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Downs Township vs Dale Township

14 miles apart in McLean County. The biggest differences: trails (2.4× in Dale Township) and growth since 2010 (+9.7 pts in Downs Township).

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Downs Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsMcLean County · 1,275 people
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Dale Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsMcLean County · 1,345 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 →
Dale TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 87%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Dale 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.

Trails2.4×
Dale Township has more miles of trail
Dale Township 3.1 miDowns Township 1.3 mi
Growth since 2010+9.7 pts
Downs Township has grown faster since 2010
Downs Township +6.3%Dale Township -3.4%
★ 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.

Downs Township$1,620/mo
Typical home $229K (Census) · tax rate 2.19% · or rent about $1,308/mo · Housing →
Dale Township$1,660/mo
Typical home $233K (Census) · tax rate 2.27% · or rent about $1,440/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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 –Dale TownshipNot graded
Health
ADowns TownshipHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns ADale TownshipHealthier than 87% 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 TownshipDale Township
Snow a year7″7″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th50th
Outdoors & history
Downs TownshipDale Township
Trails1 mi3 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled1870—
Community
Downs TownshipDale 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

14 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Downs TownshipDale TownshipDowns TownshipDale Township
Downs Township ↔ Dale Township14 miles apart · Same county
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.

Downs TownshipDale Township
People
Population 1,275Lowest 1,345Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3%Highest -3.4%Lowest
Median age 37.3±8.9Lowest 4% below IL 40.9±5.4Highest 5% above IL
Dale 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%±6 IL: 21.8% 29.3%±5.5 IL: 21.8%
Age 65+ 16.9%±4.9Lowest IL: 17% 19.2%±5.7Highest IL: 17%
Dale Township and Downs 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% 51.7%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±1.8Lowest IL: 6.3% 5.8%±2.6Highest IL: 6.3%
Dale Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $92,083±$29kLowest 10% above IL $132,803±$20kHighest 59% above IL
Dale 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 $232,500±$65kHighest 12% below IL
Dale 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±$186Lowest about the IL average $1,440±$480Highest 13% above IL
Dale Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,018Lowest 5% below IL $5,286Highest about the IL average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.4%±58.3Highest IL: 47.9% 31.3%±79.9Lowest IL: 47.9%
Downs Township and Dale 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% 3%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 90.4%Lowest IL: 67.1% 92.7%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Lowest 8 yrs newer than IL 1982Highest 11 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 24% below IL 24 minHighest 14% below IL
Work from home 15.7%±5.8Lowest IL: 15.9% 17.3%±8.8Highest IL: 15.9%
Dale 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%Highest 1.3%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miHighest 8.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Highest 0.47Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Bloomington (50%)Bloomington (36%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Dale TownshipFew work in Downs Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miLowest 3.1 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.5Lowest 2.6Highest
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.

Dale Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Dale Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Downs Township

R
+ Compare
Randolph Township4,303 people · $218K homes
W
+ Compare
Wilson Township127 people · $409K homes
O
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Old Town Township3,421 people · $346K homes
E
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Empire Township3,993 people · $175K homes

Towns like Downs Township

C
+ Compare
Cruger Township1,906 people · $254K homes
+ Compare
Seward Township894 people · $216K homes
H
+ Compare
Hudson1,918 people · $225K homes
+ Compare
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.

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