Townapedia
Palestine Commercial Historic District
Palestine Commercial Historic District · Nyttend, Public domain
Fife Opera House in Palestine
Fife Opera House in Palestine · Nyttend, Public domain
Palestine post office, 62451
Palestine post office, 62451 · Nyttend, Public domain
High school in Palestine, Illinois
High school in Palestine, Illinois · Nyttend, Public domain
First Presbyterian Church in Palestine, Illinois
First Presbyterian Church in Palestine, Illinois · Nyttend, Public domain
John B. Harper House in Palestine
John B. Harper House in Palestine · Nyttend, Public domain

Palestine, Illinois

Palestine is a village of 1,430 people in Crawford County, Illinois, founded in 1811.

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Population1,430 +20.7% since 2019
Founded1811
Land area0.8 sq mi
ZIP code62451
Nearest airportSullivan County Airport (SIV) 12 mi

Why visit Palestine

Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail and 2 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Fife Opera House, Indian Mound, American Trust and Savings Bank and John B. Harper House.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 23°F.

About Palestine

Palestine is a village in Crawford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,233 at the 2020 Census. Palestine has a total area of 0.79 square miles (2.05 km2), all land.

From the Wikipedia article Palestine, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Things to do2

Fife Opera House

Cinema and theater · National Register of Historic Places

Theater in Palestine, Illinois, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Indian Mound

Scenic view · 1.5 mi

Open in Google Maps

Museums and landmarks4

American Trust and Savings Bank

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.1 mi

Historic building in Evansville, Indiana, USA

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

John B. Harper House

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Historic house in Illinois, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Palestine Commercial Historic District

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places

Historic district in Illinois, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Riverton Site

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi

Archaeological site in Illinois, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Parks, trails and playgrounds1

Leaverton Park

Park · 1.0 mi

Open in Google Maps

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Schools, colleges and libraries3

Palestine Grade School

School · 0.6 mi

Open in Google Maps

Palestine High School

School

Open in Google Maps

Palestine Public Library

Library · 0.5 mi

Open in Google Maps

History

In 1678, French explorer Jean LaMotte named the region after Palestine, because the area reminded him of the biblical "land of milk and honey."

Palestine was chartered in 1811, while the area still belonged to Virginia, and is one of the oldest towns in the State of Illinois. It was named the seat of Crawford County in 1818. Elections in 1843 moved the county seat to a new site, which would become the town of Robinson. It was officially incorporated as an Illinois town in 1855.

From the History section of Palestine, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Map of Palestine

10 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 3.5 in of rainFebruary: 2.6 in of rainMarch: 3.6 in of rainApril: 5.1 in of rainMay: 4.9 in of rainJune: 4.9 in of rainJuly: 4.2 in of rainAugust: 3.5 in of rainSeptember: 3.6 in of rainOctober: 3.7 in of rainNovember: 3.6 in of rainDecember: 3.1 in of rainJanuary: 38°FFebruary: 44°FMarch: 54°FApril: 67°FMay: 76°FJune: 84°FJuly: 86°FAugust: 86°FSeptember: 80°FOctober: 68°FNovember: 54°FDecember: 42°FJanuary: 23°FFebruary: 26°FMarch: 35°FApril: 44°FMay: 55°FJune: 63°FJuly: 66°FAugust: 64°FSeptember: 56°FOctober: 46°FNovember: 35°FDecember: 28°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan38°F23°F3.5 in4.3 in
Feb44°F26°F2.6 in2.2 in
Mar54°F35°F3.6 in1.1 in
Apr67°F44°F5.1 in0.0 in
May76°F55°F4.9 in0.0 in
Jun84°F63°F4.9 in0.0 in
Jul86°F66°F4.2 in0.0 in
Aug86°F64°F3.5 in0.0 in
Sep80°F56°F3.6 in0.0 in
Oct68°F46°F3.7 in0.1 in
Nov54°F35°F3.6 in0.5 in
Dec42°F28°F3.1 in3.4 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Palestine Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$62,850median household income
$81,300median home value
$719median monthly rent
45.6median age
12.0%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
83.2%of homes are owner-occupied
24.8 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1822%18 to 3415%35 to 6444%65 and over19%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Crawford County has had 7 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.

  • 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
  • 2008-06-24: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Sullivan County Airport (SIV) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 12 miles away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.