Wapella’s middle household income is $52,000, below both the Illinois town median ($83,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Wapella has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

497 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Wapella Township · 1 mi Clintonia Township · 3 mi Clinton · 5 mi Wilson Township · 5 mi Harp Township · 6 mi Heyworth · 7 mi

Wapellamain, 2006

Wapella’s story

172 years in pictures

Census counts: 369 in 1880, a peak of 768 in 1980, 513 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2006 and 3 maps from 1953 on.

1854Wapella is settled

Explore the history →

Getting set up

Moving to Wapella: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Wapella, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterWapella water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet7 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Wapella’s trash rules yet

SchoolsClinton Community Unit School District 15Which school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereDeWitt County ClerkDe Witt County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023

ZIP code6177761777 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 Wapella.

Housing

Homes in Wapella are worth about $195K, by Zillow’s estimate

Over the 12 months to September 2026, the typical home gained 15% in value. Wapella’s midpoint rent is $925 a month, below both Illinois’ towns ($1,129 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month). The share of households in Wapella who own their home: 90%.

$195KZillow home value

	Wapella	Illinois towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	90%	75%	73%
Median rent	$925 a month	$1,129 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Wapella$195K

Illinois$296K

+15.3%

value change, 1 year

Full pageWapella’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 15.3% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 3.8 years of income Rents$925 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Climate

In Wapella, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

The range runs from 18° on a January night to 85° on a July afternoon, with about 19 inches of snow a winter.

19″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter21–37°

Spring41–63°

Summer62–84°

Fall43–65°

Oct 16

typical first frost

Apr 20

typical last frost

+1.2°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageWapella’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 85°, January lows 18°Rain & snow19″ of snow a winter · 39 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.2° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commute

Wapella has 0.8 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work

Jobs based in Wapella grew to 144 in 2023, 45 more than in 2013. For most workers, Wapella is a place to come home to: only 2% work in town. In Wapella, 3.8% of residents live below the poverty line. The top destinations are Clinton (21%), Decatur (10%) and Springfield (6%).

2%work in town

	Wapella	Illinois towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	3.8%	8.4%	9.6%
Average trip to work	22 minutes	26 minutes	25 minutes
Working residents who work in town	1.7%	8.3%	8%

Where working residents work

In Wapella2%

Clinton21%

Decatur10%

Springfield6%

Champaign5%

25 mi

median commute distance

144

jobs based in Wapella

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

Full pageWapella’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here144 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work2% work in Wapella Commute times22 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 25 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Health

How healthy Wapella is

Wapella does better than the Illinois average on 5 of 32 CDC measures and worse on 1. For adults in the town, the share who binge drink is 19%. Two figures for adults here: 22% get no exercise outside work, 32% feel lonely.

	Wapella	Illinois towns	U.S. towns
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	19%	18%	16%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)	22%	23%	25%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	32%	33%	33%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	11%	13%	14%

32 measures vs. Illinois

5 better26 too close to call1 worse

What stands out	Wapella	IL
Fewer uninsured adults	6.6%	9.9%
Fewer adults facing food insecurity	11.2%	15.9%
More adults who have had cancer	9.2%	7.6%

Warner Hospital and Health Services

5 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

Full pageWapella’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby5 miles to an ER · Warner Hospital and Health Services How adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional support Every CDC estimateBetter than IL on 5 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Natural hazards

Wapella faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Households in Wapella have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2023. FEMA expects less storm and flood damage in the town than in 57% of U.S. communities.

43risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingDroughtCold waves

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageWapella’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesModerate risk Flood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on record Past disasters4 federal disasters · Paid out in Wapella Get ready0.7 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Outdoors