Townapedia
Villa Grove Illinois Main Street
Villa Grove Illinois Main Street · Dual Freq, CC BY 2.5

Villa Grove, Illinois

Villa Grove is a city of 2,349 people in Douglas County, Illinois, founded in 1903.

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Population2,349 -1.6% since 2019
Elevation647 ft 197 m
Founded1903
Land area1.5 sq mi
ZIP code61956
Nearest airportUniversity of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) 14 mi

Why visit Villa Grove

Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 4 parks and trails and 2 places to eat in and around town.

Highlights include Henson House, Tri-City Country Club and Richmond Park.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 85°F; January lows average 18°F.

About Villa Grove

Villa Grove is a city in Douglas County, Illinois, along the Embarras River. The population was 2,472 at the 2020 census.

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

Museums and landmarks1

Henson House

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi

Historic house at 103 N. Henson Road in Villa Grove, Illinois

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Parks, trails and playgrounds4

Tri-City Country Club

Golf course · 0.7 mi

129 South Henson Road, Villa Grove

Open in Google Maps · +1-217-832-9782

Richmond Park

Park · 0.7 mi

900 South Sycamore Street, Villa Grove

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Henson Park

Park · 0.5 mi

Open in Google Maps

War Memorial

Park

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Restaurants and cafes2

Monical's Pizza

Restaurant · Pizza

102 North Sycamore Street, Villa Grove

Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +1-217-832-2361

Subway

Fast food · Sandwich

10 North Sycamore Street, Villa Grove

Mo-Su 10:00-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +1-217-832-3304

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Churches and places of worship3

First Christian Church

Church · 0.5 mi

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Living Hope Fellowship Church

Church

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Sacred Heart Catholic Church

Church

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History

Villa Grove was chartered in 1903 after the area was recognized by the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad (C&EI) as being exactly halfway between Chicago and St. Louis. This made it a desirable location for a steam locomotive repair facility. Villa Grove later became the site of a C&EI division headquarters and roundhouse.

Villa Grove was known for its Pancake Festivals in the 1940s, which drew crowds over 10,000. In the 1970s, the festival was replaced by the Ag Days celebration. Ag Days currently offers carnival rides, a car show, a parade, multiple vendors, live music, and a demolition derby.

In 1923, Villa Grove's high school basketball team, the Blue Devils, defeated Rockford 32–29 to win the Illinois High School Boys Basketball Championship.

Villa Grove's historic rail depot was demolished in the predawn hours of Friday, October 29, 1976, despite a city ordinance that was intended to protect the structure. The city later received reparation for the destruction.

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

Schools, colleges and libraries4

Map of Villa Grove

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

Climate by month

20°40°60°80°January: 2.4 in of rainFebruary: 2.1 in of rainMarch: 2.9 in of rainApril: 4.5 in of rainMay: 4.2 in of rainJune: 4.8 in of rainJuly: 4.4 in of rainAugust: 3.0 in of rainSeptember: 3.1 in of rainOctober: 3.2 in of rainNovember: 3.4 in of rainDecember: 2.5 in of rainJanuary: 34°FFebruary: 39°FMarch: 50°FApril: 64°FMay: 74°FJune: 82°FJuly: 85°FAugust: 84°FSeptember: 79°FOctober: 66°FNovember: 51°FDecember: 39°FJanuary: 18°FFebruary: 21°FMarch: 31°FApril: 42°FMay: 53°FJune: 63°FJuly: 65°FAugust: 63°FSeptember: 55°FOctober: 43°FNovember: 32°FDecember: 24°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRainSnow
Jan34°F18°F2.4 in5.0 in
Feb39°F21°F2.1 in4.9 in
Mar50°F31°F2.9 in2.2 in
Apr64°F42°F4.5 in0.2 in
May74°F53°F4.2 in0.0 in
Jun82°F63°F4.8 in0.0 in
Jul85°F65°F4.4 in0.0 in
Aug84°F63°F3.0 in0.0 in
Sep79°F55°F3.1 in0.0 in
Oct66°F43°F3.2 in0.0 in
Nov51°F32°F3.4 in0.9 in
Dec39°F24°F2.5 in3.7 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Tuscola (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$70,647median household income
$125,700median home value
$878median monthly rent
40.3median age
17.5%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
73.2%of homes are owner-occupied
30.7 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1823%18 to 3421%35 to 6436%65 and over20%

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

Disaster history

Douglas County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.

  • 2023-08-15: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2013-11-26: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Tornado)
  • 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)

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, 14 miles away.

  • Tuscola 8 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
  • Philo 10 mi north, about 15 min by car
  • Tolono 10 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
  • Arcola 15 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
  • Urbana 17 mi north, about 28 min by car
  • Champaign 18 mi north, about 29 min by car
  • St. Joseph 18 mi north, about 30 min by car
  • Arthur 19 mi southwest, about 31 min by car
  • Bement 22 mi west, about 36 min by car
  • Charleston 26 mi south, about 42 min by car

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.