Compare towns

Downs Township vs Cruger Township

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

Downs Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsMcLean County · 1,275 people

C ×

Cruger Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsWoodford County · 1,906 people

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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.

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 →

Cruger TownshipOne of the healthiest towns

HealthHealthier than 68%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Cruger 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.

Down paymentRate%

Downs Township$1,620/mo

Typical home $229K (Census) · tax rate 2.19% · or rent about $1,308/mo · Housing →

Cruger Township$1,750/mo

Typical home $254K (Census) · tax rate 1.96% · 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

A−Downs TownshipBetter than 84% of districts in the state –Cruger TownshipNot graded

Health

ADowns TownshipHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns B+Cruger TownshipHealthier than 68% 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

Downs TownshipCruger Township

Snow a year7″21″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th 50th

Outdoors & history

Downs TownshipCruger Township

Trails1 mi 1 mi

Conserved land0%0.4%

Settled1870 —

Community

Downs TownshipCruger Township

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

33 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Downs TownshipMcLean County Cruger TownshipWoodford County

Downs Township ↔ Cruger 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.

Only big differences vs Illinois average

Downs TownshipCruger Township

People

Population 1,275Lowest 1,906Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3%Lowest +8.6%Highest

Median age 37.3±8.9Lowest 4% below IL 38.3±4.7Highest about the IL average

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 29.3%±6Lowest IL: 21.8% 29.7%±7.6Highest 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+ 16.9%±4.9Highest IL: 17% 16.5%±4.8Lowest 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+ 47.8%Lowest IL: 37.8% 48.9%Highest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±1.8Highest IL: 6.3% 0.6%±1.2Lowest IL: 6.3%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $92,083±$29kLowest 10% above IL $108,024±$26kHighest 30% 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 $229,100±$26kLowest 13% below IL $254,300±$28kHighest 3% 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 $5,018Highest 5% below IL $4,996Lowest 6% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.4%±58.3Lowest IL: 47.9% 100%±100Highest 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 7.5%Highest IL: 11.8% 1.1%Lowest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 90.4%Highest IL: 67.1% 86.5%Lowest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 8 yrs newer than IL 1978Lowest 7 yrs newer than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 24% below IL 31 minHighest 12% above IL

Work from home 15.7%±5.8Lowest IL: 15.9% 16.1%±12.9Highest 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 3.8%Lowest 5%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 15.8 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Lowest 0.75Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Bloomington (50%)Eureka (18%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Cruger TownshipFew work in Downs Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.4%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miHighest 1.1 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.5Lowest 3.4Highest

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.

Downs Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Downs Township’s Town Square.

Cruger Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Cruger Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Downs Township

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Seward Township894 people · $216K homes

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Hudson1,918 people · $225K homes

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Downs1,641 people · $241K 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.

Downs Township vs Cruger Township

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they differ most

A typical home costs about the same each month

Grades and rankings, side by side

What daily life feels like in each

33 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Downs Township and Cruger Township

Bordering Downs Township

Towns like Downs Township

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