Edwards County, Illinois

Last updated

Edwards County
County
Edwards County Courthouse in Albion.jpg
Edwards County Courthouse in Albion
Map of Illinois highlighting Edwards County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois in United States.svg
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°25′N88°04′W / 38.42°N 88.06°W / 38.42; -88.06
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Illinois.svg Illinois
Founded1814
Named after Ninian Edwards
Seat Albion
Largest cityAlbion
Area
 • Total
223 sq mi (580 km2)
 • Land222 sq mi (570 km2)
 • Water0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)  0.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
6,245
 • Estimate 
(2024)
5,984 Decrease2.svg [1]
 • Density28/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 12th

Edwards County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,245. [2] Its county seat is Albion. [3]

Contents

History

Edwards County was named for Ninian Edwards, [4] the governor of the Illinois Territory, and, later, governor of Illinois.

Edwards County is subdivided into "Road Districts", rather than "Townships" as in most Illinois counties. Pursuant to the Land Ordinance of 1785, the Northwest Territory (including Illinois) was surveyed and mostly organized into townships that are six miles square; but Edwards County was settled prior to that survey, and its pre-existing Road Districts do not generally correspond with the survey's townships.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 223 square miles (580 km2), of which 222 square miles (570 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.1%) is water. [5] It is the fourth-smallest county in Illinois by area.

When Edwards County was formed in 1814, it comprised nearly half of the State of Illinois. New counties were formed from it until, in 1824, it assumed its present form from the creation of Wabash County. The two are the fourth and fifth smallest counties in Illinois.

Edwards County is separated from Wabash County by the Bonpas Creek.

Climate and weather

Albion, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel [6]
Metric conversion
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Albion have ranged from a low of 21 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 89 °F (32 °C) in July, although a record low of −20 °F (−29 °C) was recorded in January 1982 and a record high of 109 °F (43 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.57 inches (65 mm) in January to 5.13 inches (130 mm) in April. [6]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1820 3,444—
1830 1,649−52.1%
1840 3,07086.2%
1850 3,52414.8%
1860 5,45454.8%
1870 7,56538.7%
1880 8,59713.6%
1890 9,4449.9%
1900 10,3459.5%
1910 10,049−2.9%
1920 9,431−6.1%
1930 8,303−12.0%
1940 8,9748.1%
1950 9,0560.9%
1960 7,940−12.3%
1970 7,090−10.7%
1980 7,96112.3%
1990 7,440−6.5%
2000 6,971−6.3%
2010 6,721−3.6%
2020 6,245−7.1%
2023 (est.)5,968 [7] −4.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]
1790-1960 [9] 1900-1990 [10]
1990-2000 [11] 2010-2017 [12]
2000 census age pyramid for Edwards County USA Edwards County, Illinois age pyramid.svg
2000 census age pyramid for Edwards County

2020 census

Edwards 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 [13] Pop 1990 [14] Pop 2000 [15] Pop 2010 [16] Pop 2020 [17] % 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)7,9197,3816,8696,5555,99499.47%99.21%98.54%97.53%95.98%
Black or African American alone (NH)261030160.03%0.08%0.14%0.45%0.26%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)786880.09%0.11%0.09%0.12%0.13%
Asian alone (NH)8142521210.10%0.19%0.36%0.31%0.34%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [18] x [19] 304xx0.04%0.00%0.06%
Other race alone (NH)0131110.00%0.01%0.04%0.01%0.18%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [20] x [21] 2347128xx0.33%0.70%2.05%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)25303259630.31%0.40%0.46%0.88%1.01%
Total7,9617,4406,9716,7216,245 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 6,721 people, 2,840 households, and 1,926 families residing in the county. [22] The population density was 30.2 inhabitants per square mile (11.7/km2). There were 3,187 housing units at an average density of 14.3 per square mile (5.5/km2). [5] The racial makeup of the county was 98.0% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population. [22] In terms of ancestry, 26.8% were German, 22.4% were English, 13.3% were American, and 8.4% were Irish. [23]

Of the 2,840 households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.2% were non-families, and 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 42.7 years. [22]

The median income for a household in the county was $40,430 and the median income for a family was $51,337. Males had a median income of $40,183 versus $27,295 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,113. About 10.6% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over. [24]

Communities

Precincts of Edwards County Edwards County, IL.png
Precincts of Edwards County

Cities

Villages

Unincorporated Communities

Precincts

Edwards County is divided into 12 election precincts:

Politics

Edwards County is one of the most consistently Republican counties in the nation. It has voted for the Republican candidate in all Presidential elections from 1856 to present, except in 1912 when the party was divided and Theodore Roosevelt won the county as the “Bull Moose” Progressive candidate. [25] In the last five Presidential elections no Democratic candidate has reached 34 percent of the county's vote. [26] Edwards County also holds the distinction of having the lowest percentage of any Illinois county of votes for governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat, in his failed 2014 reelection bid. Quinn lost 101 of the 102 counties in Illinois, capturing only 13.7% of the vote in Edwards County. [27] In his three latest runs for president, Donald Trump has won the county decisively with a near 70 point margin of victory each time. The last Democrat to win the county was Andrew Jackson in 1832.

United States presidential election results for Edwards County, Illinois [28]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 1,35062.59%67731.39%1306.03%
1896 1,57263.95%85234.66%341.38%
1900 1,57764.18%82333.50%572.32%
1904 1,61067.28%59524.86%1887.86%
1908 1,61464.48%74729.84%1425.67%
1912 81734.00%65027.05%93638.95%
1916 2,88565.39%1,38931.48%1383.13%
1920 3,00279.21%74219.58%461.21%
1924 2,75069.59%1,04726.49%1553.92%
1928 2,86174.78%95024.83%150.39%
1932 2,20352.25%1,95646.39%571.35%
1936 2,81355.16%2,21143.35%761.49%
1940 3,36164.86%1,77034.16%510.98%
1944 3,01670.96%1,19728.16%370.87%
1948 2,49166.07%1,20631.99%731.94%
1952 3,50275.01%1,16224.89%50.11%
1956 3,33973.38%1,21026.59%10.02%
1960 3,29169.36%1,44630.47%80.17%
1964 2,26253.19%1,99146.81%00.00%
1968 2,63363.68%1,09526.48%4079.84%
1972 3,01773.93%1,05525.85%90.22%
1976 2,37958.51%1,64840.53%390.96%
1980 2,55668.14%1,04127.75%1544.11%
1984 2,77872.25%1,05727.49%100.26%
1988 2,21264.12%1,21835.30%200.58%
1992 1,60145.07%1,29936.57%65218.36%
1996 1,61351.98%1,08935.10%40112.92%
2000 2,21267.85%97830.00%702.15%
2004 2,41271.70%93027.65%220.65%
2008 2,13763.56%1,14033.91%852.53%
2012 2,40574.50%75423.36%692.14%
2016 2,77883.57%43413.06%1123.37%
2020 2,83384.12%48814.49%471.40%
2024 2,79484.80%45713.87%441.34%

In other positions the county has been not been consistently Republican for as long, but nevertheless has been so for many years. The last Democratic Senatorial candidate it backed was Alan J. Dixon in 1986 [29] and the last Democratic gubernatorial candidate it supported was Glenn Poshard, who carried all of Southern Illinois in his failed 1998 bid. [30] Edwards County lies in Illinois's 15th congressional district, which has Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+21 and has been represented by Republican Mike Bost since 2023.

Edwards County is a dry county, with multiple referendums to allow alcohol sales failing in the mid-1990s. The portion of Grayville, Illinois that lies within Edwards County does allow alcohol sales per Grayville city ordinance. [31]

See also

References

  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. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 4, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  115.
  5. 1 2 "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Monthly Averages for Albion, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  13. ↑ "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 .
  14. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  15. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Edwards County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
  16. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Edwards County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
  17. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Edwards County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
  18. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  19. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  20. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  21. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  22. 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.
  23. ↑ "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.
  24. ↑ "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.
  25. ↑ Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "Edwards County, Illinois". politicalgraveyard.com. The Political Graveyard . Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  26. ↑ "President Map - Election Results 2008 - The New York Times". elections.nytimes.com.
  27. ↑ "WJBD - Local News - Quinn Loses Hardest in Edwards County". wjbdradio.com.
  28. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
  29. ↑ "David Leip's Election Atlas (Maps for Illinois Senate by election)". uselectionatlas.org.
  30. ↑ "David Leip's Election Atlas (Maps for Illinois Governor by election)". uselectionatlas.org.
  31. ↑ "Illinois Liquor Control Commission Home" (PDF). www.state.il.us. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 23, 2013.

38°25′N88°04′W / 38.42°N 88.06°W / 38.42; -88.06

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