Guest, Sign inJoin
Compare towns

Lowe Township vs Garfield Township

98 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (4.1× in Garfield Township) and property tax bill (+59% in Garfield Township).

×
Lowe Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsMoultrie County · 1,775 people
×
Garfield Township, ILA small town of 1,511Grundy County · 1,511 people
Swap order
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.

Lowe TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health76% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 74%of IL districts All about Lowe Township →
Garfield TownshipA small town of 1,511
Quiet strengthsGarfield Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Garfield 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.

Street grid4.1×
Garfield Township has the more walkable street grid
Garfield Township 11.6Lowe Township 2.8
Property tax bill+59%
Tax bills are bigger in Garfield Township
Garfield Township $3,929Lowe Township $2,471
Work from home+15.5 pts
More people work from home in Lowe Township
Lowe Township 17.1%Garfield Township 1.6%
Jobs per worker2.5×
Lowe Township is more of a job hub
Lowe Township 1.35Garfield Township 0.54
Average commute12 min
Lowe Township has the shorter commute
Garfield Township 30 minLowe Township 19 min
Growth since 2010+10.7 pts
Lowe Township has grown faster since 2010
Lowe Township +2.4%Garfield Township -8.3%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $310 more a month in Garfield 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.

Lowe Township$1,040/mo
Typical home $159K (Census) · tax rate 1.56% · or rent about $775/mo · Housing →
Garfield Township$1,350/mo
Typical home $194K (Census) · tax rate 2.02% · or rent about $974/mo · Housing →

The difference: $310 a month, about $3,700 a year, between Garfield Township and Lowe 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
B+Lowe TownshipBetter than 74% of districts in the state B−Garfield TownshipBetter than 54% of districts in the state
Health
C−Lowe TownshipHealthier than 24% of U.S. towns C+Garfield TownshipHealthier than 44% 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
Lowe TownshipGarfield Township
Snow a year7″23″
January low—14°F
July high—84°F
Growing season (days)—170d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)76th76th
Outdoors & history
Lowe TownshipGarfield Township
Trails2 mi—
Conserved land0.3%—
Community
Lowe TownshipGarfield Township
Library hours a week57 hrs—
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

98 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Lowe TownshipMoultrie CountyGarfield TownshipGrundy County
Lowe Township ↔ Garfield Township98 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.

Lowe TownshipGarfield Township
People
Population 1,775Highest 1,511Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +2.4%Highest -8.3%Lowest
Median age 39.2±9.1Highest about the IL average 39.1±8.6Lowest about the IL average
Lowe Township and Garfield Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 28.9%±4.9Highest IL: 21.8% 19.1%±4Lowest IL: 21.8%
Age 65+ 24.8%±3.2Highest IL: 17% 12.6%±2.1Lowest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.6%Lowest IL: 37.8% 17.7%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.7%±1.8Lowest IL: 6.3% 4.3%±1.8Highest IL: 6.3%
Garfield Township and Lowe Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $85,000±$9kLowest about the IL average $88,092±$10kHighest 6% above IL
Garfield Township and Lowe Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $158,900±$23kLowest 40% below IL $194,400±$21kHighest 26% below IL
Garfield Township and Lowe Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $775±$33Lowest 39% below IL $974±$121Highest 24% below IL
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,471Lowest 53% below IL $3,929Highest 26% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 7.1%±14.7Lowest IL: 47.9% 41%±23.6Highest IL: 47.9%
Garfield Township and Lowe Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.6%Lowest IL: 11.8% 16%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 73.5%Lowest IL: 67.1% 76.7%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1975Highest 4 yrs newer than IL 1965Lowest 6 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 33% below IL 30 minHighest 8% above IL
Work from home 17.1%±12.2Highest IL: 15.9% 1.6%±1.4Lowest IL: 15.9%
Work in townworking residents 11.2%Highest 3.9%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 15.3 miLowest 29.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.35Highest 0.54Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Arthur (17%)Chicago (10%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Garfield TownshipFew work in Lowe Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Highest 0%Lowest
Trailsmapped miles 2.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 2.8Lowest 11.6Highest
Schools
School district —Gardner CCSD 72C · Gardner S Wilmington Twp HSD 73
High school in town —Gardner-South Wilmington Twp H S
Students per teacherat that high school — 8.6
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.

Lowe Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lowe Township’s Town Square.

Garfield Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Garfield Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Lowe Township and Garfield Township

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

Bordering Lowe Township

L
+ Compare
Lovington Township1,545 people · $97K homes
J
+ Compare
Jonathan Creek Township1,008 people · $236K homes
G
+ Compare
Garrett Township1,012 people · $166K homes

Towns like Lowe Township

O
+ Compare
Otto Township1,935 people · $180K homes
G
+ Compare
Gardner1,410 people · $200K homes
V
+ Compare
Villa Grove2,349 people · $126K homes
+ Compare
Erie1,614 people · $152K 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.

Post to Lowe 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