Is Golconda, IL a Good Place to Live?
Golconda is a small town of 818 in Illinois, with a median household income of $37,000 and a 17.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 85 (US average = 100), which is 15% below the national average.
Strengths: Golconda 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 Golconda is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Golconda 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: 85.1Golconda's overall cost of living index is 85.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Golconda costs roughly 15% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Golconda, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $102,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $355 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $37,000 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Golconda is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Golconda is served primarily by Pope Co CUD 1. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Golconda, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Pope Co CUD 1 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 8.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 84.4% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Golconda sees average highs of 41.2°F in January and 86.4°F in July, with 50.9 inches of annual precipitation and 3.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Golconda, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 41.2°F |
| Average High — July | 86.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Golconda, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 818 | — |
| Median Age | 57.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 17.0% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 17.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 86.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 7.6% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.5% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 14.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 21.6% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Golconda
Golconda, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: