Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Cruger Township vs Downs Township

33 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (10 min in Downs Township).

C ×
Cruger Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsWoodford County · 1,906 people
×
Downs Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsMcLean County · 1,275 people
Swap order
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.

Cruger TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Cruger Township →
Downs TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 88%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 84%of IL districts All about Downs Township →
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.

Average commute10 min
Downs Township has the shorter commute
Cruger Township 31 minDowns Township 21 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

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.

Cruger Township$1,750/mo
Typical home $254K (Census) · tax rate 1.96% · Housing →
Downs Township$1,620/mo
Typical home $229K (Census) · tax rate 2.19% · or rent about $1,308/mo · Housing →

The difference: $130 a month, about $1,600 a year, between Cruger Township and Downs 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.

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.

Schools
–Cruger TownshipNot graded A−Downs TownshipBetter than 84% of districts in the state
Health
B+Cruger TownshipHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns ADowns TownshipHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns
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
Cruger TownshipDowns Township
Snow a year21″7″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)50th58th
Outdoors & history
Cruger TownshipDowns Township
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0.4%0%
Settled—1870
Community
Cruger TownshipDowns 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.

Where they are

33 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Cruger TownshipWoodford CountyDowns TownshipMcLean County
Cruger Township ↔ Downs Township33 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.

Cruger TownshipDowns Township
People
Population 1,906Highest 1,275Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +8.6%Highest +6.3%Lowest
Median age 38.3±4.7Highest about the IL average 37.3±8.9Lowest 4% below IL
Cruger Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29.7%±7.6Highest IL: 21.8% 29.3%±6Lowest IL: 21.8%
Cruger Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.5%±4.8Lowest IL: 17% 16.9%±4.9Highest IL: 17%
Downs Township and Cruger Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 48.9%Highest IL: 37.8% 47.8%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.6%±1.2Lowest IL: 6.3% 3.6%±1.8Highest IL: 6.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $108,024±$26kHighest 30% above IL $92,083±$29kLowest 10% above IL
Cruger Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $254,300±$28kHighest 3% below IL $229,100±$26kLowest 13% below IL
Cruger Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $1,308±$186 about the IL average
Property taxmedian, yearly $4,996Lowest 6% below IL $5,018Highest 5% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 100%±100Highest IL: 47.9% 34.4%±58.3Lowest IL: 47.9%
Cruger Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 1.1%Lowest IL: 11.8% 7.5%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 86.5%Lowest IL: 67.1% 90.4%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1978Lowest 7 yrs newer than IL 1979Highest 8 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 12% above IL 21 minLowest 24% below IL
Work from home 16.1%±12.9Highest IL: 15.9% 15.7%±5.8Lowest IL: 15.9%
Cruger Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5%Highest 3.8%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.8 miHighest 9.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.75Highest 0.59Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Eureka (18%)Bloomington (50%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Downs TownshipFew work in Cruger Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.4%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 1.1 miLowest 1.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 1Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 3.4Highest 2.5Lowest
Schools
School district —Tri Valley CUSD 3
High school in town —Tri-Valley High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 13.4
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.

Cruger Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cruger Township’s Town Square.

Downs Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Downs Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Cruger Township and Downs Township

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

Bordering Cruger Township

O
+ Compare
Olio Township4,691 people · $146K homes
+ Compare
Metamora Township4,513 people · $208K homes
+ Compare
Eureka5,007 people · $154K homes
+ Compare
Washington Township24,276 people · $202K homes

Towns like Cruger Township

+ Compare
Hamel Township2,756 people · $316K homes
+ Compare
Sangamon Township2,505 people · $303K homes
T
+ Compare
Teutopolis Township2,751 people · $236K homes
D
+ Compare
Dale Township1,345 people · $233K 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.

Post to Cruger Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in