Homer is a small town of 1,060 in Illinois, with a median household income of $66,711
and a 2.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is
9% below the national average.
Strengths:
Homer stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B).
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Homer is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Homer 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: 90.8
Homer's overall cost of living index is 90.8,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Homer costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
Metric
Homer, IL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$117,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$879
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
81.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$66,711
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Homer's violent crime rate is 355.8 per 100,000 residents
— 6% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
355.8 /100k
Property Crime
1544.2 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Homer is served primarily by Heritage CUSD 8.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.6:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Homer, IL
National Avg
School District
Heritage CUSD 8
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.6:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
15.3%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
94.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Homer sees average highs of 34.0°F in January
and 83.6°F in July,
with 41.3 inches of annual precipitation
and 25.0 inches of snow per year.
Homer's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Homer roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $117,600 and median rent is $879/month.
Homer's violent crime rate is 355.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1544.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Homer are operated by Heritage CUSD 8.
The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.6:1. 15.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Homer, IL has a population of 1,060, a median household income of $66,711, and an unemployment rate of 2.1%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Homer averages 34.0°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 41.3 inches
with about 25.0 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Homer, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 61849.
The population of Homer, Illinois is 1,060 with a median age of 33.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Homer: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $117,600, median household income $66,711, crime index 86 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Homer side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
