Fayette County, Illinois

Fayette County
County
Fayette County Courthouse in Vandalia
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°00′N89°01′W / 39°N 89.02°W / 39; -89.02
Country	United States
State	Illinois
Founded	1821
Named for	Marquis de Lafayette
Seat	Vandalia
Largest city	Vandalia
Area
• Total	725 sq mi (1,880 km2)
• Land	716 sq mi (1,850 km2)
• Water	8.9 sq mi (23 km2)  1.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	21,488
• Density	30/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	15th
Website	www.fayettecountyillinois.org

Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 21,488. ^[1] Its county seat is Vandalia, ^[2] the site of the Vandalia State House State Historic Site. Ramsey Lake State Recreation Area is located in the northwestern part of this county.

History

Fayette County was formed in 1821 out of Bond, Clark, and Crawford counties; according to one source, the county was formed on February 14, 1812. ^[3] It was named in honor of the Marquis de LaFayette, French hero of the American Revolutionary War. ^{[4] [5]}

In 1823, Marion County, Illinois was carved out from the southernmost part of Fayette County; this was followed by the creation of Clay, Clinton and Shelby Counties from Fayette County areas. ^[3] Early Tazewell County also received acreage from Fayette County. ^[3] The year 1831 saw the creation of Effingham County and the establishment of the modern Fayette County boundaries. ^[3]

• 
  Fayette County between the time of its creation and 1823
• 
  Fayette between 1823 and 1824
• 
  Fayette between 1824 and 1827
• 
  Fayette between 1827 and 1831
• 
  Fayette in 1831, when the creation of Effingham County reduced it to its current size

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 725 square miles (1,880 km²), of which 716 square miles (1,850 km²) is land and 8.9 square miles (23 km²) (1.2%) is water. ^[6]

Climate and weather

Vandalia, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     2.5     35 18     2.4     41 23     3.7     52 32     3.6     64 43     4.1     74 53     3.9     83 62     3.6     88 67     2.8     86 64     3     79 55     2.8     67 43     3.7     53 34     2.8     40 24 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches Source: The Weather Channel [7]
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     63     2 −8     61     5 −5     94     11 0     91     18 6     104     23 12     100     28 17     92     31 19     71     30 18     75     26 13     72     19 6     94     12 1     70     4 −4 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Vandalia have ranged from a low of 18 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 88 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −21 °F (−29 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in July 1980. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.41 inches (61 mm) in February to 4.11 inches (104 mm) in May. ^[7]

Adjacent counties

• Shelby County - northeast
• Effingham County - east
• Clay County - southeast
• Marion County - south
• Clinton County - southwest
• Bond County - west
• Montgomery County - northwest

Major highways

• Interstate 57
• Interstate 70
• U.S. Route 40
• U.S. Route 51
• Illinois Route 33
• Illinois Route 37
• Illinois Route 128
• Illinois Route 140
• Illinois Route 185

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1830	2,704		—
1840	6,328		134.0%
1850	8,075		27.6%
1860	11,189		38.6%
1870	19,638		75.5%
1880	23,241		18.3%
1890	23,367		0.5%
1900	28,065		20.1%
1910	28,075		0.0%
1920	26,187		−6.7%
1930	23,487		−10.3%
1940	29,159		24.1%
1950	24,582		−15.7%
1960	21,946		−10.7%
1970	20,752		−5.4%
1980	22,167		6.8%
1990	20,893		−5.7%
2000	21,802		4.4%
2010	22,140		1.6%
2020	21,488		−2.9%
2023 (est.)	21,164	[8]	−1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [9] 1790-1960 [10] 1900-1990 [11] 1990-2000 [12] 2010 [13]

2000 census age pyramid for Fayette County, skewed toward the male side by the Vandalia Correctional Center, an Illinois State prison, located in the county.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 22,140 people, 8,311 households, and 5,648 families living in the county. ^[15] The population density was 30.9 inhabitants per square mile (11.9/km²). There were 9,302 housing units at an average density of 13.0 per square mile (5.0/km²). ^[6] The racial makeup of the county was 93.7% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. ^[15] In terms of ancestry, 27.5% were German, 10.5% were English, 9.4% were American, and 9.3% were Irish. ^[16]

Of the 8,311 households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.0% were non-families, and 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 39.9 years. ^[15]

The median income for a household in the county was $41,269 and the median income for a family was $51,216. Males had a median income of $38,257 versus $27,188 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,663. About 10.8% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over. ^[17]

Communities

Cities

• St. Elmo
• Vandalia (seat)

Villages

• Bingham
• Brownstown
• Farina
• Ramsey
• St. Peter

Unincorporated communities

• Augsburg
• Avena
• Bayle City
• Bluff City
• Confidence
• Dressor
• Hagarstown
• La Clede
• Loogootee
• Pittsburg
• Saint James
• Saint Paul
• Shafter
• Shobonier
• Vera

Townships

Fayette County is divided into twenty townships:

• Avena
• Bear Grove
• Bowling Green
• Carson
• Hurricane
• Kaskaskia
• LaClede
• Lone Grove
• Loudon
• Otego
• Pope
• Ramsey
• Sefton
• Seminary
• Shafter
• Sharon
• South Hurricane
• Vandalia
• Wheatland
• Wilberton

Politics

Until the beginning of the twentieth century, Fayette County was rock-ribbed Democratic. It was not won by a Republican until Theodore Roosevelt’s landslide win of 1904. The county voted after that for the winning candidate in every election until 1940, when opposition to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s economic and war policies gave the county to Wendell Willkie. Since then only two Democratic presidential candidates have gained an absolute majority in the county – the more recent of these two, Jimmy Carter in 1976, doing so by a single vote.

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

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	7,847	81.52%	1,632	16.95%	147	1.53%
2020	8,055	79.94%	1,826	18.12%	195	1.94%
2016	7,372	76.86%	1,819	18.97%	400	4.17%
2012	5,951	66.03%	2,853	31.66%	208	2.31%
2008	5,499	56.64%	3,967	40.86%	242	2.49%
2004	5,880	61.58%	3,571	37.40%	98	1.03%
2000	5,200	55.69%	3,886	41.61%	252	2.70%
1996	3,881	44.14%	3,887	44.21%	1,024	11.65%
1992	3,508	34.67%	4,833	47.77%	1,777	17.56%
1988	5,452	53.88%	4,632	45.78%	34	0.34%
1984	6,607	63.09%	3,844	36.70%	22	0.21%
1980	6,523	62.67%	3,614	34.72%	271	2.60%
1976	5,059	49.33%	5,128	50.00%	68	0.66%
1972	6,574	61.05%	4,192	38.93%	2	0.02%
1968	5,449	52.38%	4,011	38.56%	943	9.06%
1964	4,492	41.64%	6,295	58.36%	0	0.00%
1960	6,586	57.25%	4,907	42.65%	11	0.10%
1956	6,739	57.81%	4,914	42.15%	5	0.04%
1952	7,028	56.96%	5,299	42.95%	12	0.10%
1948	5,717	49.25%	5,771	49.72%	120	1.03%
1944	6,332	53.27%	5,435	45.72%	120	1.01%
1940	7,486	50.19%	7,286	48.85%	143	0.96%
1936	6,419	48.01%	6,824	51.04%	128	0.96%
1932	5,122	41.44%	7,053	57.06%	185	1.50%
1928	6,545	61.65%	3,998	37.66%	73	0.69%
1924	5,010	48.43%	4,668	45.13%	666	6.44%
1920	5,758	58.48%	3,824	38.84%	264	2.68%
1916	5,316	46.55%	5,669	49.65%	434	3.80%
1912	1,481	24.51%	2,782	46.04%	1,779	29.44%
1908	3,261	48.67%	3,193	47.66%	246	3.67%
1904	3,253	51.62%	2,650	42.05%	399	6.33%
1900	2,920	44.79%	3,423	52.51%	176	2.70%
1896	2,769	42.46%	3,627	55.61%	126	1.93%
1892	1,980	36.66%	2,433	45.05%	988	18.29%

See also

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

References

• United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
• United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)
• United States National Atlas

1. "Fayette County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
2. "NACo County Explorer". County Explorer. National Association of Counties . Retrieved November 30, 2023.
3. Hoffman, Esther Halford (1969). Fayette County, Illinois Marriage Index 1821-1874. Decatur, Illinois: Decatur Genealogical Society. pp. i. Retrieved November 30, 2023– via Internet Archive.
4. Keith, Allan H (2002). Historical Stories About Greenville and Bond County, IL. Mattoon, Illinois: self-published. p. 15. LCCN   2007373029 . Retrieved November 30, 2023– via Internet Archive.
5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States (2nd ed.). Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. p. 124. Retrieved November 30, 2023– via Internet Archive.
6. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
7. "Monthly Averages for Vandalia, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. 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. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
11. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 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 December 18, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
13. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
14. Vandalia Correctional Center Archived December 9, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
15. "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.
16. "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.
17. "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.
18. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.

39°00′N89°01′W / 39.00°N 89.02°W / 39.00; -89.02