Rutland, Illinois Population, Hospitals, Airports, and Schools

Rutland, Illinois is a small village located in the northern part of Iroquois County, about 25 miles south of Kankakee. It is situated in a rural area and is surrounded by rolling hills and farmland. The population as of 2020 was 818 people.

The village was originally founded in 1855 by John Custer, shortly after the Illinois Central Railroad was completed through the area. The town was named after Rutland, Vermont, which was Custer’s home state. In its early days, Rutland developed into a thriving commercial center for the surrounding farms and communities. It had several stores, two grain elevators, two banks, a post office and four churches.

Today Rutland remains a small town with a close-knit community atmosphere. The downtown area has maintained its traditional look with many of the original buildings still standing including the old post office building (built in 1887), which now serves as an antique shop. A few blocks away is Main Street Park where locals enjoy picnics and outdoor activities such as softball and basketball games or simply taking a stroll on the walking path that winds through the park.

Rutland also has several local businesses that serve residents throughout Iroquois County including restaurants, convenience stores, gas stations and other retail outlets. There are also several small manufacturing companies located just outside of town that provide employment opportunities to local residents.

Rutland is served by two school districts – Watseka Community Unit School District 10 and Iroquois West Community Unit School District 9 – both of which operate public elementary schools in town along with nearby high schools in Watseka or Gilman respectively.

In addition to its strong educational system, Rutland has numerous recreational opportunities available to locals including fishing at nearby lakes and ponds or hunting on nearby farms; hiking trails at nearby forest preserves; golfing at one of three local courses; boating on Lake Iroquois; camping at Kickapoo State Park; or visiting one of many historic sites such as Dickson Mounds Museum or Fort de Chartres State Historic Site just to name a few!

Overall Rutland is an ideal place for families looking for the perfect balance between rural living and modern convenience without sacrificing quality education options or recreational opportunities for their children/grandchildren.

Population: 354. Estimated population in July 2024: 356 (+0.6% change)
Males: 176 (49.7%), Females: 178 (50.3%)

La Salle County

Zip code: 61358

Demographics

Median resident age: 40.4 years
Median household income: $31,500
Median house value: $44,600

Population by Race

Races in Rutland:

  • White Non-Hispanic (99.2%)

Ancestries: German (30.5%), Irish (13.0%), Polish (9.3%), United States (7.6%), Italian (7.3%), English (6.2%).

Elevation: 710 feet

Land area: 0.8 square miles

Map of Rutland, IL

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Rutland

  • High school or higher: 77.3%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 5.4%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 2.1%
  • Unemployed: 5.8%
  • Mean travel time to work: 21.1 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Rutland village

  • Never married: 17.8%
  • Now married: 59.9%
  • Separated: 1.7%
  • Widowed: 8.2%
  • Divorced: 12.3%

0.8% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: -43 (-10.8%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Rutland:

  • ST MARYS HOSPITAL (about 18 miles; STREATOR, IL)
  • EUREKA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 25 miles; EUREKA, IL)
  • ILLINOIS VALLEY COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 25 miles; PERU, IL)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Rutland:

  • CENTRAL IL REGL ARPT AT BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL (about 37 miles; BLOOMINGTON/NORMAL, IL; Abbreviation: BMI)
  • GREATER PEORIA REGIONAL (about 50 miles; PEORIA, IL; Abbreviation: PIA)
  • WHITESIDE CO ARPT-JOS H BITTORF FLD (about 68 miles; STERLING/ROCKFALLS, IL; Abbreviation: SQI)

Other public-use airports nearest to Rutland:

  • HARTENBOWER HECTARES (about 15 miles; LOSTANT, IL; Abbreviation: 2V3)
  • MARSHALL COUNTY (about 24 miles; LACON, IL; Abbreviation: C75)
  • ILLINOIS VALLEY RGNL-WALTER A DUNCAN FIELD (about 27 miles; PERU, IL; Abbreviation: VYS)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Rutland:

  • ILLINOIS VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 22 miles; OGLESBY, IL; Full-time enrollment: 2,272)
  • HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 33 miles; Normal, IL; Full-time enrollment: 2,390)
  • ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY (about 33 miles; NORMAL, IL; Full-time enrollment: 18,785)
  • ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY (about 35 miles; BLOOMINGTON, IL; Full-time enrollment: 2,019)
  • BRADLEY UNIVERSITY (about 45 miles; PEORIA, IL; Full-time enrollment: 5,262)
  • ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLLEGE (about 50 miles; EAST PEORIA, IL; Full-time enrollment: 6,404)
  • KISHWAUKEE COLLEGE (about 67 miles; MALTA, IL; Full-time enrollment: 2,289)