Winnebago, IL Downtown 01, 2007
Winnebago’s story
191 years in pictures
Census counts: 504 in 1880, 2,940 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 2 maps from 1959 on.
- 1835Winnebago is settled
WinnebagoIL
A town of 2,903, settled in 1835.
Population
2,903
2025 Census estimate · −0.9% since 2020
Typical home
$286K
+8.2% in a year
Household income
$93K
median
Median age
39.6
years
Jobs based here
761
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#165 of 767 in IL
Is Winnebago a good place to live?
Winnebago is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades A overall, 165th among Illinois's 767 graded towns, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is safety: crime is low: it reports less per resident than 79% of U.S. towns. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $93K. A typical home there costs about $286K, 4.2 years of the Rockford metro’s $68K median household income. Only 61 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns score higher on hazard risk. 27% of residents are under 18 in Winnebago, above both Illinois’ towns (22%) and U.S. towns (22%).
What makes Winnebago stand out
Where Winnebago beats most towns.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Winnebago for work
Where Winnebago’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
761jobs based in Winnebago
7%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Winnebago grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Winnebago is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listAOpen →SafetyA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →HealthJavon Bea Hospital 7.3 miles awayB+Open →SchoolsBeat 66% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.4 of 20; 3.2% of households have no car; 0.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksCOpen →History3 notable people born hereB−Open →Civic life2.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Winnebago: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Winnebago, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterWinnebago water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Winnebago’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 hereWinnebago County ClerkWinnebago County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2024
ZIP code6108861088 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 Winnebago.
Winnebago carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Illinois (mostly inland flooding), has less no health insurance than most of Illinois and has home values climbing faster than Illinois’s.
SafetyA−
For safety, Winnebago earns an A−
Violent crime is rare: 1 reported in 2025, 0.3 per 1,000 residents.
The violent crime rate in Winnebago is 0.3 per 1,000 residents.
79%of U.S. towns report more crimeA−Safety Grade
| Winnebago | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.3 per 1,000 residents | 1 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.2 per 1,000 residents | 7.9 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Winnebago0.3
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Winnebago7.2
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
79th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
73rd
percentile among IL towns
1
violent crimes reported in 2025
21
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Inland flooding leads a very low hazard risk in Winnebago
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 92% of Illinois towns; that rating is what its A for hazard risk is built on.
Winnebago’s FEMA risk score is 18 of 100.
18risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of Winnebago’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Winnebago for work: only 7% work in town. Since 2013, Winnebago has added 116 jobs, to 761 in 2023. The top destinations are Rockford (41%), Loves Park (3%) and Chicago (3%).
7%work in town
| Winnebago | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $93,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.6% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Work from home | 10% | 11% | 11% |
Where working residents work
In Winnebago7%
Rockford41%
Loves Park3%
Chicago3%
Belvidere2%
12 mi
median commute distance
761
jobs based in Winnebago
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 41% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
Winnebago ranks healthier than 71% of the country’s towns
Its widest gap with Illinois is no health insurance: 6.2% of those 18–64 have no health insurance, against 9.9% statewide.
Winnebago beats the Illinois average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 19% of Winnebago adults binge drink.
71%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Winnebago | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 18% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 23% | 25% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 35% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
7 better22 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Winnebago | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 6.2% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.1% | 15.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.2% | 7.6% |
Javon Bea Hospital
7.3 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
58th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Winnebago
Winnebago has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 13° and about 37 inches of snow falls in a winter.
37″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter16–32°
Spring38–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall41–61°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 24
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Illinois overall
30% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 38% across Illinois.
39.6median age · IL 39
| Winnebago | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 30% | 29% | 29% |
WinnebagoIllinoisUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma8%
High school25%
Some college24%
Associate’s13%
Bachelor’s16%
Graduate14%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3.8 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Winnebago | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 16.9% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 10.3% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 4.4% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.6% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.6% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.5% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.8% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.5% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 8.4% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 8% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 24.2% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.8% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.8% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14.1% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 2,900, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade B−
For cost of living, Winnebago earns a B−
Home values rose 47% in five years, to about $286K, against 30% across Illinois.
Typical home values rose 8.2% in the year to September 2026. 87% of households own their home in Winnebago.
$286KZillow home value
| Winnebago | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 87% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $992 a month | $1,129 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Winnebago$286K
Illinois$296K
+8.2%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 42 attractions →Illinois Railway Museum and 11 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Winnebago. Close and well known come first.
36 mi MuseumIllinois Railway Museum
7 mi Stadium & arenaBMO Center
9 mi GardenAnderson Japanese Gardens
32 mi National Historic SiteRonald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site
34 mi TheatreEgyptian Theatre, DeKalb
34 mi MuseumEllwood HouseSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Illinois Railway Museum: The original uploader was Slambo at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0 · BMO Center: SimLibrarian, CC0 · Anderson Japanese Gardens: M. Readey, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home National Historic Site: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Egyptian Theatre, DeKalb: Andy McMurray, CC BY 2.5 · Ellwood House: Paul R. Burley, CC0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Winnebago
19pages on Winnebago
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 66% of IL districtsSafetyA−0.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than IL on 7 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingB−$286K typical home · up 8.2% in a yearWork & commuteA−$93K median household income · 761 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 18% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Winnebago
Rockford UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Rockford11 mi$37,780 tuitionRock Valley CollegeCommunity college · Public · Rockford12.6 mi$4,334 in-state tuitionSaint Anthony College of NursingUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Rockford12.7 mi$27,811 tuition
About 3 of every 100 Winnebago residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Famous people from Winnebago
3 notable people were born in Winnebago.
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About Winnebago
Village in Illinois, United States
Winnebago is a village in Winnebago County, Illinois. It is part of the Rockford-Winnebago Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,940 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1835
- Area
- 1.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 869 ft
- ZIP code
- 61088
Questions about Winnebago
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Winnebago, IL a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Winnebago grades A overall, better than 86% of U.S. towns and #165 of 767 in Illinois. It grades B+ for health, A− for safety and B+ for schools.
Is Winnebago, IL expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.
What is Winnebago, IL known for?
3 notable people were born here, including Carol S. Bruch and Joan Kaufman.