Illinois Route 89 forms the main north–south road through Washburn as Jefferson Street; it leads southwest 10 miles (16 km) to Metamora and northeast 9 miles (14 km) to Varna.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Washburn has a total area of 0.72 square miles (1.86 km2), all land.

[1] Snag Creek flows through the village, running west to the Illinois River near Chillicothe.

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,147 people, 436 households, and 309 families residing in the village.

25.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.