Prairie township, Illinois
Prairie township profile, demographic data, and geographic information.
Prairie township is a geographic entity located in Shelby County, Illinois. As of official census estimates, it has a reported population of 1,204. The land area covers 54.16 sq mi. [1]
Demographics & Population
| Demographic Metric | Estimate / Count | Margin of Error | Survey Period / Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population (2025 PEP Estimate) | 1,204 | — | 2025 / Census |
| Median Age | 42.1 yrs | ±4.6 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
| Total Households | 466 | ±80 | 2020-2024 / Census ACS 5-Year 2024 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (PEP, ACS 5-Year).
Housing & Real Estate Profile
| Housing Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Total Housing Units | 510 | ±84 |
| Occupied Housing Units | 466 | ±80 |
| Vacant Housing Units | 44 | ±32 |
| Median Home Value | $144,200 | ±$26,659 |
| Median Gross Rent | $761 | ±$92 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Economy & Workforce
| Economic Metric | Estimate / Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $68,333 | ±$19,070 |
| Per Capita Income | $35,694 | ±$6,454 |
| Poverty Rate | 8.8% | ±3.7% |
| Population Below Poverty Level | 100 | ±46 |
| Unemployment Rate | 1.7% | ±1.8% |
| Civilian Labor Force, Employed | 531 | ±118 |
| Broadband Internet Rate | 86.9% | ±7.1% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2020-2024).
Local Government & Public Administration
Authoritative general-purpose local government units serving this area
U.S. Census Bureau GUS (2026) / GMAF
| Government Unit | Unit Type | Jurisdiction Role | Contact / Address |
|---|---|---|---|
|
TOWNSHIP OF PRAIRIE
GUS Population: 1,200 (2024)
ID: 125340
|
Township | Official Local Government |
Contact: SUPERVISOR
405 W SOUTH 4TH ST, STEWARDSON IL 62463-1217
|
|
COUNTY OF SHELBY
GUS Population: 20,542 (2024)
ID: 184901
|
County | Official County Government |
Contact: SHELBY CO CLERK SHELBY CO TREAS
PO BOX 230, SHELBYVILLE IL 62565-0230
|
Education
Listing 10 local institutions (NCES 2024-2025)
External reference via K12Guides
| Institution | Type | Grades | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Special Education School Nearby | M | Mattoon, IL | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG-05 | Mattoon, IL | |
| Alternative School Nearby | 09-12 | Effingham, IL | |
| Regular School Nearby | PK-05 | Beecher City, IL | |
| Regular School Nearby | 06-12 | Beecher City, IL | |
| Regular School Nearby | 02-05 | Effingham, IL | |
| Regular School Nearby | 06-12 | Cowden, IL | |
| Regular School Nearby | KG | Effingham, IL | |
| Career and Technical School Nearby | 09-12 | Mattoon, IL | |
| Regular School Nearby | 09-12 | Effingham, IL |
Source: k12guides.com.
Community Facilities & Infrastructure
Displaying 10 civic institutions across 2 datasets queried
CMS • IPEDS • IMLS
| Facility Name | Category | Relationship | Address / Location | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lake Land College
|
College | 16.7 mi away | 5001 Lake Land Blvd, Mattoon, IL, 61938 |
2172345253
|
|
BEECHER CITY BRANCH LIBRARY
|
Library | 10.0 mi away | 1358 EAST STATE HWY 33, BEECHER CITY, IL, 62414 |
(618) 487-9400
|
|
NEOGA PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT
|
Library | 10.2 mi away | 551 CHESTNUT AVENUE, NEOGA, IL, 62447 |
(217) 895-3944
|
|
WINDSOR STORM MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT
|
Library | 11.1 mi away | 102 SOUTH MAPLE STREET, WINDSOR, IL, 61957 |
(217) 459-2498
|
|
SHELBYVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 12.1 mi away | 154 NORTH BROADWAY STREET, SHELBYVILLE, IL, 62565 |
(217) 774-4432
|
|
EFFINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 12.1 mi away | 200 NORTH THIRD STREET, EFFINGHAM, IL, 62401 |
(217) 342-2464
|
|
DRY POINT TOWNSHIP LIBRARY
|
Library | 12.2 mi away | COUNTY HIGHWAY 651, COWDEN, IL, 62422 |
(217) 783-2616
|
|
ALTAMONT PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 16.4 mi away | 121 WEST WASHINGTON AVENUE, ALTAMONT, IL, 62411 |
(618) 483-5457
|
|
HERRICK TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 19.0 mi away | 303 NORTH BROADWAY STREET, HERRICK, IL, 62431 |
(618) 428-5223
|
|
MATTOON PUBLIC LIBRARY
|
Library | 19.8 mi away | 1600 CHARLESTON AVENUE, MATTOON, IL, 61938 |
(217) 234-2621
|
Distances calculated from authoritative source coordinates. Source: CMS, IMLS, NCES IPEDS.
Climate & Weather Observations
NOAA Monthly Climate Normals
Observation Station: Climate data reflects NOAA 1991–2020 standard normals recorded at NEOGA 4NW, IL US, located 8.9 miles from Prairie township. Local microclimates, topography, and elevation may cause municipal conditions to differ.
| Month | High (°F) | Low (°F) | Mean (°F) | Precip (in) | Snow (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36.6° | 19.2° | 27.9° | 2.66" | — |
| February | 42.0° | 22.7° | 32.4° | 2.11" | — |
| March | 52.5° | 31.7° | 42.1° | 2.65" | — |
| April | 65.3° | 41.5° | 53.4° | 4.67" | — |
| May | 75.2° | 53.6° | 64.4° | 4.68" | — |
| June | 84.4° | 62.6° | 73.5° | 4.75" | — |
| July | 87.0° | 65.0° | 76.0° | 4.48" | — |
| August | 86.0° | 62.0° | 74.0° | 3.11" | — |
| September | 81.2° | 53.8° | 67.5° | 2.93" | — |
| October | 68.9° | 43.1° | 56.0° | 3.21" | — |
| November | 53.7° | 32.8° | 43.3° | 3.82" | — |
| December | 41.8° | 24.9° | 33.3° | 2.82" | — |
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020).
Local Weather Forecast
Weather forecast data is currently unavailable in the local cache.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Listing adjacent communities by spatial proximity (miles)
Proximity discovery
| Community Name | Classification | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stewardson village | Village | 1.3 mi | — |
| Strasburg village | Village | 4.8 mi | — |
| Shumway village | Village | 6.8 mi | — |
| Sigel town | Town | 8.6 mi | — |
| Beecher City village | Village | 10.3 mi | — |
| Neoga city | City | 10.4 mi | — |
Sources & Data Provenance
- Geographic Classification & Identifiers: U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer (2026) and TIGER/Line Shapefiles. GEOID: 1717361522. • Official Source Dataset →
- Socioeconomic & Housing Metrics: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates and Population Estimates Program (PEP). Margin of Error (MOE) intervals are reported where published; suppressed values are never estimated or replaced with false zeros.
- Civic Directory Datasets: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS Hospital Directory), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES IPEDS Postsecondary Directory), and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS Public Libraries Survey). Airport landing facilities are provided by airport-data.com.
- Weather & Climate Observations: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 and National Weather Service (NWS) point forecasts.