West Galena TownshipIL
A town of 3,143.
Why does West Galena Township grade so well?
Because it does well by almost any measure. West Galena Township earns an A, 89th among Illinois's 767 graded towns. Its schools outperform 79% of the state's, residents are healthier than 77% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates, and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 92% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in cost of living. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 100% of U.S. towns. 27% of the land in West Galena Township is conserved, where Illinois’ towns sit at 3.6% and U.S. towns at 4.3%. No town in Illinois scores higher than West Galena Township on history. The biggest park or preserve is James H. Wienen Memorial Park, at 76 acres.
What makes West Galena Township stand out
Where West Galena Township beats most towns.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
How West Galena Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Illinois), ordered by how far West Galena Township is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Moving to West Galena Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Galena 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 West Galena Township.
West Galena Township sends many workers across the state line to Dubuque and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
West Galena Township earns an A− for schools
Its public schools are run by Galena USD 120. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galena Elementary and Middle SchLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 576 | B+ |
| Galena High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 260 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IL on state tests and graduation
Nearly a quarter of West Galena Township is conserved land
1.8 miles of trail in 5 parks and preserves.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. James H. Wienen Memorial Park | — | 76 |
| 2. Recreation Park | 0.1 mi | 41 |
| 3. Old Cemetery Park | 0.1 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
A larger share of adults in West Galena Township had a checkup this year than in the typical Illinois or U.S. town
Against the 10,050 U.S. towns with household incomes like West Galena Township’s, it is healthier than 95%, so its A− isn’t only a matter of income.
82% of adults had a checkup this year in West Galena Township, above both Illinois’ towns (78%) and U.S. towns (79%). 5.9% of West Galena Township adults 18 to 64 have no health insurance. West Galena Township beats the Illinois average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 7.
| West Galena Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 33% | 33% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 78% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 35% |
| What stands out | West Galena Township | IL |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8.3% | 15.9% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.9% | 13.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12.7% | 7.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Compared with most of Illinois and the rest of the country, the median age in West Galena Township is higher
The median age in West Galena Township is 52.5 years. West Galena Township has lost 2.9% of its people since 2020, down to 3,143 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 17% of residents are under 18 in West Galena Township.
| West Galena Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.5 years | 40.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 17% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 39% | 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 ±4.5 points. Across Illinois, 50.6% of residents are women.
| West Galena Township | IL | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.7% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7% | 10.4% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.9% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 5% | 13.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.2% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.6% | 12.4% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.9% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.1% | 10% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 16.7% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4.8% | 9.5% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.3% | 25.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 19.3% | 19.2% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.5% | 8.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 28% | 22.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11% | 15.3% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,100, single groups can be off by several points
In West Galena Township, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
West Galena Township has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 84°, January nights drop to 12° and about 32 inches of snow falls in a winter.
Typical low → high °F
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
About two in five of West Galena Township’s working residents commute to Galena
21% of working residents cross a state line to work, Dubuque among the top destinations. The average commute for its 1,301 working residents takes 16 minutes, against 27.8 across Illinois.
About one in 3 of West Galena Township’s working residents works in town. West Galena Township’s average trip to work is 16 minutes. The top destinations are Galena (41%), Dubuque (13%) and The Galena Territory (4%).
| West Galena Township | Illinois towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 30% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 26 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $66,000 | $83,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.3% | 8.4% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
West Galena Township faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 59% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Charles Mound and 8 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Galena Township. Close and well known come first.
13 mi MountainCharles Moundin town MuseumChicago Athenaeum
12 mi MuseumNational Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium250K visitors a year
12 mi TheatreFive Flags Center
14 mi MuseumApple River Fort
in town MuseumOld Market HousePhoto credits
Charles Mound: Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Five Flags Center: Dirk Hansen, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Apple River Fort: IvoShandor, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Old Market House: IvoShandor, CC BY-SA 3.0
Everything we know about West Galena Township
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of West Galena Township
About 1 of every 100 West Galena Township residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Illinois.
About West Galena Township
Township in Illinois, United States
West Galena Township is one of 23 townships in Jo Daviess County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 3,230 and it contained 1,912 housing units.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 11 sq mi
- Elevation
- 725 ft
West Galena Township’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with West Galena Township.
| Town | IL rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Galena Township | #89 | A | B− | — | A− | A− |
| East Galena Township | — | — | C+ | — | A− | A− |
| Galena | #132 | A | B− | — | A− | A− |
| Rawlins Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Menominee Township | — | — | B+ | — | B+ | B |
East Galena Township and Menominee Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. West Galena Township, East Galena Township, Galena and Menominee Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Rawlins Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare West Galena Township with a neighbor →
Questions about West Galena Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is West Galena Township, IL a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. West Galena Township grades A overall, better than 93% of U.S. towns and #89 of 767 in Illinois. It grades A− for health and A− for schools.
Is West Galena 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−.