Semri Drive-In Theater (NBY 1078), 1953
Silvis’s story
120 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,163 in 1910, 8,003 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1953 and 3 maps from 1892 on.
- 1906Silvis is settled
SilvisIL
A town of 7,979, settled in 1906.
Population
7,979
2025 Census estimate · −0.1% since 2020
Typical home
$163K
+6.3% in a year
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
47.1
years
Jobs based here
2,036
A commuter town
TownGrade
D
#696 of 767 in IL
Is Silvis a good place to live?
Silvis earns a D, ranked 696th of 767 in Illinois, mostly because of safety and schools. Its crime rate is higher than 87% of U.S. towns, with 19 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. Its schools rank behind 86% of the state's. In its favor, natural-hazard risk is low. Silvis’ property crime rate is 29.5 per 1,000 residents, above both Illinois’ towns (7.9) and U.S. towns (9.9). The biggest park or preserve is Phipps Prairie Park, at 28 acres.
What makes Silvis stand out
Where Silvis beats most towns.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Silvis for work
Where Silvis’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,036jobs based in Silvis
6%of working residents work in town
9 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Silvis grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Silvis is from typical.
SafetyDOpen →SchoolsDOpen →Hazard riskcold waves tops the listA−Open →HealthGenesis Medical Center-Illini 0.2 miles awayCOpen →Cost of livingBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7 of 20; 9.6% of households have no car; 2.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →Jobs & income$62K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landB−Open →History1 notable person born hereC−Open →Civic life2.8 library visits per resident; 2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 47.1; 16% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Silvis: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Silvis, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy10.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSilvis water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Silvis’ trash rules yet
SchoolsUnited Township High School District 30East Moline School District 37Silvis School District 343 districts serve Silvis; 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 hereRock Island County ClerkRock Island County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6128261282 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 Silvis.
Silvis carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Illinois (mostly cold waves), sends many workers across the state line to Davenport and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
SafetyD
For safety, Silvis earns a D
Silvis’ violent crime rate is 2.4 per 1,000 residents. Silvis reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 87% report less.
13%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Silvis2.4
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Silvis29.5
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
13th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
9th
percentile among IL towns
19
violent crimes reported in 2025
236
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HousingCost of living grade B
The typical home in Silvis is valued at about $163K
The typical Silvis home is worth about $163,000, up 6.3% in a year, 45% below the Illinois typical home. 58% of households own their home in Silvis.
$163KZillow home value
| Silvis | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $965 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Silvis$163K
Illinois$296K
+6.3%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Very low risk in Silvis, with cold waves at the top
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 92% of Illinois towns, with expected losses of about $208 per resident a year; that rating is what its A− for hazard risk is built on.
The FEMA risk score in Silvis is 18 of 100.
18risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Silvis has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
24% of working residents cross a state line to work, Davenport among the top destinations. Jobs based here fell from 2,694 in 2013 to 2,036.
Most working residents leave Silvis for work: only 6% work in town. 15% of Silvis residents live below the poverty line. Since 2013, Silvis has lost 658 jobs, to 2,036 in 2023.
6%work in town
| Silvis | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 15% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 6% | 8.4% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Silvis6%
Moline15%
Davenport11%
East Moline11%
Rock Island8%
9 mi
median commute distance
2,036
jobs based in Silvis
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 56% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthC
On CDC estimates, Silvis is less healthy than 66% of U.S. towns
Against the 9,493 U.S. towns with household incomes like Silvis’s, it is healthier than 50%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.
Silvis beats the Illinois average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11.
34%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Silvis | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
1 better20 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | Silvis | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79% | 75.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.9% | 10.3% |
Genesis Medical Center-Illini
0.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
20th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Silvis, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Silvis has cold, snowy winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 15° and about 36 inches of snow falls in a winter.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–34°
Spring40–61°
Summer63–83°
Fall43–63°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 16
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
1.3%conserved
| Silvis | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
1.3%
conserved · 35 of 2,723 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Phipps Prairie Park | 0.2 mi | 28 |
| 2. Friendship Park | — | 12 |
| 3. Norman Schadt Park | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 21 attractions →Rock Island Arsenal and 12 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Silvis. Close and well known come first.
7 mi Ancient siteRock Island Arsenal
9 mi MuseumBlack Hawk State Historic Site
9 mi MuseumFigge Art Museum77K visitors a year4 mi Zoo & aquariumNiabi Zoo
10 mi MuseumPutnam Museum
9 mi GardenVander Veer Botanical ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Rock Island Arsenal: Robert A, Ryan, J. Ceronia, and Bruce A. Harms, Photographers, Public domain · Black Hawk State Historic Site: Bill Whittaker (talk). Original uploader was Billwhittaker at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Figge Art Museum: Ctjf83, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Putnam Museum: Ctjf83 of English Wikipedia (log), Public domain · Vander Veer Botanical Park: David Wilson, CC BY 2.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Silvis
20pages on Silvis
The big questions
SchoolsDBehind 86% of IL districtsSafetyD2.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than IL on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB$163K typical home · up 6.3% in a yearWork & commuteB−$62K median household income · 2,036 jobs hereNatural hazardsA−FEMA risk higher than 18% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
7 within 15 miles of the center of Silvis
Black Hawk CollegeCommunity college · Public · Moline2.4 mi$4,920 in-state tuitionAugustana CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Rock Island7.3 mi$51,598 tuitionOrion Technical CollegeUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Davenport, IA7.5 mi$15,600 tuition
About 5 of every 100 Silvis residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
About Silvis
City in Illinois, United States
Silvis is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. It is part of a larger metropolitan area known as the Quad Cities. The Quad Cities Metropolitan Area is situated across four counties in Illinois and Iowa. It is located four miles (6.4 km) from the interchange of I-80 and I-88, 165 miles (266 km) west of Chicago, and 165 miles (266 km) east of Des Moines. It sits next to East Moline and Moline. As of the 2020 census, Silvis had a population of 8,003. Silvis is near two major medical centers, including a critical access center. Silvis also has two community college districts, a liberal arts college, a public university auxiliary campus, two private universities, and two extens…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1906
- Area
- 4.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 689 ft
- ZIP code
- 61282
- Area code
- 309
Silvis’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Silvis.
Carbon CliffEast MolineSilvis
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silvis | #696 | D | B | D | D | C |
| Carbon Cliff | — | — | B− | — | C− | C |
| East Moline | #640 | C− | B+ | C− | C− | C+ |
Carbon Cliff has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Carbon Cliff reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Silvis with a neighbor →
Questions about Silvis
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Silvis, IL a good place to live?
Silvis grades D overall, better than 13% of U.S. towns and #696 of 767 in Illinois. It grades C for health, D for safety and D for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Silvis, IL expensive?
That is 2.2 years of the area's median household income ($72,738 across the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.