Charleston, Illinois, is too far from any big city to be called a suburb, but with its own university, locally-owned restaurants and historic attractions, this Midwestern city has made a name of its own. "It's my hometown, so I'm a little biased, but we have the best of both worlds here,” says Douglas Stanberry, a broker with All-American Realty. “We have beautiful rolling hills, nearby parks and plenty to do around the university.”
Eastern Illinois University is the largest employer in town. "We're a town of 17,000, but probably 8,000 or more of those people come from the university," Stanberry says. Other top employers include Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center and Rural King, a regional farm supply retailer with over 130 stores that started in Mattoon, a neighboring city.
Lake Charleston is a popular fishing spot.
Other top employer in Charleston include Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center.
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Low inventory and varied housing in Coles County
Bungalows and cottages near the center of the city can date back to the late 1800s. From there properties follow the time period in which they were built, including midcentury ranch-style and split-levels houses and Craftsman styles built in the late 2000s. New developments have sprung up on the southwest side of town, but inventory remains low. “We only have about 20 homes on the market right now,” Stanberry says. “A lot of homebuyers locked in low interest rates during the pandemic, so it doesn't benefit most people to sell." The median home price has risen to around $140,000, but that is still considerable less than the national median, which is in the low $400,000s.
The median home price has risen in recent years to around $140,000 in Charleston.
Bungalows and cottages near Charleston's center can date back to the late 1800s.
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Charleston community schools and a midsized Illinois university
Charleston Community Unit School District No. 1 serves over 2,600 students and rates a C-plus on Niche. Since 2017, the CUSD has upgraded all of its school facilities, including HVAC system in each building and the science labs at the high school. “The junior high and high school are close to each other, with an outdoor pool and sports fields nearby, so it's almost like a campus of its own,” Stanberry says. “Families love hanging out there."
Eastern Illinois University is a four-year public university that offers undergraduate and graduate programs. EIU has an enrollment of around 8,5000 and began as a teacher’s college in the late 1800s and continues to be known for its teaching programs. The campus is the site for many high school and community events. "Since a lot of the faculty also lives in town, there's a lot of involvement between the school and our community. College and youth athletics are really popular, we support them both," Stanberry says.
Charleston High School belongs to Charleston Community School District No. 1.
Charleston Middle School shares outdoor sports fields with next door high school.
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The Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail connects to Mattoon
The Charleston Parks and Recreation Department oversees 13 parks around the city, ranging from the Charleston Dog Park to the Woodyard Conservation Area, which borders Lake Charleston. The lake is a popular hiking destination, along with Fox Ridge State Park. The Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail is a 12-mile bicycling and walking path that stretches from Charleston to Mattoon. "Biking is really common since we have a great bike trail that takes you through the scenic countryside. It used to be an old railroad track," Stanberry says.
Residents of Charleston enjoy the view of a dam at the Embarras River.
Lincoln Prairie Grass Trail is a 12-mile bicycling path that connects Charleston to Mattoon.
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Local restaurants along Lincoln Avenue
Illinois State Route 16, known locally as Lincoln Avenue is lined with big-box stores like Walmart, Aldi and Rural King. It also has a collection of locally owned eaters, including Roc's Blackfront Tavern & Grill, WB's and Pagliai's Pizza. “When people come back to town, they always say they have to have Pagliai's," Stanberry says. Courthouse Square is the city’s downtown and is centered around the Coles County Courthouse. The walkable district has several boutiques and shops and is the site of the Farmers Market at Courthouse Square.
In Charleston downtown, 9 Muses is an art gallery that displays & sells art created by locals.
In Charleston, WB’s diner has been serving American classic food since 1980.
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EIU is a community hub
Eastern Illinois’ campus is a hub for community events. The Dounda Fine Arts Center hosts concerts and performances throughout the year, while the Tarble Arts Center has rotating art exhibits. The region’s ties to President Abraham Lincoln are on display 8 miles south at the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site, the last home of the president's father.
Tarble Arts Center has rotating art exhibits in Eastern Illinois's campus in Charleston.
The Dounda Fine Arts Center hosts concerts and performances throughout the year in Charleston.
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State Route 130 starts the journey to Chicago
Illinois State Routes 130 and 16 intersect in Charleston and are the main thoroughfares. The roadways connect to Interstate 57 to get the 188 miles north to Chicago, and to Interstate 70 to head the 121 miles east Indianapolis. Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center is just 7 miles west of Charleston on State Route 16. Willard Airport at the University of Illinois is the closes airport and is 47 miles north in Champaign.
Important to know
According to the FBI Crime Data Explorer, Charleston's rates for violent and property crime are lower than the national average. However, violent and property crime reports rose between 2022 to 2023. "It's a great low-crime town to live in. The kind where you feel safe walking down the sidewalk," Stanberry says.
Charleston experiences warm summers that turn into winters that average below freezing from December to March. According to USClimateData.com, the city averages 18 inches of snowfall annually. Flooding has affected the city in the past, but in 2017 the county put into place mitigation efforts, including burying new power lines, improving stormwater drainage and instituting a mass notification system. Charleston and neighboring Mattoon have an Outdoor Warning Siren System that has been in place since the 1960s and is used in case of tornadoes and other imminent emergencies. It’s tested on the first Tuesday monthly around 10 a.m.
Written By
Bayley Malo
Video By
Anne Sheridan
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Randy Grigg,
an experienced agent in this area.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
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On average, homes in Charleston, IL sell after 29 days on the market compared to the national average of 50 days. The median sale price for homes in Charleston, IL over the last 12 months is $142,250, up 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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This property provides safety, security, and a sense of home to all tenants. Each tenant must have a key fob to get into their building and each unit is updated before each new tenant. (This is college housing)
This property provides safety, security, and a sense of home to all tenants. Each tenant must have a key fob to get into their building and each unit is updated before each new tenant. (This is college housing)
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