Vandalia, IL — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Illinois·Vandalia

Fayette County · population 7,358

AffordabilitySmall-town feel
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
42
Cooling
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Vandalia stands

Home values down 6.7% in the last year.

Median home $128,656
1-year -6.7%
5-yr CAGR +3.6%
vs 5-yr peak -6.8%
Population -0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2025-03$129k$88k$106k$125k$144k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
25/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
10/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
46/100
Marginal for remote
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
18 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
57 · w22%
Distance from peak
54 · w18%
Population growth
40 · w16%
Home 10-yr CAGR
42 · w10%
Long thesis

Vandalia offers a $128,656 median home with +3.6% annualized 5-year appreciation. Affordability + positive trend is one of the better risk/reward setups in US residential — small downside, room to compound.

Short thesis

Vandalia is down 6.7% over the last 12 months and the trend isn't flattening. Falling knife rule applies: you don't catch one with your hands, you wait for it to hit the floor and stop moving.

About Vandalia

Vandalia is a city in Fayette County, Illinois, with an estimated population of 7,358. The median home value in Vandalia is $128,656 as of 2026-04, down 6.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +3.6% annual growth (-6.8% from the 5-year peak). The composite momentum score is 42 of 100 (Cooling). Buyers may find more room to negotiate; sellers should price realistically.

▲ Bull case

●Cheap entry point: $128,656 median home is well below the US median of $355k — room to grow without overpaying.
○The data is the data: Vandalia has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.

▼ Bear case

●Prices actively falling: down 6.7% in the last 12 months — buyer sentiment has flipped. Sellers competing on price.
●Flat or shrinking population: -0.3% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — verify the source.
○Thin housing market: small population means fewer transactions and slower resale. Liquidity risk on exit.

Playbook

Buyer

You have leverage. Negotiate price, ask for closing-cost credits, and don't waive inspection. Walk-away power is real in a Cooling market — use it.

Seller

Price aggressively (at or below recent sold comps) or be prepared to wait. Concessions — rate buydowns, closing costs, repair credits — are how deals close right now.

Investor

Cap rates are more attractive than they were 12 months ago but the appreciation tailwind is gone. Confirm tenant demand, vacancy rates, and exit liquidity before committing capital.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Fayette County right now.

NWS active alerts (IL)Illinois Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Fayette County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Vandalia

Harrisburg, IL37 · CoolingSteger, IL49 · StableDanville, IL46 · CoolingCrestwood, IL38 · Cooling

Run the numbers for Vandalia

ToolCan I afford Vandalia?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Vandalia rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Vandalia to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolVandalia cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
33° / 18°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
85° / 64°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
189
~52% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
22″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
High
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Low
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Vandalia listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Chicago area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
71%
Humid climate
Median household income
$78,400
Illinois state median
Top industries (state-level)
FinanceManufacturingHealthcare

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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