Salem Baptist Church · National Register of Historic Places
Foster’s story
Foster in pictures
1 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →FosterIL
A town of 3,867. Healthier than 66% of U.S. towns.
Population
3,867
−5.6% since 2010
Median home value
$235K
Census ACS
Household income
$111K
median
Median age
53.4
years
Jobs based here
428
A commuter town
What makes Foster stand out
The thing Foster does most differently from other towns.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Foster for work
Where Foster’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
428jobs based in Foster
1%of working residents work in town
17 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Foster’s report card
Now in Foster
Be the first to start the conversation.
Residents weigh in
Foster is #3 of 820 in IL for “Longest growing season”. Fair?
Your answer becomes a post in Foster’s Town Square.
Start a conversation
Weather
Forecast →54°
Clear
H 83° · L 63°
Local news
All →- Congressmen Bill Foster and Sean Casten Join in FHLBank Chicago Roundtable Focused on Housing, Community Lending, and Economic Priorities in ChicagolandBusiness Wire · Aug 27
- FHLBank Chicago and Rep. Bill Foster Join Housing Opportunity Development Corporation, McHenry County and Local Leaders, to Discuss Expanding Affordable Housing Opportunities in Illinois 11th DistrictBusiness Wire · Jul 9
Upcoming events
Nothing on the calendar.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Foster. Another town gets a different order.
Health
Healthier than 34% of U.S. towns
Foster beats the Illinois average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13.
CHealth Grade
32 measures vs. Illinois
1 better18 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Foster | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 8.1% | 9.9% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.7% | 6.3% |
Alton Memorial Hospital
5.7 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
22nd
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of Foster
Most working residents leave Foster for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Alton (15%), St. Louis (7%) and Edwardsville (6%). Half commute less than 17 miles.
1%work in town
Where working residents work
In Foster1%
Alton15%
St. Louis7%
Edwardsville6%
Godfrey5%
17 mi
median commute distance
428
jobs based in Foster
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
Foster has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 22°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
11″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter25–41°
Spring45–66°
Summer66–86°
Fall47–67°
Nov 5
typical first frost
Apr 4
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.
53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
28
paid flood claims since 1979
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors
0.2% of Foster is conserved land
4.0 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.
0.2%conserved
0.2%
conserved · 40 of 19,648 acres
4.0 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fosterburg Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
About Foster
Township in Illinois, United States
Foster Township is located in Madison County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 4,091 and it contained 1,663 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Population
- 3,862
- Area
- 31 sq mi
- Elevation
- 548 ft
Foster’s neighbors
7 towns share a border with Foster.
GodfreyAltonAltonWood RiverBrightonBethaltoMoroFoster