Town guide

Lena, Illinois

Lena is a village in Stephenson County, Illinois, home to about 2,761 people across 2.6 square miles. Its ZIP code is 61048.

Homes sold for a median of $118 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population2,7611,042 per sq mi
Median home value$146,000Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$118Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking25%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Lena

1 ZIP code

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Lena. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

The Lena guide is on the way

We’re writing up Lena’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

Are you a local agent who knows Lena well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked

Around Lena

Distances

Nearest major airportChicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)102 miles away
Closer regional airportChicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)39 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Madison, WI53 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL116 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Lena; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Lena

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Lena had 2,772 residents in the 2020 census, down 4% since 2000.

It’s the 441st largest of 1,450 towns in Illinois by population.

Stephenson County grew from 34,933 residents in 1900 to 44,630 in 2020.

Lena population by census2000: 2,887, 2010: 2,912, 2020: 2,7722,88720002,91220102,7722020

Stephenson County, 1900–2020

Stephenson County population, 1900 to 20201900: 34,933, 1910: 36,821, 1920: 37,743, 1930: 40,064, 1940: 40,646, 1950: 41,595, 1960: 46,207, 1970: 48,861, 1980: 49,536, 1990: 48,052, 2000: 48,979, 2010: 47,711, 2020: 44,63035K’00’1038K’20’3041K’40’5046K’60’7050K’80’9049K’00’1045K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 12°F. About 38.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 36 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near LenaJan: high 28°F, low 12°F, 1.2 in; Feb: high 32°F, low 16°F, 1.5 in; Mar: high 45°F, low 27°F, 2.2 in; Apr: high 59°F, low 37°F, 3.9 in; May: high 71°F, low 49°F, 4.1 in; Jun: high 79°F, low 59°F, 5.7 in; Jul: high 82°F, low 61°F, 4.5 in; Aug: high 80°F, low 59°F, 4.2 in; Sep: high 74°F, low 51°F, 4.2 in; Oct: high 62°F, low 40°F, 3.1 in; Nov: high 46°F, low 29°F, 2.3 in; Dec: high 33°F, low 18°F, 1.7 in28°12°Jan1.232°16°Feb1.545°27°Mar2.259°37°Apr3.971°49°May4.179°59°Jun5.782°61°Jul4.580°59°Aug4.274°51°Sep4.262°40°Oct3.146°29°Nov2.333°18°Dec1.7Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Stockton 3 Nne, IL weather station (9 miles away).

Jobs in Stephenson County

15,626 jobs at 1,003 businesses in Stephenson County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Stephenson CountyManufacturing: 3,526 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 2,583 jobs; Construction: 2,574 jobs; Retail trade: 1,786 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 1,323 jobs; Other services: 775 jobs; Finance and insurance: 602 jobs; Administrative and support: 477 jobsManufacturing 23% Health care and social assistance 17% Construction 17% Retail trade 11% Hotels and restaurants 9% Other services 5% Finance and insurance 4% Administrative and support 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

18 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Lena.

Nearest hospitals

  • Fhn Memorial HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Freeport11.2 miles
  • The Monroe ClinicGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 5 of 5 · Monroe18.6 miles
  • Lafayette Hospital and ClinicsCritical access hospital · emergency room · Darlington25.8 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors1
Specialist doctors1
Dentists1
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants4
Mental health providers4
Physical and occupational therapists4
Chiropractors3
Pharmacies2

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around Lena

Parks (3 nearby)

  • Lions Park · 13 acres0.3 mi
  • Dodds Park · 8 acres0.5 mi

Grocery stores (1 nearby)

  • Sullivan's0.7 mi

Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Colleges, teams and notable people

Established in 1834.

Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.

Schools in Lena

Public schools here are run by Lena Winslow CUSD 202. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (3)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Lena-Winslow Elem SchoolLenaPre-K–5412Public0.5 mi
Lena-Winslow Jr High SchoolLena6–8173Public0.5 mi
Lena-Winslow High SchoolLena9–12232Public0.5 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

From OfferBacked · Free

Get matched with a local agent.

Buying or selling around Lena? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.

Get matched

Where Lena is

Loading map…

Towns near Lena

All Illinois towns →

Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.