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St. Elmo, IL

City in Fayette County, Illinois.

Population

1,257

Land area

1.5sq mi

People per sq mi

848

ZIP codes

0

St. Elmo and its ZIP codes

Full map

St. Elmo at a glance

  • St. Elmo is about 3.7 times as dense as Illinois as a whole.
  • The median household income is $45,294, 46% below the Illinois median of $83,390.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $82,600 (69% below Illinois) and median rent is $762 a month.

Local data for St. Elmo, IL

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

St. Elmo, IL, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$45,294

Poverty rate

27.8%

Median home value

$82,600

Median rent

$762/mo

Homeownership

82.0%

Bachelor's or higher

6.2%

Median age

40.1

Average commute

22.8 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (202), Irish Americans (136), Dutch Americans (25).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Fayette County. PPP loans are for St. Elmo.

Details

Unemployment rate

3.9%

Sep 2026, -0.8 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$46,761

4,954 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$49,155

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$123M

FY 2026, $5,747 per person

Fayette County economyFederal spending

How people get to work

St. Elmo, IL, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone81.6%
  • Carpooled6.2%
  • Public transit0.0%
  • Walked2.8%
  • Bicycle0.0%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.4%
  • Worked from home9.0%

Average one-way commute: 22.8 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

St. Elmo, IL, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: earthquake

Storm events since 1996

325

Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

2

0.0% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

87° / 21°F

41.2 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone

Health statistics

Share of adults in St. Elmo, IL, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

40.1%

U.S. 33.3% +6.8 pts

Diabetes

13.5%

U.S. 12.1% +1.4 pts

Smoking

18.3%

U.S. 12.8% +5.5 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

8.7%

U.S. 11.1% -2.4 pts

Cities near St. Elmo

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
AltamontCity5.8 mi1.5
BrownstownVillage6 mi0.8
St. PeterVillage11 mi0.5
Beecher CityVillage12 mi0.9
EdgewoodVillage12 mi1
La CledeCensus-designated place12 mi0.3
MasonTown13 mi1.3
VandaliaCity14 mi8.1
FarinaVillage15 mi1.5
WatsonVillage15 mi1.1
ShumwayVillage15 mi0.3
HerrickVillage15 mi0.4
CowdenVillage15 mi0.4
RamseyVillage16 mi1.1
EffinghamCity17 mi10.8
KinmundyCity18 mi1.2

Frequently asked questions

What county is St. Elmo, IL in?
St. Elmo is in Fayette County, Illinois.
What is the population of St. Elmo, IL?
About 1,257 people live in St. Elmo, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near St. Elmo?
Nearby places include Altamont (5.8 mi), Brownstown (6 mi), St. Peter (11 mi), Beecher City (12 mi), Edgewood (12 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023