| Official Name: | Elwin, Illinois |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | Illinois#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Elwin |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Illinois |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Macon |
| Subdivision Type3: | Township |
| Subdivision Name3: | South Wheatland |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 2.16 |
| Area Land Km2: | 2.16 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 0.83 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 0.83 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 119 |
| Population Density Km2: | 55.18 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 142.86 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Elevation M: | 217 |
| Coordinates: | 39.8517°N -88.9442°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code |
| Postal Code: | 62532 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 17-23919 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 407975 |
Elwin is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in South Wheatland Township, Macon County, Illinois, United States. It was first listed as a CDP in 2020, with a population of 119.[2]
Elwin was formed in 1859 on land owned by William Martin and Daniel H. Elwood. It was laid out after completion of the railroad.[3] The name "Elwin" is an amalgamation of the surnames of founders Elwood and Martin.[4] [5]
Elwin is located in central Macon County at 39.8517°N -88.9442°W (39.851636, -88.944228). Centrally located within South Wheatland Township, it was once known as South Wheatland. It is 5miles south of the center of Decatur, the Macon county seat. U.S. Route 51 bypasses Elwin on its east side, with its old alignment passing through the center of the community as U.S. Route 51 Business. The two routes join south of Elwin and lead south to Pana.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Elwin CDP has an area of 0.83sqmi, all land.[1] The community is in the Spring Creek watershed, which flows north to the Sangamon River in Decatur.