Ransom Water Tower · National Register of Historic Places
Ransom’s story
150 years in pictures
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1876Ransom is settled
RansomIL
A town of 309, settled in 1876.
Photo: IvoShandor · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
309
2025 Census estimate · −0.6% since 2020
Typical home
$214K
+8.4% in a year
Household income
$83K
median
Median age
39.3
years
Jobs based here
81
A commuter town
Is Ransom a good place to live?
16% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Ransom, against 29% in Illinois’ towns and 29% across U.S. towns. Ransom Water Tower is on the National Register of Historic Places. Ransom has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
309 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 Ransom: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Ransom, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterIl American-Streator water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Ransom’s trash rules yet
SchoolsAllen Township Community Consolidated School District 65Streator Township High School District 402 districts serve Ransom; 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 hereLaSalle County ClerkLaSalle County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code6047060470 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 Ransom.
Work & commute
A smaller share of working residents work locally in Ransom than in most of Illinois or the rest of the country
Ransom’s average commute comes in at 30 minutes. For half of commuters, work is under 22 miles away. The top destinations are Ottawa (11%), Morris (10%) and Marseilles (9%).
1%work in town
| Ransom | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.7% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Ransom1%
Ottawa11%
Morris10%
Marseilles9%
Seneca4%
22 mi
median commute distance
81
jobs based in Ransom
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
Homes in Ransom are worth about $214K, by Zillow’s estimate
Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 8.4% in value. In Ransom, the going rate for rent is $775 a month, where Illinois’ towns sit at $1,129 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. Also worth knowing: the share of households in Ransom who own their home: 87%.
$214KZillow home value
| Ransom | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 87% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $775 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Ransom$214K
Illinois$296K
+8.4%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Ransom has a high natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
In Ransom, the FEMA hazard score is 73 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects locally, 70% come from inland flooding and 15% from cold waves. Federal aid has come to Ransom households in 4 declared disasters; the latest was in 2008.
73risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Ransom: four seasons and pleasant summers
In July, afternoons reach 84°; in January, nights fall to 16°, and about 23 inches of snow falls in a winter.
23″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall43–63°
Oct 15
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Ransom is
Among adults in Ransom, 15% smoke cigarettes. 77% of adults locally had a checkup this year; 18% report frequent mental distress.
| Ransom | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 77% | 78% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 33% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
2 better30 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Ransom | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.4% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.6% | 13.2% |
Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers
18.7 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 Ransom
16pages on Ransom
The big questions
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Ransom; the nearest are
Illinois Valley Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Oglesby25.4 mi$4,200 in-state tuitionIllinois State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Normal48.2 mi$16,144 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Ransom residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Ransom for work
Where Ransom’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
81jobs based in Ransom
1%of working residents work in town
22 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Ransom
Village in Illinois, United States
Ransom is a village in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The population was 308 at the 2020 census, down from 384 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Ottawa Micropolitan Statistical Area. It is part of the subregion known as Streatorland.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1876
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 706 ft
- ZIP code
- 60470
Questions about Ransom
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Ransom, IL a good place to live?
Ransom has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.