Thompson TownshipIL
A town of 834, settled in 1852.
Is Thompson Township a good place to live?
Thompson Township’s median age is 59.8 years, above both the Illinois town median (40.7 years) and the median of U.S. towns (40.5 years). No town among the 769 in Illinois we compare has a lower January low than Thompson Township. Thompson Township’s trail density is 2.8 miles per square mile, above both the Illinois town median (0.3) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Thompson Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
834 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Moving to Thompson Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Thompson 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 Thompson Township.
Older than Illinois overall
People 65 and older are 39% of residents (17% statewide); adults 18 to 34 are 5% of residents (23% statewide). 15% of Thompson Township residents are under 18. 35% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 38% across Illinois.
| Thompson Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 15% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 29% | 29% |
Ages · share of residents
Education · adults 25 and older
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.6 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Thompson Township | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.8% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.2% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 3.3% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.1% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.2% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 17.1% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 21.2% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 18% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 1.4% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.7% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 25% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.4% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 20.7% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14.7% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 800, single groups can be off by several points
With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Thompson Township’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Thompson Township for work: only 4% work in town. Thompson Township’s median household income is $109,000. The top destinations are Galena (18%), Scales Mound (8%) and Dubuque (8%).
| Thompson Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $109,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 4.4% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 28 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Thompson Township
Thompson Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Thompson Township is 83°F.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Thompson Township
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 64% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
How healthy Thompson Township is
Thompson Township beats the Illinois average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 41% of adults have high blood pressure in Thompson Township.
| Thompson Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 33% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 81% | 78% | 79% |
| What stands out | Thompson Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9% | 13.2% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7% | 9.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.7% | 7.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Thompson Township has set aside 8.5% of its land for conservation
101 miles of trail in 0 parks and preserves.
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Charles Mound and 9 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Thompson Township. Close and well known come first.
7 mi MountainCharles Mound14 mi MuseumChicago Athenaeum
26 mi MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium250K visitors a year
8 mi MuseumApple River Fort
27 mi TheatreFive Flags Center27 mi MuseumDubuque Museum of ArtPhoto credits
Charles Mound: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Apple River Fort: IvoShandor, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Five Flags Center: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0
Everything we know about Thompson Township
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Thompson Township; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Thompson Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
96% of working residents leave Thompson Township for work
Where Thompson Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
About Thompson Township
Township in Illinois, United States
Thompson Township is one of 23 townships in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 832 and it contained 1,053 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1852
- Area
- 37 sq mi
- Elevation
- 732 ft
Questions about Thompson Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Thompson Township, IL a good place to live?
Thompson Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.