Wapella is a small town of 520 in Illinois, with a median household income of $57,750
and a 1.0% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is
9% below the national average.
Strengths:
Wapella stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Wapella is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Wapella 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: 91.1
Wapella's overall cost of living index is 91.1,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Wapella costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
Metric
Wapella, IL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$94,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$792
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
87.1%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$57,750
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Wapella's violent crime rate is 153.5 per 100,000 residents
— 60% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
153.5 /100k
Property Crime
940.0 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Wapella, IL
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
12.5%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
91.4%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Wapella sees average highs of 30.9°F in January
and 84.2°F in July,
with 41.4 inches of annual precipitation
and 6.5 inches of snow per year.
Wapella's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Wapella roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $94,900 and median rent is $792/month.
Wapella's violent crime rate is 153.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 940.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Wapella, IL has a population of 520, a median household income of $57,750, and an unemployment rate of 1.0%.
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.
Wapella averages 30.9°F in January and 84.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 41.4 inches
with about 6.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Wapella, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 61777.
The population of Wapella, Illinois is 520 with a median age of 40.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Wapella: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $94,900, median household income $57,750, crime index 42 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Wapella side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
