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Ricks Township vs Viola

139 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (19.3× in Viola) and property tax bill (+86% in Viola).

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Ricks Township, ILKnown for its schoolsChristian County · 1,177 people

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Viola, ILHomes around $170KIllinois · 899 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.

Ricks TownshipKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 31%of IL districts All about Ricks Township →

ViolaHomes around $170K

Housing$170K typical home43% below the IL typical home All about Viola →

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.

Street grid19.3×

Viola has the more walkable street grid

Viola 84.7Ricks Township 4.4

Property tax bill+86%

Tax bills are bigger in Viola

Viola $3,043Ricks Township $1,636

Jobs per worker+78%

Viola is more of a job hub

Viola 0.80Ricks Township 0.45

Growth since 2010+4.9 pts

Ricks Township has grown faster since 2010

Ricks Township -4.1%Viola -9%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $570 more a month in Viola

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%

Ricks Township$680/mo

Typical home $104K (Census) · tax rate 1.57% · or rent about $766/mo · Housing →

Viola$1,250/mo

Typical home $170K (Zillow) · tax rate 2.54% · or rent about $705/mo · Housing →

The difference: $570 a month, about $6,800 a year, between Viola and Ricks 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

CRicks TownshipBetter than 31% of districts in the state –ViolaNot graded

Health

BRicks TownshipHealthier than 60% of U.S. towns –ViolaNot graded

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

Ricks TownshipViola

Snow a year16″22″

January low19°F 13°F

July high86°F 85°F

Growing season (days)190d 181d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)45th 56th

Outdoors & history

Ricks TownshipViola

Trails6 mi 0 mi

Conserved land0.3%0%

Archive photos1 1

Community

Ricks TownshipViola

Library hours a week29 hrs 38 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.

Where they are

139 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Ricks TownshipChristian County ViolaIL

Ricks Township ↔ Viola139 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.

Only big differences vs Illinois average

Ricks TownshipViola

People

Population 1,177Highest 899Lowest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -4.1%Highest -9%Lowest

Median age 48.9±7.6Highest 25% above IL 46.6±4.1Lowest 19% above IL

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

Kids under 18 18.3%±5.9Highest IL: 21.8% 16.7%±3.7Lowest IL: 21.8%

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

Age 65+ 21.9%±2.7Highest IL: 17% 20.1%±3.6Lowest IL: 17%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15.6%Lowest IL: 37.8% 18.6%Highest IL: 37.8%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±2.8Highest IL: 6.3% 2.6%±1.4Lowest IL: 6.3%

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

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $78,864±$20kHighest 5% below IL $72,500±$11kLowest 13% below IL

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $104,200±$17kLowest 60% below IL $120,000±$11kHighest 54% below IL

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $766±$50Highest 40% below IL $705±$72Lowest 45% below IL

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,636Lowest 69% below IL $3,043Highest 43% below IL

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 44.8%±65.5Highest IL: 47.9% 36.4%±43.4Lowest IL: 47.9%

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

Below poverty line 14.7%Highest IL: 11.8% 9.3%Lowest IL: 11.8%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 92.4%Highest IL: 67.1% 91.8%Lowest IL: 67.1%

Typical home builtmedian year 1959Lowest 12 yrs older than IL 1961Highest 10 yrs older than IL

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 25 minLowest 9% below IL 26 minHighest 5% below IL

Work from home 4.3%±2.6Lowest IL: 15.9% 11%±6.8Highest IL: 15.9%

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

Work in townworking residents 2.8%Lowest 3.7%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 28.3 miHighest 21.3 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.45Lowest 0.80Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Taylorville (22%)Davenport (10%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ViolaFew work in Ricks Township

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0.3%Highest 0%Lowest

Trailsmapped miles 5.9 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 4.4Lowest 84.7Highest

Schools

School district Morrisonville CUSD 1—

High school in town Morrisonville High School—

Students per teacherat that high school 10.1 —

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.

Ricks Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Ricks Township’s Town Square.

Viola neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Viola’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Ricks Township and Viola

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

Bordering Ricks Township

Bear Creek Township464 people · $110K homes

Greenwood Township175 people · $272K homes

Rountree Township152 people · $156K homes

Towns like Ricks Township

Morrisonville926 people · $96K homes

Newman Township1,107 people · $111K homes

Greene Township1,391 people · $136K homes

Oxford Township1,213 people · $137K 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.