Tazewell County, Illinois courthouse from W 1 · Ammodramus / CC0Pekin Public Library 20240415 0004 · NatFee / CC BY-SA 4.0Pekin park 20231019 0017 · NatFee / CC BY-SA 4.0Tazewell County Justice Center Pekin 20231112 0068 · NatFee / CC BY-SA 4.0
Pekin is a small city of 32,075 in Illinois, with a median household income of $52,507
and a 6.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 89 (US average = 100), which is
11% below the national average.
Strengths:
Pekin stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Pekin is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Pekin 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: 88.6
Pekin's overall cost of living index is 88.6,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Pekin costs roughly 11% less than the average American city.
Metric
Pekin, IL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$114,700
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$736
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
65.6%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$52,507
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Pekin's violent crime rate is 329.6 per 100,000 residents
— 13% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
329.6 /100k
Property Crime
2278.3 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Pekin is served primarily by Pekin PSD 108.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Pekin, IL
National Avg
School District
Pekin PSD 108
—
Elementary Schools
6
—
Middle Schools
4
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.2:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
18.1%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
89.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Pekin sees average highs of 33.6°F in January
and 86.3°F in July,
with 39.5 inches of annual precipitation
and 26.2 inches of snow per year.
Pekin's cost of living index is 89, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Pekin roughly 11% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $114,700 and median rent is $736/month.
Pekin's violent crime rate is 329.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2278.3 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Pekin are operated by Pekin PSD 108.
The district has 6 elementary, 4 middle, and several high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.2:1. 18.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Pekin, IL has a population of 32,075, a median household income of $52,507, and an unemployment rate of 6.6%.
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.
Pekin averages 33.6°F in January and 86.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 39.5 inches
with about 26.2 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Pekin, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 61554.
The population of Pekin, Illinois is 32,075 with a median age of 41.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Pekin: cost of living index 89 (100 = US average), median home $114,700, median household income $52,507, crime index 95 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Pekin side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
