Dickson Mounds · National Register of Historic Places
Waterford Township’s story
Waterford Township in pictures
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Explore the history →
Waterford TownshipIL
A town of 159.
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain
Population
159
2025 Census estimate · −3.6% since 2020
Median home value
$87K
Census ACS
Household income
$62K
median
Median age
66.2
years
Jobs based here
7
A commuter town
Is Waterford Township a good place to live?
89% of households own their home in Waterford Township, against 75% in Illinois’ towns and 73% across U.S. towns. 54% of the land in Waterford Township is conserved, against 3.7% in Illinois’ towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Emiquon Preserve, at 3,602 acres. Waterford Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
159 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Isabel TownshipQuiver TownshipLewistown TownshipHavana TownshipHavanaWaterford Township
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Waterford Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Waterford Township, and how to reach them.
PowerAmeren Illinois Company16.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Waterford Township’s trash rules yet
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 hereFulton County ClerkFulton County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code6154261542 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 Waterford Township.
Who lives here
54% of residents are 65 or older
People 65 and older are 54% of residents (17% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 18% of residents (39% statewide). Waterford Township has lost 3.6% of its people since 2020, down to 159 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 35% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Waterford Township.
66.2median age · IL 39
Waterford TownshipIllinoisUnited States
Ages · share of residents
42%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma0%
High school14%
Some college43%
Associate’s8%
Bachelor’s35%
Graduate0%
Women and men · all residents
Somewhere between 0% and 100% women
The Census survey reached too few of Waterford Township’s residents to say more: its margin here is ±62 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Waterford Township | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 6.9% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 14.4% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 0% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.9% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.1% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 0% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 5% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 41.9% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11.9% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 14.3% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 42.9% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.9% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 34.9% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 0% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 200, single groups can be off by several points
Outdoors
Nearly a third of Waterford Township is conserved land
1.1 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The trail density in Waterford Township is 0.1 miles per square mile.
54%conserved
54%
conserved · 7,274 of 13,480 acres
1.1 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Emiquon Preserve | — | 3,602 |
| 2. Emiquon National Wildlife Refuge | 0.1 mi | 2,148 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commute
Waterford Township has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Waterford Township for work: only 0% work in town. Jobs based in Waterford Township fell to 7 in 2023, 23 fewer than in 2013. The top destinations are Canton (15%), Peoria (10%) and Lewistown (7%).
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In Waterford Township0%
Canton15%
Peoria10%
Lewistown7%
Quincy7%
38 mi
median commute distance
7
jobs based in Waterford Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
Low risk in Waterford Township, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 68% of U.S. communities.
32risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Four seasons and pleasant summers in Waterford Township
Waterford Township has chilly winters and warm summers. Waterford Township’s July high is 87°F.
28″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter21–38°
Spring42–64°
Summer63–85°
Fall43–66°
Oct 19
typical first frost
Apr 17
typical last frost
+0.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Waterford Township is
Waterford Township beats the Illinois average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 12. 41% of Waterford Township adults have high blood pressure.
| Waterford Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Illinois
3 better17 too close to call12 worse
| What stands out | Waterford Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.7% | 9.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 10.7% | 13.2% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 17.1% | 10.3% |
Mason District Hospital
2.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Waterford Township
17pages on Waterford Township
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Waterford Township
About 0 of every 100 Waterford Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Waterford Township for work
Where Waterford Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
7jobs based in Waterford Township
0%of working residents work in town
38 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
3 places in Waterford Township on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Waterford Township
Township in Illinois, United States
Waterford Township is one of twenty-six townships in Fulton County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2020 census, its population was 173 and it contained 83 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 21 sq mi
- Elevation
- 446 ft
Questions about Waterford Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Waterford Township, IL a good place to live?
Waterford Township has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.