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Downs Township vs Empire Township

Next-door neighbors in McLean County. The biggest differences: rent (+56% in Downs Township) and street grid (2.6× in Empire Township).

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Downs Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsMcLean County · 1,275 people
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Empire Township, ILKnown for its schoolsMcLean County · 3,993 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 →
Empire TownshipKnown for its schools
Schools#111 for schools in ILof 384 towns HealthHealthier than 78%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Empire Township →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Rent+56%
Rent runs higher in Downs Township
Downs Township $1,308Empire Township $837
Street grid2.6×
Empire Township has the more walkable street grid
Empire Township 6.6Downs Township 2.5
Trails2.6×
Downs Township has more miles of trail
Downs Township 1.3 miEmpire Township 0.5 mi
Home values+31%
Homes cost more in Downs Township
Downs Township $229,100Empire Township $174,600
Growth since 2010+8.7 pts
Downs Township has grown faster since 2010
Downs Township +6.3%Empire Township -2.4%
Size3.1×
Empire Township is the bigger place
Empire Township 3,993Downs Township 1,275
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $380 more a month in Downs 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.

Downs Township$1,620/mo
Typical home $229K (Census) · tax rate 2.19% · or rent about $1,308/mo · Housing →
Empire Township$1,240/mo
Typical home $175K (Census) · tax rate 2.21% · or rent about $837/mo · Housing →

The difference: $380 a month, about $4,600 a year, between Downs Township and Empire 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

Downs Township and Empire Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Downs TownshipEmpire TownshipDowns TownshipEmpire Township
Downs Township ↔ Empire 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.

Schools
A−Downs TownshipBetter than 84% of districts in the state A−Empire TownshipBetter than 79% of districts in the state
Health
ADowns TownshipHealthier than 88% of U.S. towns A−Empire TownshipHealthier than 78% 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 TownshipEmpire Township
Snow a year7″20″
January low—16°F
July high—86°F
Growing season (days)—172d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)58th47th
Outdoors & history
Downs TownshipEmpire Township
Trails1 mi1 mi
Conserved land0%0.1%
Settled1870—
National Register places—1
Community
Downs TownshipEmpire 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.

Downs TownshipEmpire Township
People
Population 1,275Lowest 3,993Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3%Highest -2.4%Lowest
Median age 37.3±8.9Lowest 4% below IL 39.9±3.8Highest about the IL average
Empire 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%±6Highest IL: 21.8% 24.5%±4.2Lowest IL: 21.8%
Downs Township and Empire Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 16.9%±4.9Lowest IL: 17% 17.7%±3.5Highest IL: 17%
Empire 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%Highest IL: 37.8% 36.6%Lowest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.6%±1.8Highest IL: 6.3% 2.7%±1.2Lowest IL: 6.3%
Downs Township and Empire 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±$29kHighest 10% above IL $87,896±$15kLowest 5% above IL
Downs Township and Empire Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $229,100±$26kHighest 13% below IL $174,600±$15kLowest 34% below IL
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,308±$186Highest about the IL average $837±$37Lowest 34% below IL
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,018Highest 5% below IL $3,855Lowest 27% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 34.4%±58.3Lowest IL: 47.9% 36.6%±18.4Highest IL: 47.9%
Empire 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% 4.2%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 90.4%Highest IL: 67.1% 79.5%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1979Highest 8 yrs newer than IL 1973Lowest 2 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 24% below IL 23 minHighest 18% below IL
Work from home 15.7%±5.8Lowest IL: 15.9% 17.1%±5Highest IL: 15.9%
Empire 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 14.3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miLowest 15.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Highest 0.47Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Bloomington (50%)Bloomington (31%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Empire TownshipFew work in Downs Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.3 miHighest 0.5 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Lowest 2Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.5Lowest 6.6Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading —#111 of 384 in IL
School district Tri Valley CUSD 3LeRoy CUSD 2
High school in town Tri-Valley High SchoolLeRoy High School
Students per teacherat that high school 13.4Highest 10.0Lowest
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.

Empire Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Empire Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Downs Township and Empire Township

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Bordering Downs Township

R
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Randolph Township4,303 people · $218K homes
W
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Wilson Township127 people · $409K homes
O
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Old Town Township3,421 people · $346K homes
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Downs1,641 people · $241K homes

Towns like Downs Township

C
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Cruger Township1,906 people · $254K homes
D
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Dale Township1,345 people · $233K homes
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Seward Township894 people · $216K homes
H
+ Compare
Hudson1,918 people · $225K 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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