Fulton County, Illinois

Last updated

Fulton County
County
Courthouse columns at Oak Hill Cemetery.jpg
The old courthouse columns at Oak Hill Cemetery
Map of Illinois highlighting Fulton County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois in United States.svg
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°29′N90°13′W / 40.48°N 90.21°W / 40.48; -90.21
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Illinois.svg Illinois
Founded1823
Named after Robert Fulton
Seat Lewistown
Largest city Canton
Area
 • Total
883 sq mi (2,290 km2)
 • Land866 sq mi (2,240 km2)
 • Water17 sq mi (40 km2)  1.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
33,609
 • Estimate 
(2024)
32,510 Decrease2.svg [1]
 • Density38/sq mi (15/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts 15th, 17th
Website www.fultonco.org

Fulton County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 33,609. [2] Its county seat is Lewistown, [3] and the largest city is Canton. Fulton County comprises the Canton, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of the Peoria-Canton, IL Combined Statistical Area.

Contents

History

Fulton County was organized in 1823 from Pike County. It is named for Robert Fulton, developer of the first commercially successful steamboat. [4] American poet and writer Edgar Lee Masters lived in Fulton County during the 1890s; he later became famous for the Spoon River Anthology, written in 1915. Fulton County was home to Camp Ellis during World War II.

The county is known for the annual Spoon River Scenic Drive, which occurs the first 2 weekends in October. This has been a tradition since 1968 and attracts thousands of participants from all over the country.

Fulton County is home to the Ogden-Fettie Site, a significant site for Havana Hopewell Native culture. It is the largest collection of Woodland Mounds in Illinois, with 35 Mounds, dating from 400 BC, arranged in a crescent.

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 883 square miles (2,290 km2), of which 866 square miles (2,240 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (1.9%) is water. [6]

Fulton County is the site of Dickson Mounds Museum, a state museum of Native American daily life in the Illinois River valley.

Climate and weather

Lewistown, 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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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Lewistown have ranged from a low of 14 °F (−10 °C) in January to a high of 88 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −30 °F (−34 °C) was recorded in January 1999 and a record high of 106 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1983. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.85 inches (47 mm) in January to 4.43 inches (113 mm) in May. [7]

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Transportation

Major highways

Airport

The county contains one public-use airport: Ingersoll Airport (CTK), located in Canton. [8]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1830 1,841—
1840 13,142613.9%
1850 22,50871.3%
1860 33,33848.1%
1870 38,29114.9%
1880 41,2407.7%
1890 43,1104.5%
1900 46,2017.2%
1910 49,5497.2%
1920 48,163−2.8%
1930 43,983−8.7%
1940 44,6271.5%
1950 43,716−2.0%
1960 41,954−4.0%
1970 41,890−0.2%
1980 43,6874.3%
1990 38,080−12.8%
2000 38,2500.4%
2010 37,069−3.1%
2020 33,609−9.3%
2023 (est.)32,541 [9] −3.2%
US Decennial Census [10]
1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12]
1990-2000 [13] 2010 [14]
2000 census age pyramid for Fulton County USA Fulton County, Illinois age pyramid.svg
2000 census age pyramid for Fulton County

2020 census

Fulton 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 [15] Pop 1990 [16] Pop 2000 [17] Pop 2010 [18] Pop 2020 [19] % 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)43,27436,98836,06834,39730,61699.05%97.13%94.30%92.79%91.09%
Black or African American alone (NH)1196631,3691,2681,1020.27%1.74%3.58%3.42%3.28%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)32794882590.07%0.21%0.13%0.22%0.18%
Asian alone (NH)819992111690.19%0.26%0.24%0.30%0.21%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [20] x [21] 426xx0.01%0.01%0.02%
Other race alone (NH)407814770.09%0.02%0.02%0.04%0.23%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [22] x [23] 183299942xx0.48%0.81%2.80%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)1412444788967380.32%0.64%1.25%2.42%2.20%
Total43,68738,08038,25037,06933,609 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 37,069 people, 14,536 households, and 9,744 families residing in the county. [24] The population density was 42.8 inhabitants per square mile (16.5/km2). There were 16,195 housing units at an average density of 18.7 per square mile (7.2/km2). [6] The racial makeup of the county was 93.4% white, 3.4% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 1.6% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.4% of the population. [24] In terms of ancestry, 23.7% were German, 19.1% were American, 14.0% were English, and 13.2% were Irish. [25]

Of the 14,536 households, 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.0% were non-families, and 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age was 41.9 years. [24]

The median income for a household in the county was $41,268 and the median income for a family was $50,596. Males had a median income of $41,376 versus $28,596 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,309. About 9.9% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.2% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over. [26]

Communities

Cities

Town

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Bases

Politics

In its early years, Fulton County favored the Democratic Party, being one of the northernmost Democratic counties and the nearest to Yankee, then solidly Republican Northern Illinois. It was never won by a Republican until the Democratic Party moved towards the Populist Party’s policies under William Jennings Bryan, a change which resulted in the county voting Republican except in landslide victories between 1896 and 1960. In that period, Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936 was the solitary Democratic presidential candidate to gain a majority of the county’s vote.

However, the 1964 election saw the county trend Democratic – so much so that Hubert Humphrey gained a narrow plurality in his 1968 election loss. Despite not going Democratic again until 1988, the party would always remain competitive in the county, and between 1988 and 2012 every Democratic presidential candidate gained a majority in Fulton County. However, concern over economic decline in the “Rust Belt” saw Donald Trump produce a dramatic swing in the 2016 election, winning Fulton County by fifteen percentage points and gaining the best GOP record in the county since 1980. In 2020, Trump improved his margin significantly, the best Republican performance in the county since Nixon in 1972. In 2024, Trump improved the Republican strength again, reaching more than 60% of the vote.

United States presidential election results for Fulton County, Illinois [27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 4,94845.72%5,25348.54%6215.74%
1896 6,19550.35%5,97948.60%1291.05%
1900 6,13050.16%5,76247.15%3292.69%
1904 6,37356.67%3,79133.71%1,0829.62%
1908 6,07750.54%4,90640.80%1,0428.67%
1912 3,33427.33%3,90231.98%4,96540.69%
1916 9,73548.50%8,68643.28%1,6508.22%
1920 9,52359.25%5,29332.93%1,2567.81%
1924 8,66448.35%5,01127.96%4,24623.69%
1928 10,60059.95%6,59137.28%4892.77%
1932 7,57936.77%12,14458.92%8884.31%
1936 10,13043.25%12,86454.92%4281.83%
1940 12,81650.80%12,19848.35%2140.85%
1944 11,11754.96%8,94644.22%1660.82%
1948 9,50453.00%8,22645.87%2031.13%
1952 13,30261.13%8,41438.67%440.20%
1956 12,37558.58%8,70241.19%480.23%
1960 11,99953.93%10,19445.81%580.26%
1964 7,78537.40%13,03062.60%00.00%
1968 9,58246.72%9,62246.92%1,3056.36%
1972 12,32861.80%7,52937.74%920.46%
1976 9,58850.23%9,31448.79%1880.98%
1980 10,31654.42%7,48139.46%1,1606.12%
1984 9,14749.77%9,13149.69%990.54%
1988 6,99943.45%9,04656.16%630.39%
1992 5,06228.60%9,72554.94%2,91416.46%
1996 5,15532.82%8,85756.39%1,69410.79%
2000 6,93642.61%8,94054.92%4012.46%
2004 7,81845.89%9,08053.30%1370.80%
2008 6,25138.19%9,73259.45%3862.36%
2012 6,63243.03%8,32854.04%4512.93%
2016 8,49253.76%6,13338.82%1,1727.42%
2020 9,86759.00%6,50338.88%3542.12%
2024 9,82760.62%5,98036.89%4052.50%

The fictional town of Lanford, Illinois in the sitcom Roseanne was initially set in Fulton County before on-air information placed the town elsewhere in the state.

See also

Notes

    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. ↑ "Fulton 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. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  133.
    5. ↑ White, Jesse. Origin and Evolution of Illinois Counties. State of Illinois, March 2010. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on August 6, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
    6. 1 2 "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
    7. 1 2 "Monthly Averages for Lewistown IL". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
    8. ↑ "Fulton County Public and Private Airports". www.tollfreeairline.com. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011.
    9. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
    10. ↑ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
    11. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
    12. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
    13. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
    14. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
    15. ↑ "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 .
    16. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
    17. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Fulton County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
    18. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fulton County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
    19. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Fulton County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
    20. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
    21. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
    22. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
    23. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
    24. 1 2 3 "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
    25. ↑ "Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
    26. ↑ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
    27. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018.
    General

    40°29′N90°13′W / 40.48°N 90.21°W / 40.48; -90.21

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