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Elsah vs Darwin Township

147 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (20× in Darwin Township) and street grid (13.2× in Elsah).

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Elsah, ILA college townIllinois · 708 people
D ×
Darwin Township, ILA small town of 316Clark County · 316 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.

ElsahA college town
College town1 collegePrincipia College Outdoors31.7% conserved land2.9 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves All about Elsah →
Darwin TownshipA small town of 316
Quiet strengthsDarwin Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Darwin 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.

Jobs per worker20×
Darwin Township is more of a job hub
Darwin Township 0.20Elsah 0.01
Street grid13.2×
Elsah has the more walkable street grid
Elsah 34.3Darwin Township 2.6
In college+90.3 pts
Elsah is more of a college town
Elsah 90.3%Darwin Township 0%
Typical home built63 yrs
Elsah’s homes are older
Darwin Township 2001Elsah 1938
Bachelor’s degree++38.3 pts
More adults in Darwin Township have a degree
Darwin Township 100%Elsah 61.7%
Average commute15 min
Elsah has the shorter commute
Darwin Township 27 minElsah 11 min
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
ElsahDarwin Township
Snow a year9″15″
January low22°F21°F
July high88°F87°F
Growing season (days)203d201d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th46th
Outdoors & history
ElsahDarwin Township
Trails3 mi1 mi
Conserved land31.7%7.4%
National Register places2—
Archive photos6—
Community
ElsahDarwin Township
Colleges in town1—
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

147 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ElsahILDarwin TownshipClark County
Elsah ↔ Darwin Township147 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.

ElsahDarwin Township
People
Population 708Highest 316Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -22.9% —
Median age 20.3±0.7Lowest 48% below IL 22.4±11.5Highest 43% below IL
Darwin Township and Elsah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 0.1%±4.9Lowest IL: 21.8% 47.2%±54.6Highest IL: 21.8%
Darwin Township and Elsah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 7.2%±3.8Highest IL: 17% 4.1%±14.9Lowest IL: 17%
Elsah and Darwin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 61.7%Lowest IL: 37.8% 100%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 90.3%±5.1Highest IL: 6.3% 0%±5.8Lowest IL: 6.3%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $98,125±$94kHighest 18% above IL $83,491±$12kLowest about the IL average
Elsah and Darwin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $221,400±$34k 16% below IL —
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,406±$1k 10% above IL —
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,056 42% below IL —
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 20%±100Lowest IL: 47.9% 100%±73.5Highest IL: 47.9%
Darwin Township and Elsah are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 25%Highest IL: 11.8% 15.8%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 87.2%Highest IL: 67.1% 74%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1938Lowest 33 yrs older than IL 2001Highest 30 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 11 minLowest 59% below IL 27 minHighest 4% below IL
Work from home 19.5%±14.7Highest IL: 15.9% 0%±12Lowest IL: 15.9%
Elsah and Darwin Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.4%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 17.8 miLowest 18.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.01Lowest 0.20Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Jerseyville (9%)Marshall (26%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Darwin TownshipFew work in Elsah
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 31.7%Highest 7.4%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.9 miHighest 1.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 2.6 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 34.3Highest 2.6Lowest
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.

Elsah neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Elsah’s Town Square.

Darwin Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Darwin Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Elsah and Darwin Township

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Towns like Elsah

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Willow Creek Township901 people · $250K 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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