Free Tourist Camp, Sheldon, Illinois (NBY 428886), 1926
Sheldon’s story
166 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1926.
- 1860Sheldon is settled
SheldonIL
A town of 931, settled in 1860.
Population
931
2025 Census estimate · −4% since 2020
Typical home
$71K
+4.7% in a year
Household income
$44K
median
Median age
43.5
years
Jobs based here
65
A commuter town
Is Sheldon a good place to live?
Among 769 Illinois towns, just 1 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Sheldon. Sheldon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
931 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 Sheldon: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Sheldon, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSheldon 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 Sheldon’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 hereIroquois County ClerkIroquois County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6096660966 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 Sheldon.
Housing
The typical home in Sheldon is valued at about $71K
The typical Sheldon home is worth about $71,000, up 4.7% in a year, 76% below the Illinois typical home. At $801 a month, Sheldon’s median rent is where Illinois’ towns sit at $1,129 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month.
$71KZillow home value
| Sheldon | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $801 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Sheldon$71K
Illinois$296K
+4.7%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazards
Compared with most of Illinois and the rest of the country, the FEMA risk score in Sheldon is higher
At 90 of 100, Sheldon’s FEMA risk score is above both Illinois’ towns (50 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100).
90risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commute
The median household income in Sheldon is lower than in the typical Illinois or U.S. town
The median household income in Sheldon is $44,000. Since 2013, Sheldon has lost 29 jobs, to 65 in 2023. 19% of Sheldon residents live below the poverty line.
1%work in town
| Sheldon | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 19% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $44,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.3% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Sheldon1%
Watseka32%
Chicago5%
Kankakee4%
Gilman3%
23 mi
median commute distance
65
jobs based in Sheldon
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Sheldon has four seasons and pleasant summers
Sheldon has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 17° and about 17 inches of snow falls in a winter.
17″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter20–36°
Spring40–62°
Summer61–83°
Fall42–65°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Sheldon is
Sheldon beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 16% of adults report frequent physical distress in Sheldon.
| Sheldon | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 37% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
0 better18 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Sheldon | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.8% | 10.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.5% | 6.3% |
| More smokers | 18% | 12.1% |
Iroquois Memorial Hospital
8.7 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 Sheldon
15pages on Sheldon
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Sheldon; the nearest are
Kankakee Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Kankakee27.1 mi$5,220 in-state tuitionPurdue University GlobalUniversity or college · Public · West Lafayette, IN39.9 mi$10,101 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Sheldon residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Sheldon for work
Where Sheldon’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
65jobs based in Sheldon
1%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Sheldon
Village in Illinois, United States
Sheldon is a village in Sheldon Township, Iroquois County, Illinois, United States. The population was 965 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 682 ft
- ZIP code
- 60966
- Area code
- 815
Questions about Sheldon
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Sheldon, IL a good place to live?
Sheldon has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.