Is Palmyra, IL a Good Place to Live?
Palmyra is a small town of 536 in Illinois, with a median household income of $39,583 and a 8.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.
Strengths: Palmyra stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A-).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Palmyra is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Palmyra 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: 96.3Palmyra's overall cost of living index is 96.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Palmyra costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Palmyra, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $78,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $663 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 75.1% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $39,583 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Crime data for Palmyra is not currently available from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program. Not all local agencies report to the UCR each year.
Schools & Education
Palmyra is served primarily by Northwestern CUSD 2. The student-to-teacher ratio is 9.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Palmyra, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Northwestern CUSD 2 | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 9.5:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 11.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 75.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Palmyra sees average highs of 36.1°F in January and 86.2°F in July, with 40.1 inches of annual precipitation and 16.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Palmyra, IL |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 36.1°F |
| Average High — July | 86.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 16.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Palmyra, IL | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 536 | — |
| Median Age | 47.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 42.3 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 98.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.0% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 29.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Palmyra
Palmyra, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: