — | 16 |
| 3. Fairground Park | 0.1 mi | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 28 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Oregon.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Oregon. Close and well known come first.
22 mi Stadium & arenaBMO Center
14 mi National Historic SiteRonald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site
24 mi GardenAnderson Japanese Gardens
31 mi TheatreEgyptian Theatre, DeKalb
in town MuseumChana School
14 mi MuseumJohn Deere House and ShopBMO 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 · Chana School: Ben Jacobson (Kranar Drogin), CC BY 2.5 · John Deere House and Shop: IvoShandor, CC BY 2.5
None within 15 miles of Oregon; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Oregon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
4 places in Oregon on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Oregon.
City in Illinois, United States
Oregon ( ORR-ig-on) is a city in and the county seat of Ogle County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, Oregon had a population of 3,604.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. Oregon grades B+ overall, better than 75% of U.S. towns and #286 of 767 in Illinois. It grades C+ for health, A− for safety and B+ for schools.
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−.
4 notable people were born here, including Carl Barks and Harry Leon Wilson.
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