Vandalia is a city in and the county seat of Fayette County, Illinois, United States. At the 2020 Census, the population was 7,458. The city is 60 miles (97 km) northeast of the Greater St. Louis area on the Kaskaskia River. In the early 19th century, Vandalia became the western terminus of the National Road (the first federal road) from the East Coast. Vandalia served as the state capital of Illinois from 1819 until 1839, when the seat of state government moved closer to the center of the state in Springfield. Since 1933, the Vandalia State House State Historic Site preserves and interprets the State House capital building and grounds, originally constructed in 1836.

Official town website ↗

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

How Vandalia ranks

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#79Most affordable in IL #93Lowest property tax in IL #101Cheapest rent in IL All IL rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code62471

Area code618

Living in Vandalia

Safety in Vandalia

B⁻

Safety Grade B-

Vandalia reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 54% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Vandalia 3.5

Illinois 2.6

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Vandalia 15.4

Illinois 15.6

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Vandalia

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About one in 4 of Vandalia’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Effingham (6%), Springfield (4%) and Greenville (4%). Half commute less than 31 miles.

Effingham

Springfield

Greenville

St. Elmo

28%Work in townlive and work in Vandalia 31 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 2,928Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Vandalia →

Health in Vandalia

C⁻

Health Grade C−

Healthier than 20% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 60% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Illinois

17worse than IL

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 15 are too close to call.

Conditions 4▼ 8 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 4▼ 3 close Mind 3▼ 2 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

17.2%More older adults who have lost all their teethIL 10.3% · worse 19.7%More smokersIL 12.1% · worse 11%More adults facing a utility shut-offIL 7.8% · worse

Care nearby

Fayette County HospitalVandalia · 0.7 mi · ER · rural critical access

Sihf Healthcare - VandaliaVandalia · 0.2 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Vandalia · CMS · HRSAHealth in Vandalia →

Natural hazards in Vandalia

Moderate

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 46% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🏚️ Earthquakes🥶 Cold waves

1Does Vandalia flood?paid flood claims since 2002 NoneDisasters that paid out hereof 6 declared for Fayette County MapVandalia vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

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

Climate in Vandalia

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Vandalia has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 13 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

41° / 24°Winter

65° / 44°Spring

86° / 65°Summer

67° / 45°Fall