Pomological Watercolor POM00001657, 1898
Tuscola’s story
169 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,457 in 1880, 4,636 in 2020. The archive holds 14 old photos and papers going back to 1898 and 4 maps from 1950 on.
- 1857Tuscola is settled
Photo: Dual Freq · CC BY 2.5
Population
4,668
2025 Census estimate · +0.7% since 2020
Typical home
$180K
+2.8% in a year
Household income
$78K
median
Median age
35.7
years
Jobs based here
1,538
Balanced
TownGrade
A−
#201 of 767 in IL
Is Tuscola a good place to live?
Tuscola gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $180K for a typical one, or 2.3 years of the county’s $77K median household income. It grades A− overall, 201st of 767 graded towns in Illinois. The low prices come with trade-offs. FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 85% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. On the plus side, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 80% of U.S. towns. Tuscola’s average trip to work is 17 minutes, where Illinois’ towns sit at 26 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. The biggest park or preserve is Ervin Park, at 33 acres.
What makes Tuscola stand out
Where Tuscola beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Typical home value
Tuscola$180K
Illinois$296K
Cost of livingA
More affordable than 90% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 81% of U.S. towns
4.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD
Inland flooding and hail at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
How Tuscola grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Tuscola is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listDOpen →Cost of livingAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.4 of 20; 4.4% of households have no carA−Open →Jobs & income1,538 jobs based hereB+Open →HealthSarah Bush Lincoln Health Center 21.2 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsBeat 54% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationB−Open →SafetyB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trailsC+Open →History9 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life4.3 library visits per resident; 5.8 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 35.7; 24% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Tuscola: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Tuscola, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTuscola water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressDay by addressTown site
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 hereDouglas County ClerkDouglas County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code6195361953 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 Tuscola.
Tuscola pairs an A− overall with homes cheaper than the Illinois norm, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of Illinois (mostly inland flooding) and is a long drive from an emergency room.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Very high risk in Tuscola, with inland flooding at the top
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 96% of Illinois towns, with expected losses of about $791 per resident a year; that rating is what its D for hazard risk is built on.
Since 1978, 53 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Tuscola.
85risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHailCold waves
53
paid flood claims since 1978
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A
For cost of living, Tuscola earns an A
Tuscola grades A− overall with a typical home of about $180K, below the Illinois typical value; only 48 of the 183 Illinois towns graded A− or better can say that. Homes are within reach (about $180K for the typical one, A for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 21 miles.
Tuscola’s median rent is $901 a month. The typical Tuscola home is worth about $180,000, up 2.8% in a year, 39% below the Illinois typical home.
$180KZillow home value
| Tuscola | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $901 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Tuscola$180K
Illinois$296K
+2.8%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Tuscola has four seasons and pleasant summers
Tuscola has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 19° and about 17 inches of snow falls in a winter.
17″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–38°
Spring42–63°
Summer63–84°
Fall44–66°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 15
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
On CDC estimates, Tuscola is healthier than 64% of U.S. towns
The nearest emergency room, Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center, is 21.2 miles away in a straight line.
Tuscola beats the Illinois average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 19% of adults binge drink in Tuscola.
65%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Tuscola | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 37% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 11% | 12% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 19% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
5 better26 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Tuscola | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.6% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.3% | 15.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.1% | 7.6% |
Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center
21.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
49th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Tuscola has 0.8 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
The average commute for its 1,942 working residents takes 16.7 minutes, against 27.8 across Illinois.
Most working residents leave Tuscola for work: only 17% work in town. The top destinations are Champaign (11%), Urbana (8%) and Arcola (7%).
17%work in town
| Tuscola | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Tuscola17%
Champaign11%
Urbana8%
Arcola7%
Arthur4%
21 mi
median commute distance
1,538
jobs based in Tuscola
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 80% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
3%conserved
3%
conserved · 57 of 1,884 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ervin Park | — | 33 |
| 2. Wimple Park | — | 33 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SafetyB−
Less crime per resident in Tuscola than in 50% of U.S. towns
The violent crime rate in Tuscola is 3 per 1,000 residents.
50%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
| Tuscola | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.5 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Tuscola3
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Tuscola7.5
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
50th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
41st
percentile among IL towns
14
violent crimes reported in 2025
35
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Tuscola
20pages on Tuscola
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 54% of IL districtsSafetyB−3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than IL on 5 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$180K typical home · up 2.8% in a yearWork & commuteB+$78K median household income · 1,538 jobs hereNatural hazardsDFEMA risk higher than 85% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Tuscola; the nearest are
University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignUniversity or college · Public · Champaign21.5 mi$16,004 in-state tuitionParkland CollegeCommunity college · Public · Champaign23.2 mi$4,284 in-state tuition
About 9 of every 100 Tuscola residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Famous people from Tuscola
9 notable people were born in Tuscola.
G
Gertrude SawyerAmerican architect · 1895–1996
B
Bradford BrintonAmerican machinery manufacturer · 1880–1936About Tuscola
City in Illinois, United States
Tuscola is the largest city and the county seat of Douglas County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,636 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1868
- Area
- 2.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 650 ft
- ZIP code
- 61953
- Area code
- 217
Questions about Tuscola
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Tuscola, IL a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Tuscola grades A− overall, better than 83% of U.S. towns and #201 of 767 in Illinois. It grades B for health, B− for safety and B− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Tuscola, 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 Tuscola, IL known for?
9 notable people were born here, including Gertrude Sawyer and T. Gilbert Pearson.