Wataga, Illinois, 2016
Wataga’s story
171 years in pictures
Census counts: 1,538 in 1860, 744 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2016 and 2 maps from 1947 on.
- 1855Wataga is settled
WatagaIL
A town of 712, settled in 1855.
Photo: David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA · CC BY 2.0
Population
712
2025 Census estimate · −4.2% since 2020
Typical home
$136K
+17.9% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
32.7
years
Jobs based here
109
A commuter town
Is Wataga a good place to live?
Wataga’s median rent is $636 a month, against $1,129 a month in Illinois’ towns and $1,185 a month across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Fireman's Park, at 30 acres. Wataga has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
712 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 Wataga: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wataga, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWataga water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Wataga’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 hereKnox County ClerkKnox County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6148861488 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 Wataga.
Housing
The typical home in Wataga is valued at about $136K
The typical Wataga home is worth about $136,000, up 17.9% in a year, 54% below the Illinois typical home.
$136KZillow home value
Typical home value
Wataga$136K
Illinois$296K
+17.9%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
With 0.3 jobs for every working resident, most of Wataga’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Wataga for work: only 2% work in town. At 22 minutes, Wataga’s average trip to work is below both the Illinois town median (26 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes). Wataga’s median household income is $63,000.
2%work in town
| Wataga | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Wataga2%
Galesburg30%
Peoria10%
Chicago2%
Mossville2%
35 mi
median commute distance
109
jobs based in Wataga
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Wataga
Wataga has cold winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 15° and about 26 inches of snow falls in a winter.
26″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter18–34°
Spring39–61°
Summer62–83°
Fall42–63°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Wataga is
Wataga beats the Illinois average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 18% of Wataga adults binge drink.
| Wataga | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 35% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 33% | 33% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
6 better23 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Wataga | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.3% | 15.9% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.1% | 9.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 15.4% | 10.3% |
St. Mary Medical Center
5.2 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
High risk in Wataga, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.
60risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Outdoors
Wataga has set aside 0.1% of its land for conservation
0.0 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
0.1%conserved
0.1%
conserved · 0 of 529 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fireman's Park | — | 30 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wataga
17pages on Wataga
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Wataga
Carl Sandburg CollegeCommunity college · Public · Galesburg7.6 mi$5,390 in-state tuitionKnox CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Galesburg7.6 mi$57,903 tuition
About 5 of every 100 Wataga residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Wataga for work
Where Wataga’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
109jobs based in Wataga
2%of working residents work in town
35 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Wataga
Village in Illinois, United States
Wataga is a village in Knox County, Illinois, United States. The population was 744 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Galesburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 830 ft
- ZIP code
- 61488
Questions about Wataga
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wataga, IL a good place to live?
Wataga has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.