Charleston, Illinois

About Charleston

Set in the southeastern part of Illinois, Charleston is a close-knit town counting 17,361 people who proudly call it home.

Officially, Charleston is an incorporated city with its own municipal government. The community covers 9.08 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 1,912 residents per square mile.

📰 Charleston News Today

• Fire at Charleston Taco Bell under investigation The Daily Eastern News · Sep 28
• Tornado rips through Charleston, Illinois leaving behind severe damage - WTHI-TV WTHI-TV · Jun 18
• James Dunlap Obituary (1948 - 2026) - Charleston, IL - Journal Gazette & Times-Courier Legacy | Obituary · Oct 6
• EIU set to recognize 9 alumni at University Awards Reception and Dinner WAND · Sep 27
• Obituary information for Katherine Jane "Kathy" (Wiesner) Hummel Adams Funeral Chapel · Jun 22

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

📰 Local News

Read the latest Illinois headlines on our news site, Bless News Daily.

What Makes Charleston Unique

• One of 8 places in the US named Charleston — but the Illinois one has a character all its own.
• Positioned in southeastern Illinois, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
• Part of the fabric of Illinois — one of 1,461 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

• The sweet spot: real amenities without big-city congestion.
• Local businesses and schools anchored by a stable resident base of 17,361.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 9 miles.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Charleston

• EIU Food Court — pizza
• Java Beanery & Bakery — coffee shop (café)
• Siam Thai — thai
• South Quad Dining
• Starbucks — coffee shop (café)
• SweeTea'z — tea (café)
• Wildcatter's Grill — burger
• Bamca Mexican Grill — mexican
• El Rancherito — mexican
• Marty's Bar

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · click a restaurant to read or write reviews.

🎡 Fun Things to Do

• Coles County Dragway · Attraction
• Lincoln Douglas Debate Museum · Museum

Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Charleston

• Heritage Woods Park reviews ★
• Kiwanis Park reviews ★
• Morton Park reviews ★
• North Park reviews ★
• Charleston Lake reviews ★
• Coles County Fairgrounds reviews ★
• EIU Secret Garden · Garden reviews ★
• Greek Court reviews ★
• Lake Charleston Park reviews ★
• Lakeview Park reviews ★
• Reasor park reviews ★
• Sister City Park reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

🏫 Schools in Charleston

• Carl Sandburg Elem School
• Charleston High School
• Charleston Middle School
• Jefferson Elem School
• Lerna TAOEP
• Mark Twain Elem School
• Shelbyville TAOEP

Public schools, U.S. Dept. of Education (NCES) 2023–24 directory.

⚡ Quick Facts

🌤️ Current Weather

Full forecast →

Source: National Weather Service

🗺️ Map of Charleston

🏘️ Nearby Communities