McDonald's, 2003
Spring Valley’s story
142 years in pictures
Census counts: 3,837 in 1890, 5,582 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2003 and 5 maps from 1893 on.
- 1884Spring Valley is settled
Population
5,408
2025 Census estimate · −3.1% since 2020
Typical home
$146K
+5% in a year
Household income
$71K
median
Median age
41.7
years
Jobs based here
2,602
Balanced
TownGrade
B−
#484 of 767 in IL
Is Spring Valley a good place to live?
Spring Valley gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $146K for a typical one, or 2 years of the Ottawa area’s $72K median household income. It grades B− overall, 484th of 767 graded towns in Illinois. The low prices come with trade-offs. Its public schools trail 85% of Illinois towns on state tests and graduation. Spring Valley’s average trip to work is 19 minutes, below both Illinois’ towns (26 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes).
What makes Spring Valley stand out
Where Spring Valley beats most towns.
Typical home value
Spring Valley$146K
Illinois$296K
Cost of livingA−
2 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 77% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Spring Valley0.6
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
SafetyB+
77% less violent crime than IL
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
How Spring Valley grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Spring Valley is from typical.
SchoolsC−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →SafetyB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 34% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →HealthCarle Health Proctor Hospital 2.1 miles awayCOpen →Jobs & incomeBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.7 of 20; 8.2% of households have no car; 1.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsCOpen →History8 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life2.3 library visits per resident; 3.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−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 41.7; 17% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Spring Valley: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Spring Valley, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSpring Valley water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpMondayTrash dayTown site
SchoolsHall High School District 502Spring Valley Community Consolidated School District 992 districts serve Spring Valley; 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 hereBureau County ClerkBureau County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6136261362 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 Spring Valley.
Spring Valley has homes that are cheap against local pay, trades workers with Peru and other neighbors and has seen reported crime fall by a third or more.
HousingCost of living grade A−
Spring Valley earns an A− for cost of living
At 2 years of the Ottawa area’s $72K median household income, the typical home (about $146K) costs less against local pay than in 79% of Illinois towns; that ratio is one input to its A− for cost of living.
Typical home values rose 5% in the year to September 2026. Spring Valley’s median rent is $915 a month.
$146KZillow home value
| Spring Valley | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 65% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $915 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Spring Valley$146K
Illinois$296K
+5%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyB+
Spring Valley reports less crime per resident than 70% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes fell from 68 to 40 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 3 reported in 2025, 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
The violent crime rate in Spring Valley is 0.6 per 1,000 residents.
70%of U.S. towns report more crimeB+Safety Grade
| Spring Valley | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.6 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 6.9 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Spring Valley0.6
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Spring Valley6.9
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
70th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
60th
percentile among IL towns
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
37
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthC
On CDC estimates, Spring Valley is less healthy than 66% of U.S. towns
Spring Valley beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 15% of Spring Valley adults report frequent physical distress.
34%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Spring Valley | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 11% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
0 better24 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Spring Valley | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 8.8% | 6.3% |
| More smokers | 15.6% | 12.1% |
| More adults with heart disease | 7.4% | 5.9% |
Carle Health Proctor Hospital
2.1 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
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Spring Valley
Spring Valley has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 15° and about 29 inches of snow falls in a winter.
29″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer61–83°
Fall42–64°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Low risk in Spring Valley, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Spring Valley.
34risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
6
paid flood claims since 1982
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B
About one in seven working residents works right in Spring Valley
Spring Valley has about as many jobs (2,602) as working residents, but only 349 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 19.4 minutes, against 27.8 across Illinois.
Most working residents leave Spring Valley for work: only 14% work in town. Since 2013, Spring Valley has added 993 jobs, to 2,602 in 2023. The top destinations are Peru (17%), LaSalle (6%) and Ottawa (4%).
14%work in town
| Spring Valley | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.2% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Spring Valley14%
Peru17%
LaSalle6%
Ottawa4%
Princeton3%
11 mi
median commute distance
2,602
jobs based in Spring Valley
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 39% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsC
Spring Valley has set aside 5% of its land for conservation
0.1 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
5%conserved
5%
conserved · 239 of 4,752 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kirby Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Spring Valley
20pages on Spring Valley
The big questions
SchoolsC−Behind 85% of IL districtsSafetyB+0.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than IL on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA−$146K typical home · up 5% in a yearWork & commuteB$71K median household income · 2,602 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 34% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Spring Valley
About 3 of every 100 Spring Valley residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Famous people from Spring Valley
8 notable people were born in Spring Valley.
R
Robert J. HornerAmerican film producer, director and screenwriter · 1894–1935B
Bill McDonaldAmerican basketball player · 1916–1994
About Spring Valley
City in Illinois, United States
Spring Valley is a city situated on the Illinois River in Bureau County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,582 at the 2020 census, up from 5,558 in 2010. It is part of the Ottawa Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1884
- Area
- 7.3 sq mi
- Elevation
- 620 ft
- ZIP code
- 61362
- Area code
- 815
Spring Valley’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Spring Valley.
Peru TownshipHall TownshipSpring Valley
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Valley | #484 | B− | A− | B+ | C− | C |
| Peru Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Hall Township | #539 | C+ | A− | — | C− | C |
Hall Township reports no FBI crime data of its own. Peru Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Spring Valley with a neighbor →
Questions about Spring Valley
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Spring Valley, IL a good place to live?
Spring Valley grades B− overall, better than 49% of U.S. towns and #484 of 767 in Illinois. It grades C for health, B+ for safety and C− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Spring Valley, IL expensive?
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−.
What is Spring Valley, IL known for?
8 notable people were born here, including Billy Papke and Chad Durbin.