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Compare towns

Thomson vs Otego Township

218 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+177.3 pts in Thomson) and street grid (4.1× in Thomson).

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Thomson, ILHomes around $163KIllinois · 1,757 people
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Otego Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsFayette County · 1,306 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.

ThomsonHomes around $163K
Housing$163K typical home45% below the IL typical home Health64% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Thomson →
Otego TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
Health74% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates All about Otego 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.

Growth since 2010+177.3 pts
Thomson has grown faster since 2010
Thomson +172.9%Otego Township -4.4%
Street grid4.1×
Thomson has the more walkable street grid
Thomson 19.5Otego Township 4.8
Property tax bill+82%
Tax bills are bigger in Thomson
Thomson $2,167Otego Township $1,193
Kids under 18+19.6 pts
Otego Township has more kids
Otego Township 21.4%Thomson 1.8%
Age 65++15.8 pts
Otego Township has more people 65 and up
Otego Township 23.5%Thomson 7.7%
Average commute7 min
Thomson has the shorter commute
Otego Township 24 minThomson 18 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $320 more a month in Thomson

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.

Thomson$1,110/mo
Typical home $163K (Zillow) · tax rate 1.85% · or rent about $918/mo · Housing →
Otego Township$790/mo
Typical home $131K (Census) · tax rate 0.91% · or rent about $958/mo · Housing →

The difference: $320 a month, about $3,900 a year, between Thomson and Otego 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
–ThomsonNot graded C+Otego TownshipBetter than 42% of districts in the state
Health
C+ThomsonHealthier than 36% of U.S. towns COtego TownshipHealthier than 26% 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
ThomsonOtego Township
Snow a year33″10″
January low11°F21°F
July high85°F88°F
Growing season (days)154d197d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)56th77th
Outdoors & history
ThomsonOtego Township
Archive photos7—
Community
ThomsonOtego Township
Library hours a week24 hrs26 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined10

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

218 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ThomsonILOtego TownshipFayette County
Thomson ↔ Otego Township218 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.

ThomsonOtego Township
People
Population 1,757Highest 1,306Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +172.9%Highest -4.4%Lowest
Median age 40.7±1.4Highest 4% above IL 38.7±4.2Lowest about the IL average
Thomson and Otego Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 1.8%±1.1Lowest IL: 21.8% 21.4%±3.9Highest IL: 21.8%
Age 65+ 7.7%±2.2Lowest IL: 17% 23.5%±6Highest IL: 17%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 4.4%Lowest IL: 37.8% 8.3%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±2.1Highest IL: 6.3% 3.2%±3.9Lowest IL: 6.3%
Thomson and Otego Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $61,250±$25kHighest 27% below IL $54,286±$12kLowest 35% below IL
Thomson and Otego Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $117,000±$28kLowest 56% below IL $130,900±$23kHighest 50% below IL
Otego Township and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $918±$260Lowest 28% below IL $958±$120Highest 25% below IL
Otego Township and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $2,167Highest 59% below IL $1,193Lowest 77% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.1%±27.7Lowest IL: 47.9% 66.9%±22Highest IL: 47.9%
Otego Township and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 21.3%Highest IL: 11.8% 18.2%Lowest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 69.3%Highest IL: 67.1% 68%Lowest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 1965Highest 6 yrs older than IL 1964Lowest 7 yrs older than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 37% below IL 24 minHighest 13% below IL
Work from home 1.3%±2Lowest IL: 15.9% 5.3%±3.4Highest IL: 15.9%
Otego Township and Thomson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.1%Lowest 5.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 46.3 miHighest 25.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.39Lowest 0.41Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Clinton (8%)Vandalia (11%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Otego TownshipFew work in Thomson
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0.4%Lowest 1.4%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 miLowest 0.5 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 19.5Highest 4.8Lowest
Schools
School district —Brownstown CUSD 201
High school in town —Brownstown High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 11.9
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.

Thomson neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Thinking of Buying in Thomson

1 neighbor in Thomson can answer.

Otego Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Otego Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Thomson

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Albion2,001 people · $94K 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.

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