South Otter old and new 2026-08-04, 2026
South Otter Township’s story
156 years in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2026.
- 1870South Otter Township is settled
South Otter TownshipIL
A town of 440, settled in 1870.
Population
440
2025 Census estimate · −2.4% since 2020
Median home value
$210K
Census ACS
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
49.0
years
Jobs based here
20
A commuter town
Is South Otter Township a good place to live?
South Otter Township’s average commute is 38 minutes, above both Illinois’ towns (26 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). South Otter Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
440 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nilwood TownshipSouth Palmyra TownshipNorth Otter TownshipCarlinville TownshipSouth Otter Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to South Otter Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in South Otter Township, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterNilwood water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have South Otter Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsNorth Mac Community Unit School District 34Carlinville Community Unit School District 12 districts serve South Otter 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 hereMacoupin County ClerkMacoupin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP codes62640, 62674, 62626, 6267262640 65% · 62674 19% · 62626 14% · 62672 2%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 Otter Township.
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Illinois overall
The age of the median resident for South Otter Township comes to 49 years. College graduates make up 28% of adults 25 and older, against 38% across Illinois. Since 2020, South Otter Township has lost 2.4% of its people, to 440 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
49median age · IL 39
| South Otter Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 28% | 29% | 29% |
South Otter TownshipIllinoisUnited States
Ages · share of residents
30%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma9%
High school37%
Some college12%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s10%
Graduate18%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 36% and 57% women
The Census survey reached too few of South Otter Township’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±10.5 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| South Otter Township | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 3.9% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 24.8% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 5.7% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 22.5% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 7.6% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 30% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.5% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.3% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 37.3% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 11.6% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 13.5% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 10.3% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 18% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 400, single groups can be off by several points
Work & commute
A smaller share of working residents in South Otter Township work locally than in the typical Illinois or U.S. town
The top destinations are Carlinville (24%), Springfield (19%) and Alton (3%). South Otter Township: 4.8% of residents live below the poverty line. Half the trips to work are shorter than 27 miles.
1%work in town
| South Otter Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 0.6% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.8% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In South Otter Township1%
Carlinville24%
Springfield19%
Alton3%
Edwardsville3%
27 mi
median commute distance
20
jobs based in South Otter Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
South Otter Township has four seasons and pleasant summers
The range runs from 20° on a January night to 86° on a July afternoon, with about 17 inches of snow a winter.
17″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter23–39°
Spring43–64°
Summer64–85°
Fall44–66°
Oct 21
typical first frost
Apr 14
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy South Otter Township is
Nearly a quarter of adults have been diagnosed with depression in South Otter Township, above the Illinois town median (22%) and near the median of U.S. towns (23%). CDC measures, 32 in all: South Otter Township beats Illinois on 1 and trails on 11. Among adults here, 40% have high blood pressure.
| South Otter Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
1 better20 too close to call11 worse
| What stands out | South Otter Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79% | 75.7% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 18.4% | 10.3% |
Carlinville Area Hospital
7.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
South Otter Township has a moderate natural-hazard risk, chiefly from inland flooding
Nearly a third of South Otter Township’s expected losses from natural hazards come from inland flooding, followed by earthquakes at 30%. Compared with 57% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage locally is lower. One declared disaster, in 2002, has brought federal aid to South Otter Township households.
43risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesTornadoes
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Otter Township
16pages on South Otter 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 Otter Township
About 0 of every 100 South Otter Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave South Otter Township for work
Where South Otter Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
20jobs based in South Otter Township
1%of working residents work in town
27 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About South Otter Township
Township in Illinois, United States
South Otter Township (T11N R7W) is located in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 465 and it contained 204 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1870
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 659 ft
Questions about South Otter Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Otter Township, IL a good place to live?
South Otter Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.