Christian County, Illinois

Last updated

Christian County
County
Christian County Courthouse, Taylorville.jpg
Christian County Courthouse in Taylorville
Map of Illinois highlighting Christian County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois in United States.svg
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°33′N89°17′W / 39.55°N 89.28°W / 39.55; -89.28
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Illinois.svg Illinois
Founded1839
Named after Christian County, Kentucky
Seat Taylorville
Largest cityTaylorville
Area
 • Total
716 sq mi (1,850 km2)
 • Land709 sq mi (1,840 km2)
 • Water6.3 sq mi (16 km2)  0.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
34,032
 • Estimate 
(2024)
33,247 Decrease2.svg [1]
 • Density48/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 15th
Website www.christiancountyil.gov

Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,032. [2] Its county seat is Taylorville. [3]

Contents

History

Christian County was formed February 15, 1839, out of Sangamon, Montgomery and Shelby counties. It was named for Christian County, Kentucky. It was originally named Dane County and was called Dane County until 1840. [4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 716 square miles (1,850 km2), of which 709 square miles (1,840 km2) is land and 6.3 square miles (16 km2) (0.9%) is water. [5] The county is bounded on the north by Sangamon River, and intersected by the south fork of that stream. [6]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Climate and weather

Taylorville, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel [7]
Metric conversion
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Taylorville have ranged from a low of 16 °F (−9 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −23 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.78 inches (45 mm) in January to 3.77 inches (96 mm) in May. [7]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1840 1,878—
1850 3,20370.6%
1860 10,492227.6%
1870 20,36394.1%
1880 28,22738.6%
1890 30,5318.2%
1900 32,7907.4%
1910 34,5945.5%
1920 38,45811.2%
1930 37,538−2.4%
1940 38,5642.7%
1950 38,8160.7%
1960 37,207−4.1%
1970 35,948−3.4%
1980 36,4461.4%
1990 34,418−5.6%
2000 35,3722.8%
2010 34,800−1.6%
2020 34,032−2.2%
2023 (est.)33,228 [8] −2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [9]
1790-1960 [10] 1900-1990 [11]
1990-2000 [12] 2010 [13]
2000 census age pyramid for Christian County USA Christian County, Illinois age pyramid.svg
2000 census age pyramid for Christian County

2020 census

Christian County, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 [14] Pop 1990 [15] Pop 2000 [16] Pop 2010 [17] Pop 2020 [18] % 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)36,14334,09533,92133,33131,22699.17%99.06%95.90%95.78%91.75%
Black or African American alone (NH)75817544923800.21%0.24%2.13%1.41%1.12%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)33514941590.09%0.15%0.14%0.12%0.17%
Asian alone (NH)56871311651790.15%0.25%0.37%0.47%0.53%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [19] x [20] 971xx0.03%0.02%0.00%
Other race alone (NH)27169600.07%0.00%0.02%0.03%0.18%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [21] x [22] 1572841,033xx0.44%0.82%3.04%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)1121033454711,0940.31%0.30%0.98%1.35%3.21%
Total36,44634,41835,37234,80034,032 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 34,800 people, 14,055 households, and 9,211 families residing in the county. [23] The population density was 49.1 inhabitants per square mile (19.0/km2). There were 15,563 housing units at an average density of 21.9 per square mile (8.5/km2). [5] The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 1.4% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. [23] In terms of ancestry, 21.9% were German, 12.7% were Irish, 10.6% were American, and 9.9% were English. [24]

Of the 14,055 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.5% were non-families, and 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 41.6 years. [23]

The median income for a household in the county was $41,712 and the median income for a family was $52,680. Males had a median income of $42,897 versus $30,027 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,519. About 12.7% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over. [25]

Communities

Map of Christian County, Illinois Map of Christian County Illinois.png
Map of Christian County, Illinois

Cities

Villages

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated places

Townships

Christian County is divided into these seventeen townships:

Notable people

Politics

Like most of German-settled Central Illinois, Christian County was solidly Democratic until Woodrow Wilson’s response to German defeat in World War I turned the county over to the Republican Party in its 1920, 1924 and 1928 landslides. The county remained Democratic-leaning through the rest of the twentieth century, only voting Republican in landslide wins. However, since 2000 Christian County has become reliably Republican.

United States presidential election results for Christian County, Illinois [26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 2,94140.12%3,65549.86%73510.03%
1896 3,85744.74%4,63953.82%1241.44%
1900 3,68643.59%4,51953.44%2522.98%
1904 3,85649.15%3,29742.02%6938.83%
1908 3,68643.63%4,15649.19%6077.18%
1912 1,99425.30%3,82148.48%2,06726.22%
1916 6,92344.12%7,98250.87%7875.02%
1920 7,53552.75%5,39837.79%1,3529.46%
1924 7,39846.08%5,82636.29%2,83217.64%
1928 9,89656.77%7,34542.14%1901.09%
1932 6,09633.42%11,51563.12%6313.46%
1936 8,14539.69%11,40055.55%9764.76%
1940 10,25546.91%11,45752.41%1500.69%
1944 8,99548.79%9,36050.77%820.44%
1948 7,57644.40%9,36654.89%1200.70%
1952 9,90650.11%9,84449.80%170.09%
1956 10,28252.91%9,09346.79%590.30%
1960 9,26347.54%10,20752.38%150.08%
1964 6,15334.09%11,89865.91%00.00%
1968 7,48642.31%8,46547.84%1,7439.85%
1972 10,07256.98%7,55642.75%470.27%
1976 7,44543.90%9,30654.87%2091.23%
1980 8,77054.69%6,62541.31%6414.00%
1984 8,53452.84%7,54146.69%770.48%
1988 7,04045.61%8,29553.74%1010.65%
1992 5,08728.92%9,04251.40%3,46119.68%
1996 5,56337.49%7,43150.08%1,84312.42%
2000 7,53751.03%6,79946.03%4352.94%
2004 9,04459.24%6,11240.03%1110.73%
2008 7,87251.94%6,91845.65%3652.41%
2012 8,88560.33%5,49437.31%3482.36%
2016 10,54368.12%3,99225.79%9426.09%
2020 11,56371.24%4,33526.71%3332.05%
2024 11,27872.29%4,02625.81%2961.90%

See also

References

Specific
  1. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020–2024". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. March 2025. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Christian County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ Adams, James N. (compiler) (1989), Keller, William E. (ed.), Illinois Place Names , Springfield: Illinois State Historical Society, pp.  575, ISBN   0-912226-24-2
  5. 1 2 "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  6. ↑ Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Christian. II. A central county of Illinois"  . The American Cyclopædia .
  7. 1 2 "Monthly Averages for Taylorville, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  13. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  14. ↑ "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois- Table 14 - Persons by Race and Table 16 (p. 18-28) - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 29-39)" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  15. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  16. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Christian County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
  17. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Christian County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
  18. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Christian County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
  19. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  20. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  21. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  22. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  23. 1 2 3 "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.
  24. ↑ "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.
  25. ↑ "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.
  26. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
General

39°33′N89°17′W / 39.55°N 89.28°W / 39.55; -89.28

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