Carroll County, Illinois

Carroll County
County
Carroll County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°04′N89°55′W / 42.06°N 89.92°W / 42.06; -89.92
Country	United States
State	Illinois
Founded	1839
Named for	Charles Carroll
Seat	Mount Carroll
Largest city	Savanna
Area
• Total	466 sq mi (1,210 km2)
• Land	445 sq mi (1,150 km2)
• Water	22 sq mi (60 km2)  4.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	15,702
• Density	34/sq mi (13/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	17th
Website	www.carroll-county.net

Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 15,702. ^[1] Its county seat is Mount Carroll. ^[2]

History

Carroll County was formed in 1839 out of Jo Daviess County. The county is named for Charles Carroll who signed the Declaration of Independence. ^[3] Carroll, who died in 1832, was the last signer to die.

• 
  Carroll County at the time of its creation in 1839

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 466 square miles (1,210 km²), of which 445 square miles (1,150 km²) is land and 22 square miles (57 km²) (4.6%) is water. ^[4] The Mississippi Palisades State Park is in this county, just north of the city of Savanna. The Savanna Army Depot is located partly in this county.

Adjacent counties

• Stephenson County - northeast
• Ogle County - east
• Whiteside County - south
• Clinton County, Iowa - southwest
• Jackson County, Iowa - west
• Jo Daviess County - northwest

National protected area

• Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge (part)

Major highways

• US Route 52
• Illinois Route 40
• Illinois Route 64
• Illinois Route 72
• Illinois Route 73
• Illinois Route 78
• Illinois Route 84

Climate and weather

Mount Carroll, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     1.4     29 7     1.5     35 13     2.6     47 25     3.7     60 35     4.3     72 46     4.8     82 54     3.8     85 59     4.5     83 56     3.5     76 47     2.7     64 36     2.8     47 26     2     34 14 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches Source: The Weather Channel [5]
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     36     −2 −14     39     2 −11     67     8 −4     93     16 2     110     22 8     121     28 12     97     29 15     115     28 13     88     24 8     69     18 2     72     8 −3     51     1 −10 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mount Carroll have ranged from a low of 7 °F (−14 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −31 °F (−35 °C) was recorded in January 1910 and a record high of 108 °F (42 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.43 inches (36 mm) in January to 4.77 inches (121 mm) in June. ^[5]

Demographics

2000 census age pyramid for Carroll County.

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	1,023		—
1850	4,586		348.3%
1860	11,733		155.8%
1870	16,705		42.4%
1880	16,976		1.6%
1890	18,320		7.9%
1900	18,963		3.5%
1910	18,035		−4.9%
1920	19,345		7.3%
1930	18,433		−4.7%
1940	17,987		−2.4%
1950	18,976		5.5%
1960	19,507		2.8%
1970	19,276		−1.2%
1980	18,779		−2.6%
1990	16,805		−10.5%
2000	16,674		−0.8%
2010	15,387		−7.7%
2020	15,702		2.0%
2023 (est.)	15,526	[6]	−1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census [7] 1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9] 1990-2000 [10] 2010 [11]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 15,387 people, 6,622 households, and 4,343 families residing in the county. ^[12] The population density was 34.6 inhabitants per square mile (13.4/km²). There were 8,437 housing units at an average density of 19.0 per square mile (7.3/km²). ^[4] The racial makeup of the county was 96.9% white, 0.8% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.8% of the population. ^[12] In terms of ancestry, 40.4% were German, 14.0% were Irish, 11.2% were English, and 10.6% were American. ^[13]

Of the 6,622 households, 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.4% were non-families, and 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.80. The median age was 46.5 years. ^[12]

The median income for a household in the county was $44,805 and the median income for a family was $55,341. Males had a median income of $42,421 versus $27,552 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,914. About 7.8% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.4% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over. ^[14]

Education

• Chadwick-Milledgeville Community Unit School District 399
• Eastland Community Unit School District 308
• West Carroll Community Unit School District 314

Communities

Cities

• Lanark
• Mt. Carroll
• Savanna

Villages

• Chadwick
• Milledgeville
• Shannon
• Thomson

Townships

Carroll County is divided into these twelve townships:

• Cherry Grove-Shannon
• Elkhorn Grove
• Fairhaven
• Freedom
• Mount Carroll
• Rock Creek-Lima
• Salem
• Savanna
• Washington
• Woodland
• Wysox
• York

Census designated place

• Lake Carroll

Unincorporated Communities

• Argo Fay
• Arnold
• Ashdale Junction
• Ayers
• Blackhawk
• Burke
• Center Hill
• Ebner
• Elkhorn Grove
• Fair Haven
• Georgetown
• Hazelhurst
• Hickory Grove
• Hitt
• Ideal
• Kittredge
• Marcus
• Polsgrove
• South Elkhorn
• Wacker
• Zier Cors

Notable people

• John Acker, Illinois state representative, was born on a farm near Savanna. ^[15]
• Willis J. Bailey, United States Representative from Kansas and the 16th Governor of Kansas ^[16]
• Neva Burright, Illinois harness racing driver and first woman to win a Grand Circuit race
• David J. Summerville, Wisconsin State Assemblyman ^[17]

Politics

United States presidential election results for Carroll County, Illinois ^[18]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	5,105	63.52%	2,748	34.19%	184	2.29%
2016	4,434	59.56%	2,447	32.87%	564	7.58%
2012	3,555	48.00%	3,665	49.49%	186	2.51%
2008	3,596	46.74%	3,965	51.54%	132	1.72%
2004	4,534	55.73%	3,537	43.48%	64	0.79%
2000	3,835	53.43%	3,113	43.37%	229	3.19%
1996	3,029	44.55%	2,926	43.04%	844	12.41%
1992	3,297	42.94%	2,854	37.17%	1,528	19.90%
1988	4,464	59.42%	2,990	39.80%	58	0.77%
1984	5,237	68.39%	2,398	31.31%	23	0.30%
1980	5,084	63.37%	2,154	26.85%	785	9.78%
1976	5,059	59.34%	3,372	39.55%	95	1.11%
1972	6,041	69.99%	2,571	29.79%	19	0.22%
1968	5,275	63.69%	2,558	30.89%	449	5.42%
1964	4,487	52.49%	4,062	47.51%	0	0.00%
1960	6,282	66.70%	3,097	32.88%	39	0.41%
1956	6,503	70.60%	2,693	29.24%	15	0.16%
1952	6,978	72.87%	2,584	26.98%	14	0.15%
1948	5,318	64.94%	2,809	34.30%	62	0.76%
1944	6,101	68.08%	2,843	31.72%	18	0.20%
1940	6,398	63.90%	3,592	35.87%	23	0.23%
1936	4,886	52.38%	4,368	46.83%	74	0.79%
1932	4,571	53.81%	3,812	44.87%	112	1.32%
1928	6,197	76.34%	1,876	23.11%	45	0.55%
1924	4,559	60.93%	603	8.06%	2,320	31.01%
1920	5,194	86.65%	606	10.11%	194	3.24%
1916	4,496	67.00%	1,980	29.51%	234	3.49%
1912	1,577	38.36%	1,098	26.71%	1,436	34.93%
1908	2,875	66.71%	1,129	26.19%	306	7.10%
1904	3,128	76.44%	691	16.89%	273	6.67%
1900	3,425	71.53%	1,266	26.44%	97	2.03%
1896	3,314	67.91%	1,480	30.33%	86	1.76%
1892	2,456	58.80%	1,444	34.57%	277	6.63%

As a part of Yankee-settled Northern Illinois, Carroll County became solidly Republican upon that party's formation in the 1850s. Of all the counties won by inaugural Republican Party presidential nominee John Charles Frémont in 1856, Carroll County was to maintain the longest unbroken string of supporting the GOP in subsequent elections. It would give a plurality to every subsequent Republican Presidential nominee up to George W. Bush in 2004, beating by three elections the second longest run of Indiana's Porter County which was to give a plurality to Bill Clinton in 1996.

In that 1996 election Bob Dole won Carroll County by only 1.51 percentage points – the smallest margin by a Republican to that point – and in 2008 Illinois native Barack Obama broke this last remaining GOP streak stretching back to Frémont by carrying the county by 4.80 percentage points. Obama was to repeat his win in 2012 by 1.49 percent, but a dramatic swing to Republican Donald Trump in 2016 saw him win by the largest margin since Ronald Reagan’s 1984 landslide by gaining 59.6% of the vote in Carroll County, scoring slightly higher than George H.W. Bush's victory in 1988 in which Bush won 59.4% of the vote in Carroll County.

The largest margin of victory ever in Carroll County was achieved by Warren G. Harding who won 86.7% of votes in the county during the 1920 United States presidential election.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Carroll County, Illinois

References

1. "Carroll County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 8, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  70.
4. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
5. "Monthly Averages for Mount Carroll, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
11. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
12. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
13. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
14. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
15. 'Illinois Blue Book 1933-1934,' Biographical Sketch of John Acker, pg. 219
16. "Kansas Governor Willis Joshua Bailey". National Governors Association. Archived from the original on January 17, 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2012.
17. 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1923,' Biographical Sketch of David J. Summerville, pg. 636
18. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018.

External links

• Carroll County Government
• Visit Carroll County
• Village of Chadwick
• City of Lanark
• Village of Milledgeville
• City of Mt. Carroll
• City of Savanna
• Visit Savanna
• Village of Shannon
• Village of Thomson
• Visit Thomson
• United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
• United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)
• United States National Atlas

42°04′N89°55′W / 42.06°N 89.92°W / 42.06; -89.92