2005 · MaterDeiFrontPhoto · Wikimedia Commons
Breese’s story
170 years in pictures
3 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
- 1856Breese is settled
- 2005MaterDeiFrontPhoto
- 2013The Breese watertower
BreeseIL
A town of 4,301, settled in 1856. Healthier than 71% of U.S. towns.
Photo: Asteve77767 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,301
+4.5% since 2010
Median home value
$230K
Census ACS
Household income
$85K
median
Median age
44.3
years
Jobs based here
2,348
Balanced
What makes Breese stand out
The 3 things Breese does most differently from other towns.
100 U.S. towns● Breese
Health
Healthier than 71%
of U.S. towns on CDC estimates
Better than IL on 6 measures, worse on 2.
Outdoors
#155 most walkable in IL
1.5 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves
1.6% of the town is conserved land.
100 U.S. towns● Breese
Safety
Safer than 95%
of U.S. towns we grade
Safety Grade A+. FBI data, crimes reported to police.
Breese’s report card
Now in Breese
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Breese is #15 of 820 in IL for “Closest to a top hospital”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Breese’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →75°
Sunny
H 78° · L 52°
Local news
All →- Game Teaser: Varsity Football Althoff Catholic High School vs. Mater Dei High School - Breese HighlightsNFHS Network · Sep 30
- Central Breese vs Teutopolis - Girls Freshman Basketball 01/30/2027 | Watch Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 30
- Central Breese vs Highland - Girls Freshman Basketball 01/27/2027 | Live & On DemandNFHS Network · Sep 29
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Breese. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 71% of U.S. towns
Breese beats the Illinois average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
B+Health Grade
32 measures vs. Illinois
6 better24 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Breese | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.2% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 8.7% | 13.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.9% | 7.6% |
St. Josephs Hospital
0.8 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
69th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Outdoors
1.6% of Breese is conserved land
1.5 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves.
#246for trails in IL
1.6%
conserved · 27 of 1,717 acres
1.5 mi
of trails · 0.6 per sq mi
#155
most walkable in IL
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Breese Community Park | 1.1 mi | 20 |
| 2. Breese Southside Park | 0.4 mi | 9 |
| 3. Breese Soccer Park | — | 19 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Safety
Less crime per resident than 95% of U.S. towns
Breese reports less crime per resident than 95% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
A+Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Breese0.6
Illinois2.6
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Breese1.7
Illinois15.6
U.S.15.5
95th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
91st
percentile among IL towns
3
violent crimes reported in 2025
8
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Housing
Homes in Breese sell for about $228K
The median sale price was $228,000 in May 2026.
$228Kmedian sale price
4
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Natural hazards
High risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 72% of U.S. communities.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Climate
Four seasons, hot summers
Breese has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
10″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–42°
Spring45–66°
Summer66–87°
Fall46–68°
Oct 29
typical first frost
Apr 6
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute
About one in five working residents works right in Breese
About one in 5 of Breese’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Highland (5%), Belleville (5%) and St. Louis (4%). Half commute less than 18 miles.
20%work in town
Where working residents work
In Breese20%
Highland5%
Belleville5%
St. Louis4%
Carlyle4%
18 mi
median commute distance
2,348
jobs based in Breese
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Famous people from Breese
7 notable people were born in Breese.
H
Henry John KluthoAmerican architect · 1873–1964K
Kurt M. GranbergAmerican politician · born 1953T
Tom TimmermannAmerican baseball player · 1940–2025J
Jeff RehbergerAmerican entrepreneur · born 1987About Breese
City in Illinois, United States
Breese is a city in Clinton County, Illinois, United States. Breese is the most populous city completely within Clinton County. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,641, the majority of whom are of German ancestry. Breese is part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1856
- Population
- 4,641
- Area
- 2.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 453 ft
- ZIP code
- 62230
- Area code
- 618
More about Breese
Still missing for Breese:upcoming events