Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,123, settled in 1854.
Sandoval’s best subject grade is an A+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for health. 27% of residents live below the poverty line in Sandoval, above both the Illinois town median (8.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On health, just 8 of Illinois’ 1,284 towns do worse. Sandoval's public schools trail 95% of Illinois towns on state tests and graduation. Sandoval’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile, above both the Illinois town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Sandoval has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Sandoval beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| Widest gap | Sandoval | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.5% | 10.3% |
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Sandoval is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 564 in 1880, a peak of 1,796 in 1940, 1,157 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2025 and 3 maps from 1914 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sandoval, 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 Sandoval.
The typical Sandoval home is worth about $88,000, up 12.2% in a year, 70% below the Illinois typical home.
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
23% of Sandoval adults smoke cigarettes. Sandoval beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 21. 33% of Sandoval adults get no exercise outside work.
| Sandoval | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 17% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 18% | 19% |
| What stands out | Sandoval | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 22.5% | 10.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 12.6% | 6.3% |
| More smokers | 22.8% | 12.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Most working residents leave Sandoval for work: only 3% work in town. Sandoval’s median household income is $53,000. Jobs based in Sandoval grew to 210 in 2023, 85 more than in 2013.
| Sandoval | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $53,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 2.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 24 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Sandoval has chilly winters and warm summers. The July high in Sandoval is 87°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Sandoval's reported crime rate is below Illinois's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. No violent crimes were reported in 2023.
| Sandoval | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.8 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2023) | 16.9 per 1,000 residents | 9.8 | 13.1 |
FBI crime data, 2023 · crimes reported to police
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Sandoval
About 3 of every 100 Sandoval residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Where Sandoval’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in Illinois, United States
Sandoval is a town in Marion County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,157 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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+.