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Illinois›Effingham County
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Mason TownshipIL

A town of 1,243, settled in 1857.

Population
1,243
2025 Census estimate · −1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$188K
+7.1% in a year
Household income
$78K
median
Median age
43.0
years
Jobs based here
39
A commuter town

Is Mason Township a good place to live?

The best of Mason Township’s subject grades is an A+ for cost of living; the weakest is a D for walkability. Only 71 of Illinois’ 1,284 towns score higher on cost of living. Mason Township has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.

StrongestA+Cost of livingWeakestDWalkabilityCJobs & income

What makes Mason Township stand out

Where Mason Township beats most towns.

Typical home value

Mason Township$188K
Illinois$296K
Cost of livingA+
2.4 years of income buys a home
More affordable than 96% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
Small town

1,243 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
Mason · 1 miEdgewood · 2 miLarkinsburg Township · 6 miWest Township · 6 miJackson Township · 6 miUnion Township · 7 mi
West TownshipLarkinsburg TownshipUnion TownshipJackson TownshipWest TownshipLarkinsburg TownshipUnion TownshipJackson TownshipMason Township

How Mason Township grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far Mason Township is from typical.

How grading works

Cost of livingA+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.8 of 20; 1.9% of households have no car; 0.8% of workers walk, bike or ride transitDOpen →Jobs & income$78K median household incomeCOpen →HealthSt. Anthonys Memorial Hospital 13.5 miles awayC+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →SchoolsBehind 51% of Illinois districts on tests and graduationB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors7 miles of trails; 3% conserved landB−Open →HistoryB−Open →Civic life0.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 43.0–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Mason Township: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Mason Township, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterEJ Water CooperativeNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Mason Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsEffingham Community Unit School District 40Altamont Community Unit School District 102 districts serve Mason Township; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereEffingham County ClerkEffingham County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes62443, 6242662443 62% · 62426 38%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Mason Township.

HousingCost of living grade A+

A typical Mason Township home is worth about $188K

The typical Mason Township home is worth about $188,000, up 7.1% in a year, 36% below the Illinois typical home. 90% of Mason Township households own their home, above both Illinois’ towns (75%) and U.S. towns (73%).

$188KZillow home value

Typical home value

Mason Township$188K
Illinois$296K
+7.1%
value change, 1 year
Full pageMason Township’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsUp 7.1% in a yearYears of income to buyA typical home costs 2.4 years of incomeRents$598 a month · Median rentVs. the neighborsAhead of its graded neighbor

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C

Mason Township stands out in Illinois and nationally, with fewer of its working residents who work locally

0.3% of Mason Township working residents work locally, against 8.3% in Illinois’ towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Since 2013, Mason Township has lost 46 jobs, to 39 in 2023. 16% of Mason Township residents live below the poverty line.

0%work in town
Mason TownshipIllinois townsU.S. towns
Below the poverty line16%8.4%9.6%
Working residents who work in town0.3%8.3%8%

Where working residents work

In Mason Township0%
Effingham41%
Teutopolis6%
Springfield3%
Altamont3%
15 mi
median commute distance
39
jobs based in Mason Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D
Walkability grade: more walkable than 10% of U.S. towns
Full pageMason Township’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here39 jobs based here · A commuter townWhere people work0% work in Mason TownshipCommute times25 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 15 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Climate

Mason Township has four seasons and pleasant summers

Mason Township has chilly winters and warm summers. Mason Township’s July high is 87°F.

15″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter24–41°
Spring44–65°
Summer64–85°
Fall45–67°
Oct 24
typical first frost
Apr 13
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageMason Township’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 87°, January lows 22°Rain & snow15″ of snow a winter · 44 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

HealthC+

Mason Township is less healthy than 60% of U.S. towns

Mason Township beats the Illinois average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 17% of adults smoke cigarettes in Mason Township.

41%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
Mason TownshipIllinois townsU.S. towns
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)17%13%14%
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)15%13%14%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)18%17%17%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)18%18%16%
32 measures vs. Illinois
2 better21 too close to call9 worse
What stands outMason TownshipIL
Fewer uninsured adults7.9%9.9%
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity10.9%13.2%
More adults with COPD9.1%6.3%
St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital
13.5 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: primary care, mental health
Full pageMason Township’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsMore smokersHospitals & doctors nearby13.5 miles to an ER · St. Anthonys Memorial HospitalHow adults are doingMore adults in frequent physical distressEvery CDC estimateBetter than IL on 2 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

OutdoorsB−

3.2% of Mason Township is conserved land

6.8 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.

3.2%conserved
Mason TownshipIllinois townsU.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile0.2 miles per square mile0.30.4
Conserved land3.2%3.7%4.3%
3.2%
conserved · 749 of 23,674 acres
6.8 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
Full pageMason Township’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map6.8 miles of trail, mappedPick a walkPick a walkConserved land3.2% conserved · 749 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Mason Township?”

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

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+

Mason Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 52% of U.S. communities.

52risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
52Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
Full pageMason Township’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesModerate riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters5 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready2 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Mason Township

18pages on Mason Township
The big questions
SchoolsB−Behind 51% of IL districtsHealthC+Better than IL on 2 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA+$188K typical home · up 7.1% in a yearWork & commuteC$78K median household income · 39 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 52% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
OutdoorsB−7 mi of trails · 3% conserved landPlacesAttractions3 nearby · The Cross at the Crossroads 12 miLibraryC−Altamont Public LibraryColleges
The story
HistoryB−Settled 1857Town Hall & politicsClimate87° summer highs · 15″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 62443Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Mason Township; the nearest are

Illinois Eastern Community CollegesCommunity college · Public · Olney34 mi$5,260 in-state tuitionEastern Illinois UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Charleston44.7 mi$13,679 in-state tuition

About 1 of every 100 Mason Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Mason Township for work

Where Mason Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

41% → Effingham Effingham 41% 6% → Teutopolis Teutopolis 6% 3% → Springfield Springfield 3% 3% → Altamont Altamont 3% 2% → Watson Township Watson Township 2% 2% → St. Elmo St. Elmo 2% Mason Township · 0% stay
39jobs based in Mason Township
0%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

About Mason Township

Town in Illinois, United States

Mason is an incorporated town in Effingham County, Illinois, United States. The population was 323 at the 2020 census. It was named after Roswell Mason, an official of the Illinois Central Railroad. Mason is part of the Effingham, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.

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

Established
1865
Area
1.3 sq mi
Elevation
591 ft
ZIP code
62443
Area code
618

Questions about Mason Township

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Mason Township, IL expensive?

Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A+.