South Ottawa Township office building 2026-08-22, 2026
South Ottawa Township’s story
177 years in pictures
The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2026 and 5 maps from 1892 on.
- 1849South Ottawa Township is settled
South Ottawa TownshipIL
44% more nonprofits per person than the typical Illinois town.
Population
8,299
2025 Census estimate · −0.6% since 2020
Median home value
$170K
Census ACS
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
40.8
years
Jobs based here
927
A commuter town
TownGrade
C−
#648 of 767 in IL
Is South Ottawa Township a good place to live?
South Ottawa Township is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades C− overall, ranked 648th of 767 in Illinois, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is cost of living: homes are within reach, about $170K for a typical one, or 2.3 years of the Ottawa area’s $72K median household income. Its lowest everyday mark is in schools: its schools rank behind 61% of the state's. On civic life, just 123 of Illinois’ 1,240 towns do better. The biggest park or preserve is Allen Park, at 21 acres. 14% of residents live below the poverty line in South Ottawa Township, above both Illinois’ towns (8.4%) and U.S. towns (9.6%).
What makes South Ottawa Township stand out
Where South Ottawa Township beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
South Ottawa Township4.8
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical IL town3.4
Civic lifeA
44% more nonprofits per person
than the typical Illinois town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
0historic places
HistoryA−
Settled in 1849
A long history
A history going back 177 years.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave South Ottawa Township for work
Where South Ottawa Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
927jobs based in South Ottawa Township
4%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How South Ottawa Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far South Ottawa Township is from typical.
Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.4 of 20; 4.8% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →SchoolsC+Open →HealthOSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center 13.9 miles awayC+Open →Jobs & income$84K median household incomeC+Open →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors3 miles of trails; 0% conserved landC+Open →HistoryA−Open →Civic life4.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to South Ottawa Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in South Ottawa Township, and how to reach them.
PowerCommonwealth Edison17.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOttawa water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offWaste Management, 5 miOpenStreetMap
SchoolsOttawa Township High School District 140Ottawa Elementary School District 141Deer Park Community Consolidated School District 823 districts serve South Ottawa 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.govWho runs elections hereLaSalle County ClerkLaSalle County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code6135061350 100%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 South Ottawa Township.
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
Most working residents commute out of South Ottawa Township
South Ottawa Township has 927 jobs for its 3,876 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. Jobs based here grew from 575 in 2013 to 927.
Most working residents leave South Ottawa Township for work: only 4% work in town. Since 2013, South Ottawa Township has added 352 jobs, to 927 in 2023. 4.9% of workers work from home in South Ottawa Township.
4%work in town
| South Ottawa Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 4.9% | 11% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.5% | 8.4% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In South Ottawa Township4%
Ottawa28%
Chicago4%
Peru3%
Peoria3%
16 mi
median commute distance
927
jobs based in South Ottawa Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 33% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SchoolsC+
For schools, South Ottawa Township earns a C+
Its public schools are run by Ottawa ESD 141. One of its 3 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
39%of IL districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKinley Elem SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 364 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IL on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Inland flooding leads a high hazard risk in South Ottawa Township
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 77% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in South Ottawa Township.
77risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
4
paid flood claims since 1996
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
South Ottawa Township has four seasons and pleasant summers
South Ottawa Township has chilly winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 85°, January nights drop to 16° and about 24 inches of snow falls in a winter.
24″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter19–35°
Spring39–61°
Summer61–83°
Fall42–64°
Oct 22
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsC+
0.5% of South Ottawa Township is conserved land
3.3 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
#470for trails in IL
| South Ottawa Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.5% | 3.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
0.5%
conserved · 70 of 13,398 acres
3.3 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Allen Park | 0.3 mi | 21 |
| 2. Peck Park | — | 19 |
| 3. Varland Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthC+
Residents of South Ottawa Township are less healthy than 56% of U.S. towns
South Ottawa Township beats the Illinois average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 15% of South Ottawa Township adults report frequent physical distress.
44%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| South Ottawa Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 35% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
0 better24 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | South Ottawa Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 8.6% | 6.3% |
| More smokers | 15.3% | 12.1% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13% | 10.3% |
OSF Saint Elizabeth Medical Center
13.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
30th
percentile among IL towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Ottawa Township
18pages on South Ottawa Township
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of South Ottawa Township
About 3 of every 100 South Ottawa Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
About South Ottawa Township
Township in Illinois, United States
South Ottawa Township is located in LaSalle County, Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 8,343 and it contained 3,812 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1849
- Area
- 21 sq mi
South Ottawa Township’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with South Ottawa Township.
Ottawa TownshipFall River TownshipFarm Ridge TownshipDeer Park TownshipSouth Ottawa Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Ottawa Township | #648 | C− | B− | — | C+ | C+ |
| Ottawa Township | #613 | C | B | — | C+ | C+ |
| Fall River Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Farm Ridge Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Deer Park Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
South Ottawa Township and Ottawa Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Fall River Township, Farm Ridge Township and Deer Park Township aren’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare South Ottawa Township with a neighbor →
Questions about South Ottawa Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Ottawa Township, IL a good place to live?
South Ottawa Township grades C− overall, better than 21% of U.S. towns and #648 of 767 in Illinois. It grades C+ for health and C+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is South Ottawa Township, IL expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.