PlainZIP

Watson, IL · standard

ZIP Code 62473

Effingham County, Illinois - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

1,422
25/sq mi
$74,700
Median income
$104,800
Median home value
18.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Watson pairs an above-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 46%
household income, US ZIPs
11th pct
home value, US ZIPs
25
people per sq mi
81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 62473 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 62473 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Watson, Effingham County, Illinois, home to just 1,422 residents across 57.3 square miles, a density of 25 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 62473 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $74,700 (7% below the Illinois average), while per-capita income is $39,931. 8.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 0.7%. Housing costs here run $104,800 for a typical home value (45% below the state average), with rent averaging $629 a month; 81.0% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 18.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.4, and the average commute is -. To put 62473 in local context, 5 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Effingham County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 62473, Watson, IL · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

1,422

Population

57.3

Area (sq mi)

25

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 62473?

44.4

Median Age

53.0%

Male

47.0%

Female

0.6%

Foreign-Born

White 95.1%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.3%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$74,700

Median Household Income

-7% vs state

$39,931

Per Capita Income

8.8%

Poverty Rate

0.7%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 62473 ranks nationally

Watson, IL household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$74,700 Top 46% higher than 54% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 56.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 18.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

520

Total Housing Units

520

Occupied Units

0

Vacant Units

2.43

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.0%
Renter 19.0%

$104,800

Median Home Value

-45% vs state

$629

Median Rent

1980

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 14 business establishments in ZIP 62473, employing approximately 53 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,055,000.

14

Businesses

53

Employees

$3.1M

Annual Payroll

2

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 3 21.4%
Accommodation and food services 3 21.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 62473 vs 62401 →

ZIP 62473 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 62473 ranks #5 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 62473 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 62473 ranks #5 of 6 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
62401 Effingham, IL 19,096 6.9 mi
62443 Mason, IL 1,623 5.7 mi
62424 Dieterich, IL 2,092 8.0 mi
62426 Edgewood, IL 1,085 9.8 mi
62467 Teutopolis, IL 3,741 10.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Effingham County

62401 standard
Effingham, IL
Pop: 19,096
62411 standard
Altamont, IL
Pop: 4,430
62467 standard
Teutopolis, IL
Pop: 3,741
62424 standard
Dieterich, IL
Pop: 2,092
62443 standard
Mason, IL
Pop: 1,623
62426 standard
Edgewood, IL
Pop: 1,085

Related Areas

Effingham County Watson, IL Illinois

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 62473 in? ▼
ZIP code 62473 (Watson) is located in Effingham County, Illinois. Effingham County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/effingham-il.
What is the population of ZIP code 62473? ▼
ZIP code 62473 in Watson, IL has a population of 1,422 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 62473? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 62473 is $74,700, which is 2% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 62473? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 62473 is $104,800, which is 62% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 62473? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 62473 is White at 95.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 62473? ▼
ZIP code 62473 has 14 business establishments employing approximately 53 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 62473? ▼
In ZIP code 62473, 56.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 18.2% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 62473? ▼
In ZIP code 62473, approximately 81.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 62473? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 62473 is 8.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.