Places › Illinois › Danville

Living in Danville, IL

Small city in Illinois

Danville is a small city in Illinois, home to about 29,000 people, with 100,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Danville a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $111k and rents for $1,180 a month
  • Dog-friendly: 2 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 84°F
  • Low natural disaster risk: 3 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Weaker public schools: test results well below the US average
  • Smaller job market: about 100,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer graduates: 17% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Danville ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
29,000
100,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
39°F / 84°F
Average daily highs · 15″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$111k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,180/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
93
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$2,002
State income tax per resident · 2.02% property tax
Safety
4.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
3 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, cold waves
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Poor
Tests well below US average · 16 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
17%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
IND
76 mi away

Living in Danville: common questions

What is the cost of living in Danville?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $111k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,180 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 93, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Danville?

Illinois collects about $2,002 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.02% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Danville safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (4.6× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Danville?

Public schools in Danville test well below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 16 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Danville?

Danville has cold winters: winter days average around 39°F and summer days around 84°F, with roughly 15″ of snow a year.

Does Danville get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding, cold waves and tornadoes: 3 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.11 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Danville?

The nearest major airport is IND, about 76 mi away.

How Danville scores

Each bar compares Danville with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietQuiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingVery affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityFriendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingMostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingExcellent
💸Low taxesBelow average
💼Job marketPoor
🏥HealthcareBelow average
🏫SchoolsPoor
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyPoor
🐕Dog-friendlyExcellent
⛰️OutdoorsBelow average
🎭CulturePoor
👮SafetyHigher crime
🌪️Few natural disastersGood
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportAverage

Places like Danville

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Mason City, IASmall city41 $163k$1,230/moModerate crime Pekin, ILSmall city45 $153k$1,350/moSafe Galesburg, ILSmall city40 $134k$1,200/moModerate crime Decatur, ILSmall city40 $139k$1,380/moModerate crime Sioux City, IASmall city43 $218k$1,390/moModerate crime Peoria, ILMid-size city41 $152k$1,350/moHigher crime

Nearby

Urbana, ILCollege town · 31 mi away48 $216k$1,440/moSafe Champaign, ILCollege town · 35 mi away47 $229k$1,440/moHigher crime West Lafayette, INCollege town · 42 mi away61 $320k$1,490/moVery safe Lafayette, INSmall city · 43 mi away53 $263k$1,490/moModerate crime Terre Haute, INSmall city · 49 mi away45 $185k$1,310/moNo crime data Brownsburg, INSuburb · 68 mi away72 $308k$1,910/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Illinois.

Is Danville right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.