Wataga is a small town of 765 in Illinois, with a median household income of $56,563
and a 2.5% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is
12% below the national average.
Strengths:
Wataga 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 Wataga is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Wataga 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: 88.1
Wataga's overall cost of living index is 88.1,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Wataga costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
Metric
Wataga, IL
National Avg
Median Home Value
$88,600
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$569
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
69.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$56,563
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Wataga's violent crime rate is 301.8 per 100,000 residents
— 21% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
301.8 /100k
Property Crime
1754.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Wataga, 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
12.8%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
91.1%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Wataga sees average highs of 30.0°F in January
and 84.0°F in July,
with 40.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 25.9 inches of snow per year.
Wataga's cost of living index is 88, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Wataga roughly 12% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $88,600 and median rent is $569/month.
Wataga's violent crime rate is 301.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1754.6 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.
Wataga, IL has a population of 765, a median household income of $56,563, and an unemployment rate of 2.5%.
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.
Wataga averages 30.0°F in January and 84.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 40.1 inches
with about 25.9 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Wataga, IL is covered by 1 ZIP code: 61488.
The population of Wataga, Illinois is 765 with a median age of 32.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Wataga: cost of living index 88 (100 = US average), median home $88,600, median household income $56,563, crime index 81 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Wataga side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
