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Buckeye Township vs Harlem Township

Next-door neighbors in Stephenson County. The biggest differences: median age (9.6 yrs in Harlem Township) and jobs per worker (2.1× in Harlem Township).

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Buckeye Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsStephenson County · 1,242 people
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Harlem Township, ILAn outdoors townStephenson County · 1,993 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Harlem Township

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.

Buckeye Township$1,100/mo
Typical home $155K (Census) · tax rate 2.25% · or rent about $775/mo · Housing →
Harlem Township$1,280/mo
Typical home $173K (Census) · tax rate 2.56% · or rent about $891/mo · Housing →

The difference: $170 a month, about $2,100 a year, between Harlem Township and Buckeye Township.

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.

Where they are

Buckeye Township and Harlem Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Buckeye TownshipHarlem TownshipBuckeye TownshipHarlem Township
Buckeye Township ↔ Harlem Township6.7 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Illinois ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

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
Buckeye TownshipHarlem Township
Snow a year35″35″
January low11°F11°F
July high82°F82°F
Growing season (days)169d169d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)32nd36th
Outdoors & history
Buckeye TownshipHarlem Township
Trails7 mi7 mi
Conserved land0.7%1.4%
National Register places22
Community
Buckeye TownshipHarlem Township
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

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.

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.

Buckeye TownshipHarlem Township
People
Population 1,242Lowest 1,993Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -12.1%Lowest -11.5%Highest
Median age 48.2±4.1Lowest 24% above IL 57.8±2.6Highest 48% above IL
Kids under 18 17.9%±4.6Highest IL: 21.8% 11.4%±3Lowest IL: 21.8%
Buckeye Township and Harlem Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 29.5%±4.9Lowest IL: 17% 34.9%±6.4Highest IL: 17%
Harlem Township and Buckeye Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 24.2%Highest IL: 37.8% 17%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.7%±2Highest IL: 6.3% 1.7%±1.8Lowest IL: 6.3%
Buckeye Township and Harlem Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $76,094±$8kLowest 9% below IL $95,000±$17kHighest 14% above IL
Harlem Township and Buckeye Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $155,300±$21kLowest 41% below IL $173,000±$17kHighest 34% below IL
Harlem Township and Buckeye Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $775±$170Lowest 39% below IL $891±$752Highest 30% below IL
Harlem Township and Buckeye Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,488Lowest 34% below IL $4,432Highest 16% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 0%±100 IL: 47.9% 0%±61.9 IL: 47.9%
Below poverty line 7.1%Highest IL: 11.8% 6.1%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 97.1%Highest IL: 67.1% 95.3%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1960Lowest 11 yrs older than IL 1974Highest 3 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 29 minLowest 4% above IL 31 minHighest 13% above IL
Work from home 7.2%±3.8Highest IL: 15.9% 6.7%±3.7Lowest IL: 15.9%
Buckeye Township and Harlem Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.6%Highest 1.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miHighest 13.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.16Lowest 0.33Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Freeport (18%)Freeport (35%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Harlem TownshipFew work in Buckeye Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.7%Lowest 1.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 7.1 miLowest 7.2 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 mi 0.2 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Lowest 3Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.5Lowest 3.7Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#241 of 384 in IL
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.

Buckeye Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Buckeye Township’s Town Square.

Harlem Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Harlem Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Buckeye Township

Towns like Buckeye Township

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.

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