Is Buncombe, IL a Good Place to Live?
Buncombe is a small town of 391 in Illinois, with a median household income of $56,563 and a 7.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is 13% below the national average.
Strengths: Buncombe stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Buncombe is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Buncombe city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 87.2Buncombe's overall cost of living index is 87.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Buncombe costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Buncombe, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $65,000 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | N/A | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $56,563 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Buncombe is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Buncombe is served primarily by Buncombe Cons SD 43. The student-to-teacher ratio is 7.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Buncombe, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Buncombe Cons SD 43 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | N/A | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 7.3:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 12.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 90.6% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Buncombe sees average highs of 45.2°F in January and 89.7°F in July, with 49.7 inches of annual precipitation and 10.4 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Buncombe, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 45.2°F |
| Average High — July | 89.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 10.4" |
Demographics
| Metric | Buncombe, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 391 | — |
| Median Age | 25.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 28.1 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 99.2% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 32.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 10.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Buncombe
Buncombe, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: