Is Gibson City, IL a Good Place to Live?
Gibson City is a small town of 3,615 in Illinois, with a median household income of $51,275 and a 6.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.
Strengths: Gibson City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Gibson City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Gibson City 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: 90.8Gibson City's overall cost of living index is 90.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Gibson City costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Gibson City, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $120,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $660 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $51,275 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeGibson City's violent crime rate is 77.2 per 100,000 residents — 80% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Gibson City is served primarily by Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Gibson City, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley CUSD 5 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.1:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.4% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 87.2% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Gibson City sees average highs of 32.0°F in January and 84.0°F in July, with 37.7 inches of annual precipitation and 18.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Gibson City, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 32.0°F |
| Average High — July | 84.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 18.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Gibson City, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,615 | — |
| Median Age | 43.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 22.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 7.7% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Gibson City
Gibson City, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: