Project Blue Book report - 1957-11-6781772-Waverly-Illinois, 1957
Waverly’s story
179 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 1957.
- 1847Waverly is settled
WaverlyIL
Population
1,142
2025 Census estimate · −4% since 2020
Typical home
$118K
+1.2% in a year
Household income
$56K
median
Median age
41.7
years
Jobs based here
184
A commuter town
Is Waverly a good place to live?
The best of Waverly’s subject grades are an A− for cost of living and history; the weakest is a C− for walkability. Waverly’s median rent is $772 a month, where Illinois’ towns sit at $1,129 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. Waverly has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Waverly stand out
Where Waverly beats most towns.
Small town
1,142 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
How Waverly grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Waverly is from typical.
Cost of livingA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.6 of 20; 5.1% of households have no car; 0.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →Jobs & income184 jobs based hereCOpen →SchoolsCOpen →Hazard riskcold waves tops the listCOpen →HealthJacksonville Memorial Hospital 19.4 miles awayC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsC−Open →History1 notable person born hereA−Open →Civic life0.8 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 41.7; 18% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Waverly: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Waverly, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWaverly water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Waverly’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 hereMorgan County ClerkMorgan County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6269262692 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 Waverly.
HousingCost of living grade A−
A typical Waverly home is worth about $118K
The typical Waverly home is worth about $118,000, up 1.2% in a year, 60% below the Illinois typical home. 82% of households own their home in Waverly, against 75% in Illinois’ towns and 73% across U.S. towns.
$118KZillow home value
Typical home value
Waverly$118K
Illinois$296K
+1.2%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC
Public schools in Waverly fall behind 67% of Illinois districts
Its public schools are run by Waverly CUSD 6. Its two schools are below.
33%of IL districts it outscoresCSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waverly Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 182 | C+ |
| Waverly Jr/Sr High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 147 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IL on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Waverly has 0.3 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Waverly for work: only 6% work in town. The median household income in Waverly is $56,000. The top destinations are Springfield (29%), Jacksonville (15%) and Franklin (4%).
6%work in town
| Waverly | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 6.4% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.9% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Waverly6%
Springfield29%
Jacksonville15%
Franklin4%
Auburn2%
21 mi
median commute distance
184
jobs based in Waverly
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 22% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Waverly has four seasons and pleasant summers
Waverly has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 20° and about 16 inches of snow falls in a winter.
16″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter22–39°
Spring42–64°
Summer63–85°
Fall44–66°
Oct 29
typical first frost
Apr 7
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
Residents of Waverly are less healthy than 64% of U.S. towns
Waverly beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 40% of Waverly adults have obesity.
37%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Waverly | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 37% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
0 better20 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Waverly | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 16.4% | 10.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.1% | 6.3% |
| More smokers | 15.9% | 12.1% |
Jacksonville Memorial Hospital
19.4 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Cold waves leads a high hazard risk in Waverly
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 60% of U.S. communities.
60risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingDrought
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
OutdoorsC−
Conserved land covers 0% of Waverly
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 661 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Public Square | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Waverly
19pages on Waverly
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Waverly; the nearest are
Illinois CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Jacksonville18.3 mi$38,676 tuitionUniversity of Illinois SpringfieldUniversity or college · Public · Springfield20.2 mi$12,252 in-state tuitionLincoln Land Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Springfield20.2 mi$3,744 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Waverly residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Illinois.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Waverly for work
Where Waverly’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
184jobs based in Waverly
6%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Waverly
City in Illinois, United States
Waverly, founded in 1836, is the second largest city in Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,194 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Jacksonville Micropolitan Statistical Area. The town was named after the Waverley novels of Sir Walter Scott.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 678 ft
- ZIP code
- 62692
Questions about Waverly
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Waverly, 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−.