Okaw TownshipIL
A town of 876.
Is Okaw Township a good place to live?
Okaw Township’s median age is 58.5 years, against 40.7 years in Illinois’ towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. Eagle Creek State Park, at 1,169 acres with 6.2 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. Okaw Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
876 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Okaw Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Okaw 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.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Okaw Township.
43% of residents are 65 or older
People 65 and older are 43% of residents (17% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 21% of residents (39% statewide). 30% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 38% across Illinois.
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
48% women, 52% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±5.6 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Okaw Township | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 17.6% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 2% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.1% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.9% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 3.1% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.5% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 10.8% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 29.5% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 13.4% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.1% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 36.7% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 23.2% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.8% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 21.6% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 8.6% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
With 0.1 jobs for every working resident, most of Okaw Township’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Okaw Township for work: only 1% work in town. 21% of Okaw Township residents live below the poverty line, where Illinois’ towns sit at 8.4% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Jobs based in Okaw Township fell to 58 in 2023, 153 fewer than in 2013.
| Okaw Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 21% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $75,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Okaw Township faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
In Okaw Township, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Okaw Township has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 86°, January nights drop to 20° and about 14 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Okaw Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 9.7% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Eagle Creek State Park | 6.2 mi | 1,169 |
| 2. Wolf Creek State Park | 0.7 mi | 347 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
How healthy Okaw Township is
Okaw Township beats the Illinois average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 10. 40% of Okaw Township adults have high blood pressure.
| Okaw Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Okaw Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.2% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.8% | 13.2% |
| More adults with COPD | 9.4% | 6.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Everything we know about Okaw Township
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Okaw Township; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Okaw Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
99% of working residents leave Okaw Township for work
Where Okaw Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Okaw Township
Township in Illinois, United States
Okaw Township is located in Shelby County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 927 and it contained 498 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 686 ft
Questions about Okaw Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Okaw Township, IL a good place to live?
Okaw Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.