2026 · South Fork Township building 2026-06-21 · Wikimedia Commons
South Fork’s story
161 years in pictures
1 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
- 1865South Fork is settled
- 2026South Fork Township building 2026-06-21
South ForkIL
A town of 2,439, settled in 1865.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: User:Visviva · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,439
−8% since 2010
Median home value
$92K
Census ACS
Household income
$76K
median
Median age
44.3
years
Jobs based here
304
A commuter town
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave South Fork for work
Where South Fork’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
304jobs based in South Fork
5%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
South Fork’s report card
Now in South Fork
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Residents weigh in
Live in South Fork? Is a B− for its schools right?
Your answer becomes a post in South Fork’s Town Square.
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The data
Ordered by what stands out in South Fork. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
Most working residents commute out of South Fork
Most working residents leave South Fork for work: only 5% work in town. The top destinations are Springfield (25%), Taylorville (16%) and Decatur (5%). Half commute less than 20 miles.
5%work in town
Where working residents work
In South Fork5%
Springfield25%
Taylorville16%
Decatur5%
Kincaid4%
20 mi
median commute distance
304
jobs based in South Fork
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Climate
Four seasons, pleasant summers
South Fork has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 86°, a January night drops to 20°, and about 14 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
14″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–39°
Spring43–64°
Summer64–85°
Fall44–66°
Oct 20
typical first frost
Apr 12
typical last frost
+1.0°
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 40% of U.S. communities.
40risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesEarthquakes
6
paid flood claims since 2002
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Outdoors
8.5% of South Fork is conserved land
3.1 miles of trails across 0 parks and preserves.
8.5%conserved
8.5%
conserved · 3,584 of 41,938 acres
3.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Schools
South Fork’s public schools outperform 46% of Illinois districts
The public schools South Fork’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 54% of Illinois’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B−School Grade
| School | Grades | Students | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Fork Elementary School | PK–5 | 150 | C− |
| South Fork Jr Sr High School | 6–12 | 134 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IL on state tests and graduationAll 2 schools →
Health
Healthier than 49% of U.S. towns
South Fork beats the Illinois average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6.
B−Health Grade
32 measures vs. Illinois
3 better23 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | South Fork | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.6% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.5% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.2% | 6.3% |
Taylorville Memorial Hospital
8.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
41st
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
About South Fork
Township in Illinois, United States
South Fork Township is one of seventeen townships in Christian County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2020 census, its population was 2,565, and it contained 1,242 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1865
- Population
- 2,565
- Area
- 66 sq mi
- Elevation
- 597 ft
South Fork’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with South Fork.
TaylorvilleCotton HillBuckhartPawneeSouth Fork
More about South Fork
Still missing for South Fork:upcoming events