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Wilson Township vs Downs Township

Next-door neighbors. The biggest differences: trails (6.5× in Downs Township) and size (10× in Downs Township).

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Wilson Township, ILA small town of 127De Witt County · 127 people
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Downs Township, ILOne of the healthiest townsMcLean County · 1,275 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.

Wilson TownshipA small town of 127
Quiet strengthsWilson Township doesn’t stand out on the data we haveNeighbors can tell you what the numbers miss.
All about Wilson Township →
Downs TownshipOne of the healthiest towns
HealthHealthier than 88%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 84%of IL districts All about Downs 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.

Trails6.5×
Downs Township has more miles of trail
Downs Township 1.3 miWilson Township 0.2 mi
Size10×
Downs Township is the bigger place
Downs Township 1,275Wilson Township 127
Jobs per worker3.5×
Downs Township is more of a job hub
Downs Township 0.59Wilson Township 0.17
Typical home built22 yrs
Downs Township’s homes are older
Wilson Township 2001Downs Township 1979
Street grid+67%
Downs Township has the more walkable street grid
Downs Township 2.5Wilson Township 1.5
Homeowners+10.9 pts renters
Wilson Township has more renters
Downs Township 90.4%Wilson Township 79.5%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $1,140 more a month in Wilson 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.

Wilson Township$2,760/mo
Typical home $409K (Census) · tax rate est. 1.8% · Housing →
Downs Township$1,620/mo
Typical home $229K (Census) · tax rate 2.19% · or rent about $1,308/mo · Housing →

The difference: $1,140 a month, about $13,600 a year, between Wilson Township and Downs 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

Wilson Township and Downs Township share a border

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Wilson TownshipDowns TownshipWilson TownshipDowns Township
Wilson Township ↔ Downs Township6.2 miles apart · They share a border
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
–Wilson TownshipNot graded A−Downs TownshipBetter than 84% of districts in the state
Health
–Wilson TownshipNot graded ADowns TownshipHealthier than 88% 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
Wilson TownshipDowns Township
Snow a year20″7″
January low16°F—
July high86°F—
Growing season (days)172d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)43rd58th
Outdoors & history
Wilson TownshipDowns Township
Trails—1 mi
Conserved land—0%
Settled—1870
Community
Wilson TownshipDowns 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.

Wilson TownshipDowns Township
People
Population 127Lowest 1,275Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census — +6.3%
Median age 15.8±33.7Lowest 59% below IL 37.3±8.9Highest 4% below IL
Downs Township and Wilson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 51.2%±27Highest IL: 21.8% 29.3%±6Lowest IL: 21.8%
Wilson Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 6.3%±34.8Lowest IL: 17% 16.9%±4.9Highest IL: 17%
Downs Township and Wilson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 45.2%Lowest IL: 37.8% 47.8%Highest IL: 37.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 7.1%±13.1Highest IL: 6.3% 3.6%±1.8Lowest IL: 6.3%
Wilson Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian — $92,083±$29k 10% above IL
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $408,800±$252kHighest 55% above IL $229,100±$26kLowest 13% below IL
Wilson Township and Downs Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly — $1,308±$186 about the IL average
Property taxmedian, yearly — $5,018 5% below IL
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent — 34.4%±58.3 IL: 47.9%
Below poverty line 0%Lowest IL: 11.8% 7.5%Highest IL: 11.8%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 79.5%Lowest IL: 67.1% 90.4%Highest IL: 67.1%
Typical home builtmedian year 2001Highest 30 yrs newer than IL 1979Lowest 8 yrs newer than IL
Getting to work
Average commuteone way — 21 min 24% below IL
Work from home 0%±28.9Lowest IL: 15.9% 15.7%±5.8Highest IL: 15.9%
Downs Township and Wilson Township are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 3.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 32.3 miHighest 9.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.17Lowest 0.59Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Clinton (33%)Bloomington (50%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Downs TownshipFew work in Wilson Township
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.2 miLowest 1.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 1.5Lowest 2.5Highest
Schools
School district —Tri Valley CUSD 3
High school in town —Tri-Valley High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 13.4
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.

Wilson Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Wilson Township’s Town Square.

Downs Township neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Downs Township’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Wilson Township and Downs Township

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Bordering Wilson Township

R
+ Compare
Rutledge Township127 people · $327K homes
+ Compare
Wapella Township1,091 people · $215K homes

Towns like Wilson Township

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Newmansville Township99 people
B
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Bradford Township253 people · $244K homes
+ Compare
Greenwood Township175 people · $272K homes
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+ Compare
Philadelphia Township120 people · $275K 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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