A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Down paymentRate%

Ashley$960/mo

Typical home $148K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.45% · or rent about $729/mo · Housing →

Mason$560/mo

Typical home $83K (Census) · tax rate 1.80% · or rent about $911/mo · Housing →

The difference: $400 a month, about $4,800 a year, between Ashley and Mason.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons

AshleyMason

Snow a year12″15″

January low21°F 20°F

July high87°F 89°F

Growing season (days)201d 191d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)71st 52nd

Outdoors & history

AshleyMason

Trails0 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Settled—1865

Community

AshleyMason

Library hours a week15 hrs —

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

53 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

AshleyIL MasonIL

Ashley ↔ Mason53 miles apart

Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Only big differences vs Illinois average

AshleyMason

People

Population 412Lowest 467Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -13.8% —

Median age 32.7±6.4Highest 16% below IL 29.8±11.3Lowest 24% below IL

Ashley and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 35%±5.5Highest IL: 21.8% 32.3%±10Lowest IL: 21.8%

Ashley and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 14.1%±7Highest IL: 17% 10.7%±2.7Lowest IL: 17%

Ashley and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 1.9%Lowest IL: 37.8% 5%Highest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±4.5Lowest IL: 6.3% 0.9%±3Highest IL: 6.3%

Mason and Ashley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $49,559±$6kLowest 41% below IL $65,455±$12kHighest 22% below IL

Mason and Ashley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $82,500±$28kLowest 69% below IL $82,900±$14kHighest 69% below IL

Mason and Ashley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $729±$75Lowest 43% below IL $911±$584Highest 28% below IL

Mason and Ashley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,198Lowest 77% below IL $1,491Highest 72% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 50%±59.3Lowest IL: 47.9% 59.1%±82.2Highest IL: 47.9%

Mason and Ashley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 34.3%Lowest IL: 11.8% 35.5%Highest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 74.7%Lowest IL: 67.1% 78%Highest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1958Lowest 13 yrs older than IL 1973Highest 2 yrs newer than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 26 minHighest 5% below IL 23 minLowest 16% below IL

Work from home 0.7%±1.3Lowest IL: 15.9% 4.4%±5.2Highest IL: 15.9%

Mason and Ashley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 1.8%Highest 0%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 24.3 miHighest 14.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.32Highest 0.01Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Nashville (19%)Effingham (39%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in MasonFew work in Ashley

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 46.2Highest 32.6Lowest

Illinois average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024

Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Ashley neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ashley’s Town Square.

Mason neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mason’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Ashley and Mason

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Towns like Ashley

+ Compare

Willisville467 people · $57K homes

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Versailles441 people · $91K homes

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Kilbourne268 people · $73K homes

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Bluford483 people · $95K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

Ashley vs Mason

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs $400 more a month in Ashley

What daily life feels like in each

53 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Ashley and Mason

Towns like Ashley

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