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Mound Township vs Avena Township

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: home values (+41% in Mound Township) and property tax bill (+37% in Mound Township).

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Mound Township, ILKnown for its schoolsEffingham County · 3,532 people

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Avena Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsFayette County · 1,888 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.

Mound TownshipKnown for its schools

Schools#166 for schools in ILof 384 towns All about Mound Township →

Avena TownshipOne of the healthiest towns

Health83% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 22%of IL districts All about Avena 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.

Home values+41%

Homes cost more in Mound Township

Mound Township $135,000Avena Township $96,000

Property tax bill+37%

Tax bills are bigger in Mound Township

Mound Township $1,837Avena Township $1,345

Jobs per worker+68%

Avena Township is more of a job hub

Avena Township 0.99Mound Township 0.59

Bachelor’s degree++9.7 pts

More adults in Mound Township have a degree

Mound Township 22.2%Avena Township 12.5%

Street grid+44%

Mound Township has the more walkable street grid

Mound Township 7.2Avena Township 5.0

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $250 more a month in Mound 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.

Down paymentRate%

Mound Township$860/mo

Typical home $135K (Census) · tax rate 1.36% · or rent about $782/mo · Housing →

Avena Township$620/mo

Typical home $96K (Census) · tax rate 1.40% · or rent about $749/mo · Housing →

The difference: $250 a month, about $2,900 a year, between Mound Township and Avena 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

C+Mound TownshipBetter than 44% of districts in the state C−Avena TownshipBetter than 22% of districts in the state

Health

B−Mound TownshipHealthier than 55% of U.S. towns C−Avena TownshipHealthier than 17% of U.S. towns

Where they are

Mound Township and Avena Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Mound TownshipAvena Township

Mound Township ↔ Avena Township6.1 miles apart · They share a border

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

Mound TownshipAvena Township

Snow a year16″16″

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)57th 60th

Outdoors & history

Mound TownshipAvena Township

Trails6 mi 5 mi

Conserved land1.2%0%

Community

Mound TownshipAvena Township

Library hours a week27 hrs 29 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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.

Only big differences vs Illinois average

Mound TownshipAvena Township

People

Population 3,532Highest 1,888Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -2%Highest -5.6%Lowest

Median age 43.6±5.6Highest 12% above IL 42.3±5.9Lowest 8% above IL

Mound Township and Avena Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 22.9%±4Highest IL: 21.8% 22.4%±3.5Lowest IL: 21.8%

Mound Township and Avena Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 21.5%±4.2Highest IL: 17% 20.3%±3.9Lowest IL: 17%

Mound Township and Avena Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 22.2%Highest IL: 37.8% 12.5%Lowest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 5%±2.8Highest IL: 6.3% 4.1%±2.1Lowest IL: 6.3%

Mound Township and Avena Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $75,313±$19kHighest 10% below IL $51,023±$13kLowest 39% below IL

Mound Township and Avena Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $135,000±$16kHighest 49% below IL $96,000±$18kLowest 64% below IL

Rentmedian gross, monthly $782±$87Highest 39% below IL $749±$30Lowest 41% below IL

Mound Township and Avena Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,837Highest 65% below IL $1,345Lowest 75% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 42.4%±20.2Highest IL: 47.9% 30.1%±35.9Lowest IL: 47.9%

Mound Township and Avena Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 10.9%Lowest IL: 11.8% 20%Highest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 82.3%Lowest IL: 67.1% 83.2%Highest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1974Highest 3 yrs newer than IL 1967Lowest 4 yrs older than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 25% below IL 21 minHighest 23% below IL

Work from home 8.6%±5.6Lowest IL: 15.9% 13.6%±5.8Highest IL: 15.9%

Avena Township and Mound Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 17.4%Highest 12.9%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 12.3 miLowest 21.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.59Lowest 0.99Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Effingham (29%)Effingham (16%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Avena TownshipFew work in Mound Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.2%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 5.6 miHighest 5.2 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.1 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 7.2Highest 5.0Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #166 of 384 in IL—

School district Altamont CUSD 10St Elmo CUSD 202

High school in town Altamont High SchoolSt Elmo Sr High School

Students per teacherat that high school 10.8Lowest 12.8Highest

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.

Mound Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mound Township’s Town Square.

Avena Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Avena Township’s Town Square.

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Bordering Mound Township

Jackson Township1,168 people · $163K homes

West Township376 people · $216K homes

Moccasin Township305 people · $136K homes

Towns like Mound Township

Camargo Township3,498 people · $146K homes

Knoxville3,211 people · $145K homes

West Point Township3,130 people · $159K homes

Catlin Township3,059 people · $138K 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.