Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 7,589.
East Lincoln Township gives you more for your money than most places: homes are within reach, about $144K for a typical one, or 2.2 years of the Lincoln area’s $66K median household income. It grades B overall, 393rd of 767 graded towns in Illinois. On the plus side, it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 81% of U.S. towns. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 94% of U.S. towns. 20% of residents live below the poverty line in East Lincoln Township, above both the Illinois town median (8.4%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On history, just 59 of Illinois’ 1,285 towns do better.
Where East Lincoln Township beats most towns.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Chester-East Lincoln Elem School | PK–8 | 288 |
| Washington-Monroe Elem School | K–5 | 224 |
| Adams Elem School | PK–2 | 57 |
8,813 counted in 2010 and 7,736 in 2020; an estimated 7,589 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far East Lincoln Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 9,209 in 2000, 7,736 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2008 and 2 maps from 1911 on.
Explore the history →Who provides power, water and the rest in East Lincoln Township, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Ordered by what stands out in East Lincoln Township.
East Lincoln Township is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it has little public open land and has lost a quarter or more of its jobs in ten years.
Jobs based here fell from 2,421 in 2013 to 1,566. The average commute for its 2,737 working residents takes 20 minutes, against 27.8 across Illinois.
Just 14% of East Lincoln Township’s working residents have a job in town. Employers in East Lincoln Township shed 855 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 1,566. Its average commute stands at 20 minutes. For half of commuters, work is under 27 miles away.
| East Lincoln Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 11% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The largest public high school is Lincoln Comm High School, with 764 students. Three of the 6 schools are below, and why each made the list. 5 public schools serve East Lincoln Township, with 1,654 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Jr High SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 321 | B+ |
| Lincoln Comm High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 764 | B− |
| Chester-East Lincoln Elem SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 288 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IL on state tests and graduation
In July, afternoons reach 86°; in January, nights fall to 18°, and about 19 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 8,743 U.S. towns with household incomes like East Lincoln Township’s, it is healthier than 68%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income.
Among adults in East Lincoln Township, 39% have obesity. For adults locally, the share who smoke cigarettes is 16%.
| East Lincoln Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 37% | 35% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 33% | 33% |
| What stands out | East Lincoln Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 14.2% | 10.3% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.2% | 6.3% |
| More smokers | 15.6% | 12.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Since 1979, 5 flood insurance claims have been paid out in East Lincoln Township. Expected damage from storms and floods is lower here than in 54% of U.S. communities. Just over a third of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by cold waves at 17%. One declared disaster, in 1999, has brought federal aid to East Lincoln Township households.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Just 93 of its 22,973 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in East Lincoln Township itself; its outdoors grade is C−.
Count the trails in 5 parks and preserves and they come to 1.3 miles.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scully Park | 0.3 mi | 2 |
| 2. Maywood Park | — | 4 |
| 3. Logan Courthouse Square Historic District | 0.2 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of East Lincoln Township; the nearest are
About 12 of every 100 East Lincoln Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
Where East Lincoln Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Township in Illinois, United States
East Lincoln Township is located in Logan County, Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 7,736 and it contained 3,634 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with East Lincoln Township.
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Lincoln Township | #393 | B | B | — | B+ | C+ |
| West Lincoln Township | #338 | B+ | B+ | — | B+ | C+ |
| Oran Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Eminence Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Atlanta Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chester Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
East Lincoln Township and West Lincoln Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Oran Township, Eminence Township, Atlanta Township and Chester Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare East Lincoln Township with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
By most measures, yes. East Lincoln Township grades B overall, better than 61% of U.S. towns and #393 of 767 in Illinois. It grades C+ for health and B+ for schools.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.