Viola, Illinois, IL-017-US67ER, 2026
Viola’s story
170 years in pictures
Census counts: 407 in 1870, 869 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2026 and 4 maps from 1923 on.
- 1856Viola is settled
ViolaIL
A town of 836, settled in 1856.
Population
836
2025 Census estimate · −4% since 2020
Typical home
$176K
+2.3% in a year
Household income
$73K
median
Median age
46.6
years
Jobs based here
327
Balanced
Is Viola a good place to live?
17% of residents are under 18 in Viola, below both Illinois’ towns (22%) and U.S. towns (22%). Viola has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
836 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 Viola: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Viola, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterViola water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Viola’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 hereMercer County ClerkMercer County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6148661486 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 Viola.
Housing
Homes in Viola are worth about $176K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Viola home is worth about $176,000, up 2.3% in a year, 41% below the Illinois typical home. Viola’s median rent is $705 a month, below both the Illinois town median ($1,129 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). 92% of Viola households own their home.
$176KZillow home value
| Viola | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 92% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $705 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Viola$176K
Illinois$296K
+2.3%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Viola has four seasons and pleasant summers
Viola has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 14° and about 22 inches of snow falls in a winter.
22″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–34°
Spring40–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall42–63°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 22
typical last frost
+0.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Viola’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Viola for work: only 4% work in town. The top destinations are Davenport (10%), Aledo (9%) and Galesburg (8%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
4%work in town
| Viola | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $73,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Viola4%
Davenport10%
Aledo9%
Galesburg8%
Rock Island7%
21 mi
median commute distance
327
jobs based in Viola
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Viola is
Viola beats the Illinois average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 19% of adults binge drink in Viola.
| Viola | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 35% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 33% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
6 better23 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Viola | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.2% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.4% | 13.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.9% | 7.6% |
Genesis Medical Center, Aledo
9 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Viola faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities.
56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windDrought
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 544 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Miles Memorial Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 21 attractions →Rock Island Arsenal and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Viola. Close and well known come first.
22 mi Ancient siteRock Island Arsenal
18 mi MuseumBlack Hawk State Historic Site
22 mi MuseumFigge Art Museum77K visitors a year18 mi Zoo & aquariumNiabi Zoo
23 mi MuseumPutnam Museum
22 mi MuseumCarl Sandburg State Historic SiteSources: 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 · Carl Sandburg State Historic Site: Robert Haugland, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Viola
17pages on Viola
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Viola; the nearest are
Carl Sandburg CollegeCommunity college · Public · Galesburg18 mi$5,390 in-state tuitionWestern Illinois UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Macomb51.2 mi$15,264 in-state tuition
About 3 of every 100 Viola residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
About Viola
Village in Illinois, United States
Viola (pronounced vy-OLA) is a village in Mercer County, Illinois, United States. The population was 869 at the 2020 census, a decline of 9 percent from 955 in 2010.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 791 ft
- ZIP code
- 61486
Questions about Viola
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Viola, IL a good place to live?
Viola has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.