Overview

Introduction to Alton, Illinois

Alton, Illinois, in Madison county, is 10 miles NE of Florissant, Missouri (center to center) and 18 miles N of St. Louis, Missouri. The people of the city are in the Saint Louis metropolitan area.

Alton History

Native Americans were the original inhabitants of the area now known as Alton. Rufus Easton developed this place as a river town in the year 1818 and named it 'Alton' after his son, Alton Easton. As it was located at the confluence of the Illinois, the Mississippi, and the Missouri rivers, Alton soon grew into an industrial town.

Alton and nearby Attractions

  • Hayner Public Library
  • Missouri Historical Society Museum
  • Scott Joplin House State Historic Site
  • Saint Louis Zoo
  • Alton Lake
  • Wood River Township Park

Things To Do In Alton

Historic sites such as the Campbell House and the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site are near the city of Alton. One can also visit the nearby museums such as the Missouri Historical Society Museum, the Saint Louis Holocaust Museum, and the Armed Forces Museum. There are also a number of public libraries, city halls, and rest homes in Alton. The banks of the Alton Lake, the East Fork Wood River, and the Shields Branch are popular tourist haunts. The Spencer T. Olin Golf Course and the Alton Municipal Golf Course are ideal for lovers of the game. There are also a large number of churches, cemeteries, and amusement parks in Alton. Other places of interest near the city include the Saint Louis Zoo, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House. The Alton Square Shopping Center provides excellent entertainment opportunities.

Alton Transportation

Air transportation is available from the St. Louis Regional Airport.

Alton Higher Education

Opportunities for higher education are provided by the nearby Lewis and Clark Community College. Other institutes in the vicinity include the Saint Louis Community College-Florissant Valley and the University of Missouri-St Louis.

Demographics

People

Total Population26,884
Male Share of the Population46.7%
Female Share of the Population53.3%
Senior Citizens16.1%
Employed Population 16+11,133
Age of the Population39

Families

% of people married35.2%
Average household size2

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher18.3%
Median Earnings25+$30,373
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$13,077
Median Earnings With High School Degree$26,225

Wealth

Median Family Income$48,920
% Above Poverty Level72.5%
% Below Poverty Level27.5%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time24 minutes
% Working from Home2.9%
% Walking and Biking to Work1.8%
% Using Public Transportation1.7%

Housing

People Living Alone38%
Median Gross Rent$759
Median House Value$80,400

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)32%
German23.4%
Irish12%
English6.9%
Italian3.5%
French Except Basque2.5%
Polish1.9%
Scottish1.6%
African1.6%
Swedish0.5%
Welsh0.5%
Greek0.4%
Norwegian0.4%
West Indian0.3%
Canadian0.3%
Russian0.2%
Jamaican0.2%
Slovak0.2%
Austrian0.2%
Croatian0.2%
Swiss0.1%
Serbian0.1%
Hungarian0.1%
Belgian0.1%
Albanian0.1%
Czech0.1%
Dutch0.1%
Macedonian0.1%
Finnish0.1%
Romanian0.1%
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Alton Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyMadison County
Standard Zip Codes62002
Phone Area Codes618
Time ZoneAmerica/Chicago
Approximate Latitude38.9
Approximate Longitude-90.15

Alton Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

  • Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
  • Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

StationALTON MELVIN PRICE L&D
Distance5.4 miles
Jan Temp19 to 36 F
Apr Temp45 to 64 F
Jul Temp69 to 88 F
Oct Temp46 to 68 F
Annual Precip38.5 inches
StationJERSEYVILLE 2 SW
Distance17 miles
Jan Temp17 to 35 F
Apr Temp42 to 64 F
Jul Temp66 to 88 F
Oct Temp43 to 68 F
Annual Precip38.3 inches
StationST CHARLES 7 SSW
Distance23 miles
Jan Temp17 to 38 F
Apr Temp43 to 66 F
Jul Temp67 to 89 F
Oct Temp43 to 69 F
Annual Precip38 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Bethalto9,311$73,242
East Alton6,099$50,591
Godfrey17,685$88,563
Hartford1,688$50,500
Roxana1,506$55,357

Alton Public Libraries

Hayner Public Library District
401 STATE STREET
Alton, Illinois
(618) 462-0677

library logo

More Information for Librarians

Alton Hospitals

Alton Memorial Hospital
(Non-profit)
One Memorial Drive
(618) 463-7300
Saint Anthony's Health Center
(Non-profit)
St Anthony's Way
(618) 465-2571
Saint Clare's Hospital
915 East 5th Street
(618) 463-5150

Alton Public Schools

Alton High School
4200 Humbert Rd
ZIP: 62002
(618) 474-2700
High
Total Enrollment 2020
Alton Middle School
2200 College Ave
ZIP: 62002
(618) 474-2200
Middle
Total Enrollment 1424
East Elementary School
1035 Washington Ave
ZIP: 62002
(618) 463-2130
Primary
Total Enrollment 538
Eunice Smith Elem School
2400 Henry St
ZIP: 62002
(618) 463-2077
Primary
Total Enrollment 317
Lovejoy Elem School
1043 Tremont St
ZIP: 62002
(618) 463-2057
Primary
Total Enrollment 271
Motivational Achievemnt Center
2512 Amelia St
ZIP: 62002
(618) 463-2063
Primary
Total Enrollment 33
West Elementary School
1513 State St
ZIP: 62002
(618) 463-2134
Primary
Total Enrollment 596

Alton Private Schools

Catholic Childrens Home
1400 State St
ZIP: 62002
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 83
Marquette Catholic High School
219 E 4th St
ZIP: 62002
Secondary
Total Enrollment 372
Mississippi Valley Christian School
2009 Seminary St
ZIP: 62002
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 107
Ss Peter & Paul Elementary School
801 State St
ZIP: 62002
Elementary
Total Enrollment 89
St Mary School
536 E 3rd St
ZIP: 62002
Elementary
Total Enrollment 344
Sources :
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Alton Colleges
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Historic Alton

photo

Mississippi at Alton ca. 1900
Additional Resources
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