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Watson

A township of 3,185 people in Effingham County, Illinois
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Now in Watson

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Around town

The places and views that make it Watson

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Outdoors in Watson

Parks & trails →
Conserved land0%none recorded
Trails0.8 mi0 mi per sq mi
Parks & preserves1named on the map

Know a trail or park that’s missing? Anyone can add it to OpenStreetMap, and it shows up here on the next refresh.

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

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Know Watson

The town at a glance, and the guide to how things work

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About Watson

Village in Illinois, United States
668Population
1.1 sq miArea
561 ftElevation

Watson is a village in Effingham County, Illinois, United States. The population was 668 at the 2020 census. Watson is part of the Effingham, Illinois Micropolitan Statistical Area. The village was named after George Watson, a railroad official.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Living in Watson

Housing in Watson

$170K▲ 5.1% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Watson home is worth about $170,000, up 5.1% in a year, 43% below the Illinois typical home.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Health in Watson

B

Health Grade B

Healthier than 60% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Illinois

5better than IL·5worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 22 are too close to call.

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

Care nearby

St. Anthonys Memorial HospitalEffingham · 5.7 mi · ER
Sihf Healthcare - EffinghamEffingham · 5.9 mi · sliding-scale fees
Primary careShortage · county-wide
DentalNo shortage
Mental healthShortage · county-wide
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · ZIP codes 62401, 62473, 62467 · CMS · HRSAHealth in Watson →

Natural hazards in Watson

62
High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 62% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🏚️ Earthquakes🌵 Drought
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Watson →

Climate in Watson

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Watson has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 21°, and about 15 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

40° / 24°Winter
64° / 44°Spring
85° / 64°Summer
67° / 45°Fall
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Watson →

Schools in Watson

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B+

School Grade B+

The public schools Watson’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 74% of Illinois’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

See how Watson’s schools compare in IL →
DistrictEffingham CUSD 40Schools2

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within IL. Ratings are from neighbors.

Libraries near Watson

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Nearest: Effingham Public LibraryEffingham · 5.3 miles · 58 hrs a week
Famous people from WatsonWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Watson.Meet them →

How things work in Watson

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Where to, neighbor?

You’re in Watson, ILEffingham CountyView boundary

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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/15 · 2025-01-01