Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety57#6,796/15,637
Economy7#14,614/15,631
Housing54#6,952/14,977
Health12#13,733/15,609
Healthcare24#11,830/15,650
Environment16#12,918/15,453
Education58#6,496/15,649
Infrastructure32#10,599/15,650
Community38#9,745/15,651
Leisure & amenities42#9,090/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Watseka, Illinois ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Iroquois County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Public libraries · high3.4 /10k
97/100Illinois 0.6 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesIroquois County value
Social associations · high15.3 /10k
92/100Illinois 9.8 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteIroquois County value
Grocery stores · high2.7 /10k
92/100Illinois 1.9 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsIroquois County value
Reading scores · high3.34
90/100Illinois 2.97United States 3.052019University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteIroquois County value
Students per teacher · low11.6×
89/100Illinois 13.6×United States 15.2×2024National Center for Education StatisticsIroquois County value
Violent crime rate · low99 /100k
86/100Illinois 251 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figureIroquois County value

Weaknesses

Gyms and fitness centers · low0.0 /10k
4/100Illinois 1.1 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsIroquois County value
Adult smoking · high23.0%
4/100Illinois 15.7%United States 16.1%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Traffic deaths · high35.5 /100k
5/100Illinois 9.8 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationProvisional dataIroquois County value
Access to exercise opportunities · low38.6%
5/100Illinois 90.6%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteIroquois County value
Adult obesity · high44.9%
5/100Illinois 39.0%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Frequent mental distress · high22.1%
5/100Illinois 18.7%United States 18.6%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Child poverty rateWorsening
18.6% (2015-2019) → 34.2% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
75.4% (2015-2019) → 85.3% (2020-2024)
+9.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Poverty rateWorsening
14.2% (2015-2019) → 23.4% (2020-2024)
+9.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Rent-burdened householdsImproving
55.8% (2015-2019) → 51.6% (2020-2024)
−4.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Rent as share of incomeImproving
32.9% (2015-2019) → 30.4% (2020-2024)
−2.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Median household incomeImproving
$39,281 (2015-2019) → $43,608 (2020-2024)
+11%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Watseka, Illinois improved on 1 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 12 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved1

Broadband+9.9 points75.4% → 85.3%

Declined1

Poverty+9.2 points14.2% → 23.4%

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Watseka, Illinois between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	19.0 min2015-2019	18.1 min2020-2024	−0.9 min	Within the margin of error	59%
Bachelor's degree or higher	11.4%2015-2019	12.2%2020-2024	+0.8 points	Within the margin of error	33%
Broadband subscriptions	75.4%2015-2019	85.3%2020-2024	+9.9 points	Improved	59%
Child poverty rate	18.6%2015-2019	34.2%2020-2024	+16 points	Within the margin of error	7%
Effective property tax rate	1.81%2015-2019	1.74%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	29%
High school diploma or higher	86.1%2015-2019	86.9%2020-2024	+0.8 points	Within the margin of error	44%
Home price to income ratio	2.2×2015-2019	2.4×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	68%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4372015-2019	0.4082020-2024	−0.029	Within the margin of error	74%
Median household income	$39,2812015-2019	$43,6082020-2024	+11%	Within the margin of error	18%
Poverty rate	14.2%2015-2019	23.4%2020-2024	+9.2 points	Declined	5%
Rent as share of income	32.9%2015-2019	30.4%2020-2024	−2.5 points	Within the margin of error	72%
Rent-burdened households	55.8%2015-2019	51.6%2020-2024	−4.1 points	Within the margin of error	70%
Unemployment rate	3.7%2015-2019	5.8%2020-2024	+2.2 points	Within the margin of error	15%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	9.5%2015-2019	9.0%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	53%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Watseka, Illinois five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Watseka, Illinois in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Watseka, Illinois itself moved +3.8 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

4,780 residents (±292)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 80 and over men (+1.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

4,780 residents (±292)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

White84%4,034
Black1.3%†60
Hispanic or Latino6.7%†318
Asian1.1%†54
American Indian and Alaska Native0.1%†4
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander0.0%0
Other or two or more races6.5%†310

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: White (−9.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B03002View table on data.census.gov

Education

3,370 residents (±225)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

No high school diploma13%442
High school or GED40%1,342
Some college25%836
Associate degree10%339
Bachelor's degree9.0%†305
Graduate degree3.1%†106

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B15003View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

2,277 households (±188)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $25k27%622
$25k–50k27%620
$50k–75k15%†350
$75k–100k14%†309
$100k–150k14%†330
$150k–200k1.4%†32
$200k or more0.6%†14

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

2,277 households (±188)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

Own65%1,476
Rent35%801

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

748 households (±196)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $75042%†311
$750–1,00035%†265
$1,000–1,50017%†127

Home values

1,476 homes (±187)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

Under $150k69%1,019
$150k–250k22%†323
$250k–400k6.5%†96

Age of homes

2,440 homes (±181)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

2010 or later1.0%†24
2000–20097.6%†185
1980–199922%†525

Size of homes

2,440 homes (±181)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

Studio0.6%†15
1 bedroom8.1%†197
2 bedrooms44%1,085

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,928 workers (±235)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

Drive alone82%1,572
Carpool10%†197
Public transit0.7%†13
Walk1.8%†34
Bike0.5%†9
Work from home4.9%†94
Other0.5%†9

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,834 workers (±233)

Watseka, Illinois
Illinois share

Under 15 min54%996
15–29 min25%465
30–44 min10%†189

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Iroquois County, the county holding most of Watseka's residents.

Iroquois County has 625 employer establishments, 239 for every 10,000 residents (0.96× the US rate of 248; 0.94× Illinois's), with 5,568 paid employees at an average annual pay of $48,852. The Census Bureau also counts 1,831 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 625; 1,831 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 239; US 248 · Illinois 255
Paid employees: 5,568
Average annual pay: $48,852; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Iroquois County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	47	18	1.16×About typical	193	$60,902	165
Religious organizations	37	14.2	2.55×More than typical	131	$21,405	—
Restaurants and other eating places	37	14.2	0.77×Fewer than typical	373	$17,332	14
Ambulatory health care services	35	13.4	0.64×Fewer than typical	244	$54,389	42
Construction of buildings	28	10.7	1.42×More than typical	80	$50,625	68
Truck transportation	24	9.2	1.82×More than typical	103	$53,204	106
Banks and credit unions	23	8.8	2.72×More than typical	228	$59,588	3
Insurance agencies and brokerages	22	8.4	1.92×More than typical	71	$45,986	28
Building equipment contractors	21	8	1.34×More than typical	69	$53,522	34
Full-service restaurants	20	7.7	1.00×About typical	216	$16,602	8
Offices of physicians	19	7.3	1.12×About typical	97	$55,928	5
Automotive repair and maintenance	16	6.1	1.22×About typical	53	$43,472	55

Rank places for an industry Open Iroquois County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 26,135 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Watseka, Illinois: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

41.6FY2019
5.3FY2020

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Watseka, Illinois, so they do not add up across cities.

Watseka, Illinois's figures are part of those of Iroquois County, IL ($22.8M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Watseka is mostly in Iroquois County.

See federal money in Iroquois County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Watseka, Illinois is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Robin L. KellyD-IL-2 · 100% of residentsWith party 100%Missed 1.9%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Iroquois County48100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Iroquois County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/1779228