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Rantoul, Illinois
Rantoul is a village of 12,421 people in Champaign County, Illinois, founded in 1854.
Why visit Rantoul
Townapedia lists 4 museums and landmarks, 18 parks and trails, 35 places to eat and 5 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Chanute Air Force Base, Rantoul Historical Society, Maplewood Sports Complex and Mary Alice Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 16°F.
Weather in Rantoul
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Rantoul
Rantoul is a village in northern Champaign County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,371 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area.
From the Wikipedia article Rantoul, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks4
Chanute Air Force Base
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Former United States Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois, United States
Rantoul Historical Society
Museum · 0.8 mi
1040 Klein Avenue, Rantoul
Tu,Fr-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-16:00; Mo,We-Th closed
Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum
Museum · 0.5 mi
Aviation museum in Rantoul, Illinois
Parks, trails and playgrounds18
Hap Parker Family Aquatic Center
Sports field and stadium · 0.8 mi
320 West Flessner Avenue, Rantoul
Mo-Sa 13:00-19:00; Su 13:00-18:00
6 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes35
Asian Bowl Express
Restaurant · Asian · 1.0 mi
715 West Champaign Avenue, Rantoul
Tu-Su,PH 10:30-21:00
La Puerta del Sol
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.8 mi
1724 East Grove Avenue, Rantoul
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Los Hidalguenses Taqueria & Mariscos
Restaurant · Mexican, Seafood
424 South Century Boulevard, Rantoul
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Monical's Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.4 mi
320 East Champaign Avenue, Rantoul
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00
Ott's Drive In
Diner · American · 0.8 mi
400 North Century Boulevard, Rantoul
Sa-Mo 07:00-14:00; Tu-Fr 07:00-19:00
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 1.1 mi
801 West Champaign Avenue, Rantoul
Mo-Sa 05:00-20:00; Su 05:00-19:00
ET's
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
107 East Sangamon Avenue, Rantoul
Su 10:00-20:00; Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr 11:00-22:00; Sa 11:00-21:00
Agave Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.7 mi
1668 East Grove Avenue, Rantoul
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Casa Amigos Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican
405 South Century Boulevard, Rantoul
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Flavor Fusion
Restaurant · International, Burger, Pasta, Taco, Chicken · 0.6 mi
108 North Garrard Street, Rantoul
Tu-Th 10:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-23:00; Su 10:00-21:00
23 more on the map.
Where to stay5
Prairie Pines Campground
Campground · 1.3 mi
Prairie Pines Campground features 95 lots, each with hookups for water, sewage and electric. The campground is open year round with...
711 East Chandler Road, Rantoul
History
The first permanent settlement in the area known as Mink’s Grove (originally called “Neipswah” by Native Americans) was established by Archa Campbell, who later served as the first mayor of Urbana. Campbell settled in the area in 1848, where he constructed a log cabin.
Mink's Grove was laid out in 1854 for the Illinois Central Railroad by John Penfield. A post office was established in 1856 as Rantoul Station; the name was changed to Rantoul in May 1862.
The community was named after Robert Rantoul, Jr., a U.S. representative from Massachusetts, and a director of the Illinois Central Railroad.
During the late nineteenth century, Rantoul’s economy was closely tied to agriculture. Champaign County was characterized by highly fertile soil and extensive grain production, particularly corn. Towns such as Rantoul functioned as shipping and trade centers for local farmers, and the Illinois Central Railroad enabled crops to be transported efficiently to larger markets, including Chicago.
Rantoul experienced steady population growth during this period. By the time the village was incorporated in 1869, it had approximately 1,634 residents. This reflected its development as a small but stable agricultural community. This pattern of gradual growth continued until the establishment of Chanute Field in 1917.
From the History section of Rantoul, Illinois on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship16
Bethany Park Christian Church
Church · Christian Church (Disciples Of Christ) · 1.3 mi
1401 East Grove Avenue, Rantoul
Shopping4
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries21
Healthcare8
Map of Rantoul
115 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 16°F | 2.5 in |
| Feb | 40°F | 20°F | 2.0 in |
| Mar | 51°F | 29°F | 2.6 in |
| Apr | 64°F | 40°F | 4.0 in |
| May | 75°F | 51°F | 4.3 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 62°F | 4.6 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 64°F | 4.4 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 62°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 54°F | 3.3 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 42°F | 3.3 in |
| Nov | 52°F | 31°F | 3.2 in |
| Dec | 40°F | 22°F | 2.2 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Rantoul (1 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
Champaign County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-11-26: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
- 2002-05-21: Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding (Tornado)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Thomasboro 4 mi southwest, about 7 min by car
- Ludlow 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Gifford 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Paxton 11 mi north, about 18 min by car
- Champaign 14 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
- Mahomet 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Danville 31 mi east, about 50 min by car
- Bloomington 45 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Normal 47 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Decatur 51 mi southwest, 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
- Rantoul, IL, Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Rantoul, Illinois, Home of Chanute Air Force Base - Large Letter Postcard (5299335233), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Keep 'Em Flying, Chanute Field, Rantoul, Illinois - Large Letter Postcard (7991491940), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Rantoul, Illinois (7235219736), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Greetings from Rantoul, Illinois, Home of Chanute Field - Large Letter Postcard (5885061695), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Hangar Doors, Bkleinf2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Minuteman ICBM, Bkleinf2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Abandoned Fire House, Bkleinf2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Minuteman on Display, Bkleinf2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Water Tower near the Bell Factory, Bkleinf2, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greetings from Chaute Air Force Base, Illinois - Large Letter Postcard (10241593774), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- ISS053-E-281066 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-43876 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-43875 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS053-E-282200 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS047-E-43874 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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