Mason County, Illinois · Havana
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Mason County averages 37 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly November to March, and 51% of its homes predate 1960.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 7.3 times a year here, most often in June. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which Mason County gets about 7.3 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
In Mason County, 3.03 inches fell on the wettest day of the 2015–2024 record. Storms like that, and ice dams in snowy winters, cause most roof leaks.
21% of occupied homes in Mason County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Illinois county median of 16.5%.
With 51 muggy nights a year, mold in Mason County can appear within days of a leak. Dry first, then clean.
Local risk profile
With 6,622 homes and around 12,745 residents, Mason County is 539 square miles of central Illinois. Besides Havana, the county seat, the biggest communities are Mason City, Manito and San Jose. It has some of the oldest housing in the state: the median home went up in 1959.
59/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Mason County ranks 22 of 102 Illinois counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Mason County ranks highest compared with other Illinois counties.
Pipe-freeze risk in Mason County sits near the middle of the state. From 2015–2024 it averaged 37 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 106 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 42nd of 102 counties.
On January 31, 2019 the low fell to about -17°F, and in the stretch ending February 2021 the county went 15 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
The freeze season here runs November to March, with January the coldest. If you travel then, leave the thermostat at 55°F or above and open sink cabinets on outside walls.
Freezing nights typically start around Oct 23 and end around Apr 18.
Mason gets fewer downpours than most Illinois counties, but they still fill basements. About 7.3 days a year bring an inch or more (74th of 102), most often in June, out of 38.2 inches of total precipitation. On April 30, 2017, 3.03 inches fell in a single day. The worst three-day stretch dropped 3.71 inches, ending May 1, 2017, the kind of soaking that overwhelms sump pumps and storm sewers.
Freeze-thaw days, below freezing overnight and above it by afternoon, come about 81 times a year here. They're the main driver of ice dams and of water working its way through foundation cracks in late winter.
Housing
82% of homes in Mason County predate 1980, above the Illinois county median of 65.9%, which ranks 3rd of Illinois's 102 counties.
Before 1960 is when 51% of these homes went up. Galvanized supply lines and cast iron drains were standard then, and after 60-plus years both corrode and crack, often out of sight inside a wall or under a slab.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 51 times a year here, close to the Illinois county median of 51. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in Mason County's occupied homes: 62% utility gas, 16% electric, 19% propane and 1% wood. Propane heat is more common here than in most Illinois counties. Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires nationally, and the NFPA recommends having chimneys and vents inspected every year.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Mason County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Cass, Fulton, Schuyler and Tazewell get more pipe-freeze nights than Mason. Its housing is the oldest in the area by share of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Mason | Illinois median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 51% | 38% | 10 of 102 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 82% | 66% | 3 of 102 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 7.4% | 15% | 97 of 102 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 4.2% | 5.6% | 60 of 102 |
| Vacant homes | 13% | 11% | 29 of 102 |
| Wood or propane heat | 21% | 17% | 33 of 102 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 37/yr | 35/yr | 42 of 102 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 7.3/yr | 8.4/yr | 74 of 102 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 81/yr | 81/yr | 46 of 102 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 51/yr | 51/yr | 48 of 102 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Illinois county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Mason County: freezing from November to March, heavy rain in June, July and October.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology