Why visit Cobden
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark and 1 attraction in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 25°F.
Weather in Cobden
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Cobden
Cobden is a village in Union County, Illinois, United States, within the Southern Illinois region informally known as "Little Egypt.” The population estimate as of 2025 is 1,064. Cobden is regionally known for the mascot of its public school district, Cobden Unit School District #17. Known as the "Appleknockers,” a tribute to traveling farm laborers, Cobden's mascot has been regarded as one of the most unique high school mascots in the country by several publications and public voting contests.
From the Wikipedia article Cobden, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks1
Churches and places of worship1
Schools, colleges and libraries13
1 more on the map.
History
The village is named after British politician Richard Cobden, who visited the town in 1859. An early variant name was "South Pass".
Cobden began as an agricultural town and developed around the tracks of a route owned by the Illinois Central Railroad (now owned by Canadian National Railway), as well as being along a main highway, U.S. Highway 51, running through the region.
From the History section of Cobden, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Map of Cobden
16 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 25°F | 3.5 in | 2.6 in |
| Feb | 50°F | 29°F | 3.4 in | 4.0 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 37°F | 4.8 in | 0.9 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 46°F | 5.6 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 56°F | 5.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 65°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 69°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 89°F | 67°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 59°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 48°F | 3.9 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 59°F | 37°F | 4.5 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 30°F | 4.1 in | 2.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Anna 2 Nne Hcn (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Union County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-09-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-06-07: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2009-07-02: Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2009-03-02: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southern Illinois Airport (MDH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 17 miles away.
- Anna 5 mi south, about 8 min by car
- Carbondale 13 mi north, about 21 min by car
- Carterville 18 mi northeast, about 30 min by car
- Cambria 19 mi northeast, about 30 min by car
- Marion 22 mi northeast, about 35 min by car
- Herrin 22 mi northeast, about 35 min by car
- Cape Girardeau 23 mi southwest, about 37 min by car
- Jackson 24 mi southwest, about 39 min by car
- Christopher 32 mi north, about 52 min by car
- Benton 38 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.