CGW station at Pearl City, IL August 1965, 1965
Pearl City’s story
133 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1965.
- 1893Pearl City is settled
Pearl CityIL
A town of 760, settled in 1893.
Population
760
2025 Census estimate · −2.9% since 2020
Typical home
$218K
+8.7% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
32.3
years
Jobs based here
199
A commuter town
Is Pearl City a good place to live?
37% of residents are under 18 in Pearl City, against 22% in Illinois’ towns and 22% across U.S. towns. Among 769 Illinois towns, just 5 have a lower January low than Pearl City. Pearl City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
760 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 Pearl City: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pearl City, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPearl City water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Pearl 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 hereStephenson County ClerkStephenson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6106261062 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 Pearl City.
Natural hazards
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Pearl City
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 82% of U.S. communities. Since 2017, 25 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pearl City.
18risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHail
25
paid flood claims since 2017
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
Pearl City has 0.5 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Pearl City for work: only 6% work in town. Jobs based in Pearl City fell to 199 in 2023, 34 fewer than in 2013. At $63,000, Pearl City’s median household income is below both the Illinois town median ($83,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000).
6%work in town
| Pearl City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $63,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 11% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Pearl City6%
Freeport19%
Kent Township8%
Lena7%
Chicago5%
11 mi
median commute distance
199
jobs based in Pearl City
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
Homes in Pearl City are worth about $218K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Pearl City home is worth about $218,000, up 8.7% in a year, 26% below the Illinois typical home. Pearl City’s median rent is $744 a month.
$218KZillow home value
| Pearl City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $744 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 70% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Pearl City$218K
Illinois$296K
+8.7%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In Pearl City, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Pearl City has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Pearl City is 83°F.
35″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter15–32°
Spring37–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall40–61°
Oct 13
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
Pearl City stands out in Illinois and nationally, with more of its adults who have been diagnosed with depression
25% of Pearl City adults have been diagnosed with depression. Pearl City beats the Illinois average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 40% of Pearl City adults have obesity.
| Pearl City | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 22% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
2 better24 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Pearl City | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.3% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| More smokers | 15.6% | 12.1% |
FHN Memorial Hospital
9.9 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 Pearl City
16pages on Pearl City
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Pearl City
About 3 of every 100 Pearl City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Pearl City for work
Where Pearl City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
199jobs based in Pearl City
6%of working residents work in town
11 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Pearl City
Village in Illinois, United States
Pearl City is an incorporated village in Stephenson County, Illinois. As of the 2020 census, Pearl City had a population of 790.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1893
- Area
- 0.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 833 ft
- ZIP code
- 61062
Questions about Pearl City
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Pearl City, IL a good place to live?
Pearl City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.