Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Jackson Township vs Summit Township

Next-door neighbors in Effingham County. The biggest differences: trails (6.3× in Summit Township) and home values (+92% in Summit Township).

×
Jackson Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsEffingham County · 1,168 people
×
Summit Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsEffingham County · 3,743 people
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.

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.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $970 more a month in Summit 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.

Jackson Township$1,020/mo
Typical home $163K (Census) · tax rate 1.23% · Housing →
Summit Township$1,990/mo
Typical home $313K (Census) · tax rate 1.33% · or rent about $849/mo · Housing →

The difference: $970 a month, about $11,600 a year, between Summit Township and Jackson 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

Jackson Township and Summit Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Jackson TownshipSummit TownshipJackson TownshipSummit Township
Jackson Township ↔ Summit Township6.9 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
Report cards

Summit Township places higher on 11 of 18 IL lists

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.

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
Jackson TownshipSummit Township
Snow a year15″15″
January low20°F20°F
July high89°F89°F
Growing season (days)191d191d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)52nd30th
Outdoors & history
Jackson TownshipSummit Township
Trails—2 mi
Conserved land—0.2%
Settled—1860
Archive photos—3
Community
Jackson TownshipSummit 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.

Jackson TownshipSummit Township
People
Population 1,168Lowest 3,743Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +1%Lowest +4.9%Highest
Median age 45.2±15.4Lowest 16% above IL 46.3±9.9Highest 19% above IL
Summit Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 23.5%±6Lowest IL: 21.8% 24.4%±6.4Highest IL: 21.8%
Summit Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.4%±3.5Lowest IL: 17% 23.2%±4.3Highest IL: 17%
Summit Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 23.3%Lowest IL: 37.8% 35.5%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.1%±1.7Lowest IL: 6.3% 3.9%±1.8Highest IL: 6.3%
Summit Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $72,560±$29kLowest 13% below IL $111,488±$17kHighest 34% above IL
Summit Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $163,100±$25kLowest 38% below IL $313,400±$33kHighest 19% above IL
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $849±$135 33% below IL
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,000Lowest 62% below IL $4,178Highest 21% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent — 0%±41.3 IL: 47.9%
Below poverty line 27.9%Highest IL: 11.8% 2.7%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 96.9%Highest IL: 67.1% 93%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1986Lowest 15 yrs newer than IL 1990Highest 19 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 26% below IL 22 minHighest 21% below IL
Work from home 4.8%±4Lowest IL: 15.9% 6.1%±3.7Highest IL: 15.9%
Summit Township and Jackson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0.2%Lowest 3%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.3 miHighest 6.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.06Lowest 0.27Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Effingham (42%)Effingham (43%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Summit TownshipFew work in Jackson Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 0.2%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.3 miLowest 1.9 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 miLowest 0.1 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.7Lowest 7.6Highest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #33 of 384 in IL—
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.

Jackson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Jackson Township’s Town Square.

Summit Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Summit Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Jackson Township and Summit Township

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

Bordering Jackson Township

Towns like Jackson Township

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 Jackson 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