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Shafter Township vs Sharon Township

Next-door neighbors in Fayette County. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (66× in Shafter Township) and size (4× in Sharon Township).

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Shafter Township, ILA regional job hubFayette County · 753 people
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Sharon Township, ILAn outdoors townFayette County · 3,006 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.

Shafter TownshipA regional job hub
Work371 jobsbased in Shafter Township, a regional job hub All about Shafter Township →
Sharon TownshipAn outdoors town
Outdoors#347 most conserved land in IL1.7 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves Health63% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Sharon 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 worker66×
Shafter Township is more of a job hub
Shafter Township 1.98Sharon Township 0.03
Size4×
Sharon Township is the bigger place
Sharon Township 3,006Shafter Township 753
Age 65++9.8 pts
Shafter Township has more people 65 and up
Shafter Township 20.3%Sharon Township 10.5%
Bachelor’s degree++15.4 pts
More adults in Sharon Township have a degree
Sharon Township 35.2%Shafter Township 19.8%
Homeowners+11.8 pts renters
Sharon Township has more renters
Shafter Township 95%Sharon Township 83.2%
Typical home built16 yrs
Sharon Township’s homes are older
Shafter Township 1996Sharon Township 1980
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $400 more a month in Shafter 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.

Shafter Township$1,790/mo
Typical home $291K (Census) · tax rate 1.10% · Housing →
Sharon Township$1,390/mo
Typical home $222K (Census) · tax rate 1.22% · Housing →

The difference: $400 a month, about $4,800 a year, between Shafter Township and Sharon 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

Shafter Township and Sharon Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Shafter TownshipSharon TownshipShafter TownshipSharon Township
Shafter Township ↔ Sharon Township5.5 miles apart · They share a border · Same county
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.

Health
–Shafter TownshipNot graded C+Sharon TownshipHealthier than 37% 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
Shafter TownshipSharon Township
Snow a year13″13″
January low19°F19°F
July high85°F85°F
Growing season (days)185d185d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)65th65th
Outdoors & history
Shafter TownshipSharon Township
Trails2 mi2 mi
Conserved land0.6%4.6%
Famous people born here1—
Community
Shafter TownshipSharon 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.

Shafter TownshipSharon Township
People
Population 753Lowest 3,006Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +21.6%
Median age 42±8.3Lowest 8% above IL 42.4±5.8Highest 9% above IL
Sharon Township and Shafter Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 25.9%±6.7Highest IL: 21.8% 16.9%±5.4Lowest IL: 21.8%
Shafter Township and Sharon Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 20.3%±1.5Highest IL: 17% 10.5%±5.8Lowest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.8%Lowest IL: 37.8% 35.2%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0%±2.4Lowest IL: 6.3% 6.7%±4.7Highest IL: 6.3%
Sharon Township and Shafter Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $93,125±$76kLowest 12% above IL $106,727±$19kHighest 28% above IL
Sharon Township and Shafter Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $291,300±$149kHighest 11% above IL $222,400±$95kLowest 16% below IL
Shafter Township and Sharon Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $3,196Highest 40% below IL $2,705Lowest 49% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent — 79.5%±45.9 IL: 47.9%
Below poverty line 6.9%Lowest IL: 11.8% 15.1%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 95%Highest IL: 67.1% 83.2%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1996Highest 25 yrs newer than IL 1980Lowest 9 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minLowest 14% below IL 27 minHighest about the IL average
Work from home 17.6%±18Highest IL: 15.9% 2.1%±3Lowest IL: 15.9%
Shafter Township and Sharon Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 1.6%Highest 0%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 31.3 miLowest 32.8 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.98Highest 0.03Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Vandalia (26%)Vandalia (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Sharon TownshipFew work in Shafter Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.6%Lowest 4.6%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.5 miLowest 1.7 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 3.0Lowest 4.0Highest
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.

Shafter Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Shafter Township’s Town Square.

Sharon Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Sharon Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Bordering Shafter Township

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Bear Grove Township602 people · $133K homes
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Fillmore Consolidated Township857 people · $103K homes
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South Hurricane Township261 people · $133K homes
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Mulberry Grove Township1,459 people · $123K homes

Towns like Shafter Township

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Fall River Township900 people · $243K homes
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Florence Township888 people · $293K homes
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Millington729 people · $231K homes
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Mechanicsburg728 people · $189K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Illinois towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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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