Pekin, Illinois
Pekin is a city of 31,781 people in Peoria County, Illinois, founded in 1829.
Why visit Pekin
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 28 parks and trails, 70 places to eat, 5 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include John T. McNaughton Bridge, Shade-Lohmann Bridge, Carl Herget Mansion and North Eighth Street Plaza.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 18°F, and about 26 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Pekin
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Pekin
Pekin is located in, and is the county seat of, Tazewell County, Illinois, United States. It is located along the Illinois River in Central Illinois. The population was 31,731 at the 2020 census. Pekin is the largest city in Tazewell County and the second-most populous city in the Peoria metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Pekin, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
John T. McNaughton Bridge
Bridge · 1.9 mi
Illinois River highway bridge at Pekin, Illinois, USA
Shade-Lohmann Bridge
Bridge · 4.6 mi
Freeway bridge over the Illinois River in Illinois
Museums and landmarks11
Carl Herget Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Illinois, United States
North Eighth Street Plaza
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic strip mall in Pekin, Illinois, United States
Pekin Federal Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic government building in Pekin, Illinois
Peoria Lock and Dam
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Lock and dam on the Illinois River in Creve Coeur, Illinois
Peoria State Hospital
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.2 mi
Mental health asylum near Bartonville, Illinois
St. Louis, Peoria and Northern Railroad Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic train station in Pekin, Tazewell County, Illinois
Tazewell County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Local government building in the United States
Columbia
Monument and historic site · 1.4 mi
Paddle steamer excursion boat that collapsed and sunk in 1918
Parks, trails and playgrounds28
Pekin Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Park · 2.5 mi
Protected area in Tazewell County, Illinois, United States of America
Powerton Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area
Park · 4.4 mi
State park in Illinois, USA
Coal Miners Park
Park · 0.8 mi
300 South Parkway Drive, Pekin
Mo-Su 06:00-22:00; PH 06:00-22:00
16 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes70
58 more on the map.
Where to stay5
Churches and places of worship36
Bethesda Pentecostal Church of God
Church · Pentecostal · 0.6 mi
1011 Veerman Street, Pekin
Shopping23
Gas and EV charging14
Schools, colleges and libraries41
Healthcare12
Map of Pekin
242 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 18°F | 2.1 in | 7.7 in |
| Feb | 39°F | 21°F | 2.0 in | 6.9 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 32°F | 2.7 in | 3.3 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 42°F | 4.0 in | 0.5 in |
| May | 74°F | 53°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 62°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 64°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 56°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 44°F | 3.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 33°F | 2.7 in | 1.5 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 23°F | 2.2 in | 6.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Peoria Gtr Peoria Ap Gsn 72532 (7 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
Peoria County has had 8 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 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)
- 2008-10-03: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2006-12-29: Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Peoria International Airport (PIA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- East Peoria 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Morton 9 mi east, about 14 min by car
- Peoria 13 mi north, about 20 min by car
- Canton 22 mi west, about 35 min by car
- Lincoln 32 mi southeast, about 51 min by car
- Normal 33 mi east, about 54 min by car
- Bloomington 35 mi east, about 56 min by car
- Galesburg 47 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Kewanee 49 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Springfield 54 mi south, about 1 h 30 min 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, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Tazewell County Justice Center Pekin 20231112 0068, NatFee, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Peoria State Hospital, Willjay, CC BY 3.0
- Pekin, Illinois Federal Building from E 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Image North Eighth Street Plaza, Boscophotos, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Herget mansion from NW 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Pekin, Illinois Chicago & Alton depot from NW 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Tazewell County, Illinois courthouse from SW 2, Ammodramus, CC0
- Shade-Lohmann Bridge, Creve Coeur, Illinois, Robert Guico, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Pekin Bridge 20231018 0731, NatFee, CC BY-SA 4.0
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