Byron is a city in Ogle County, Illinois, United States, probably best known as the location of the Byron Nuclear Generating Station, one of the last nuclear power plants commissioned in the United States. Byron is located in Byron Township, along the Rock River. As of the 2020 census, Byron had a population of 3,784. The town bills itself as the "Gateway to the Rock River Valley".

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Byron ranks

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#40Best schools in IL #281Most educated in IL #230Highest graduation rate in IL All IL rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code61010

Area code815

Living in Byron

Housing in Byron

$279K▲ 8.4% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Byron home is worth about $279,000, up 8.4% in a year, 6% below the Illinois typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Byron

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Most working residents leave Byron for work: only 12% work in town. The top destinations are Rockford (23%), Byron (11%) and Oregon (4%). Half commute less than 15 miles.

Rockford

23%

Byron

11%

Oregon

Chicago

12%Work in townlive and work in Byron 15 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 1,447Jobs based herea commuter town

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Byron →

Health in Byron

Health Grade B

Healthier than 59% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Illinois

3better than IL·1worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 28 are too close to call.

Conditions 1▼ 11 close Habits all close Care 1▲ 6 close Mind all close Everyday needs 2▲ 2 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

7.6%Fewer uninsured adultsIL 9.9% · better 12.9%Fewer adults facing food insecurityIL 15.9% · better 9.1%More adults who have had cancerIL 7.6% · worse

Care nearby

Uw HealthRockford · 12 mi · ER

Crusader Clinic on West State StreetRockford · 11 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalNo shortage

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · ZIP codes 61010, 61047, 61102 · CMS · HRSAHealth in Byron →

Natural hazards in Byron

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 62% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🌪️ Tornadoes🥶 Cold waves

0Does Byron flood?no paid flood claims on record NoneDisasters that paid out hereof 12 declared for Ogle County MapByron vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Byron →

Climate in Byron

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Byron has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 84°, a January night drops to 13°, and about 37 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

33° / 16°Winter

59° / 38°Spring

82° / 60°Summer

62° / 41°Fall

How much snow does Byron get?About 37 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 17, with the last in spring around Apr 24.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.2° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Byron →

Schools in Byron

All Byron schools →

School Grade A

The public schools Byron’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 86% of Illinois’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#40Best public schoolsof 384 in IL

DistrictByron CUSD 226Schools4

Mary Morgan Elem Sch AElementary · Grades PK–5 · 631 students Byron Middle School AMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 366 students Byron High School 9-12 A-High · Grades 9–12 · 464 students OCEC Life SkillsGrades M

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within IL. Ratings are from neighbors.