Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1840 | 4,535 | — | |
1850 | 7,354 | 62.2% | |
1860 | 12,051 | 63.9% | |
1870 | 15,054 | 24.9% | |
1880 | 15,542 | 3.2% | |
1890 | 14,810 | −4.7% | |
1900 | 14,612 | −1.3% | |
1910 | 13,954 | −4.5% | |
1920 | 12,682 | −9.1% | |
1930 | 12,556 | −1.0% | |
1940 | 13,636 | 8.6% | |
1950 | 15,264 | 11.9% | |
1960 | 17,023 | 11.5% | |
1970 | 18,492 | 8.6% | |
1980 | 20,538 | 11.1% | |
1990 | 20,539 | 0.0% | |
2000 | 21,668 | 5.5% | |
2010 | 22,985 | 6.1% | |
2020 | 21,512 | −6.4% | |
2023 (est.) | 21,091 | [7] | −2.0% |
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790-1960 [9] 1900-1990 [10] 1990-2000 [11] 2010-2013 [1] |
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 22,985 people, 8,828 households, and 6,228 families residing in the county. [12] The population density was 62.2 inhabitants per square mile (24.0/km2). There were 9,848 housing units at an average density of 26.7 per square mile (10.3/km2). [5] The racial makeup of the county was 97.6% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population. [12] In terms of ancestry, 42.8% were German, 14.7% were Irish, 10.6% were English, and 8.6% were American. [13]
Of the 8,828 households, 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.5% were non-families, and 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 40.5 years. [12]
The median income for a household in the county was $53,470 and the median income for a family was $64,773. Males had a median income of $48,750 versus $31,789 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,368. About 5.6% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.4% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over. [14]
Jersey County is divided into eleven townships:
The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of Jersey County.
†county seat
Rank | Place | Municipal type | Population (2020 Census) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | † Jerseyville | City | 8,336 |
2 | Brighton (partially in Macoupin County ) | Village | 2,221 |
3 | Grafton | City | 626 |
4 | Elsah | Village | 519 |
5 | Fieldon | Village | 176 |
6 | Fidelity | Village | 96 |
7 | Otterville | Town | 87 |
Position | Person | Party |
---|---|---|
County Board Chairman | Gary Krueger | Republican |
County Board Majority | 11-1 | Republican |
Circuit Clerk | Daniel Schetter | Republican |
County Clerk | Pam Warford | Republican |
Coroner | Kevin Ayres | Republican |
Sheriff | Nicholas Manns | Independent |
State's Attorney | Benjamin L. Goetten | Democratic |
Regional Superintendent | Michelle Mueller | Democratic |
Treasurer | Katie Steckel-Abbey | Republican |
The Republican Party holds five of eight countywide elected positions as of 2022 as well as an eleven to one majority on the county board. [15]
Jersey County is part of Regional Office of Education #40 which includes neighboring Macoupin, Calhoun and Greene counties. The office operates a facility in Jerseyville.
Jersey County is divided into two legislative districts in the Illinois House of Representatives:
The county is also divided into two legislative districts in the Illinois Senate:
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2024 | 8,684 | 73.95% | 2,816 | 23.98% | 243 | 2.07% |
2020 | 8,712 | 72.84% | 2,961 | 24.76% | 287 | 2.40% |
2016 | 7,748 | 70.49% | 2,679 | 24.37% | 564 | 5.13% |
2012 | 6,039 | 60.38% | 3,667 | 36.67% | 295 | 2.95% |
2008 | 5,329 | 50.20% | 5,042 | 47.50% | 244 | 2.30% |
2004 | 5,435 | 53.62% | 4,597 | 45.35% | 105 | 1.04% |
2000 | 4,699 | 49.92% | 4,355 | 46.27% | 359 | 3.81% |
1996 | 3,211 | 36.63% | 4,275 | 48.77% | 1,280 | 14.60% |
1992 | 2,933 | 29.06% | 4,749 | 47.05% | 2,411 | 23.89% |
1988 | 4,343 | 49.62% | 4,376 | 50.00% | 33 | 0.38% |
1984 | 5,146 | 57.60% | 3,762 | 42.11% | 26 | 0.29% |
1980 | 5,266 | 58.61% | 3,324 | 36.99% | 395 | 4.40% |
1976 | 4,273 | 47.57% | 4,625 | 51.49% | 85 | 0.95% |
1972 | 5,164 | 60.70% | 3,317 | 38.99% | 26 | 0.31% |
1968 | 3,806 | 46.81% | 3,350 | 41.21% | 974 | 11.98% |
1964 | 3,041 | 43.59% | 3,936 | 56.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
1960 | 4,247 | 50.90% | 4,087 | 48.99% | 9 | 0.11% |
1956 | 4,220 | 55.24% | 3,415 | 44.70% | 5 | 0.07% |
1952 | 4,031 | 54.03% | 3,424 | 45.89% | 6 | 0.08% |
1948 | 3,021 | 49.21% | 3,092 | 50.37% | 26 | 0.42% |
1944 | 3,546 | 54.67% | 2,910 | 44.87% | 30 | 0.46% |
1940 | 3,958 | 51.44% | 3,692 | 47.99% | 44 | 0.57% |
1936 | 3,023 | 42.81% | 3,955 | 56.01% | 83 | 1.18% |
1932 | 2,157 | 35.54% | 3,807 | 62.73% | 105 | 1.73% |
1928 | 2,993 | 54.62% | 2,473 | 45.13% | 14 | 0.26% |
1924 | 2,460 | 44.44% | 2,723 | 49.19% | 353 | 6.38% |
1920 | 2,873 | 57.90% | 1,999 | 40.29% | 90 | 1.81% |
1916 | 2,644 | 45.34% | 3,052 | 52.34% | 135 | 2.32% |
1912 | 838 | 29.33% | 1,573 | 55.06% | 446 | 15.61% |
1908 | 1,460 | 43.17% | 1,818 | 53.76% | 104 | 3.08% |
1904 | 1,531 | 45.30% | 1,713 | 50.68% | 136 | 4.02% |
1900 | 1,496 | 40.08% | 2,145 | 57.46% | 92 | 2.46% |
1896 | 1,641 | 40.22% | 2,377 | 58.26% | 62 | 1.52% |
1892 | 1,314 | 37.37% | 2,011 | 57.20% | 191 | 5.43% |
Jersey County's federal political history is fairly typical of “anti-Yankee” Southern Illinois counties.[ citation needed ] It voted solidly Democratic until Warren G. Harding carried the county in his record 1920 landslide. It voted Republican again in Herbert Hoover's landslide of 1928, but otherwise was firmly Democratic until World War II, when opposition to US involvement turned the county to Wendell Willkie and then Thomas E. Dewey. Between 1948 and 2004, Jersey County became something of a bellwether county, voting for every winning presidential candidate except in the Catholicism-influenced 1960 election, and that of 1988 which was heavily influenced by a major Midwestern drought. Disagreement with the Democratic Party's liberal views on social issues since the 1990s has caused a powerful swing back to the Republicans in the past quarter-century. [17] As is typical of the Upland South, Hillary Clinton in 2016 did far worse than any previous Democrat, while Joe Biden performed marginally better in the 2020 election.[ citation needed ]
Jersey County is located in Illinois's 15th congressional district and is currently represented by Mary Miller (R-Oakland) in the U.S. House of Representatives. [18]
Will County is a county in the northeastern part of the state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 696,355, an increase of 2.8% from 677,560 in 2010, making it Illinois's fourth-most populous county. The county seat is Joliet. Will County is one of the five collar counties of the Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. The portion of Will County around Joliet uses area codes 815 and 779, while 630 and 331 are for far northern Will County and 708 is for central and eastern Will County.
Madison County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is a part of the Metro East in southern Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 264,776, making it the eighth-most populous county in Illinois and the most populous in the southern portion of the state. The county seat is Edwardsville, and the largest city is Granite City.
Macoupin County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 44,967. The county seat is Carlinville.
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States Census, it has a population of 11,843. Its county seat is Carrollton.
Calhoun County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,437, making it Illinois’ third-least populous county. Its county seat and biggest community is Hardin, with a population of 801. Its smallest incorporated community is Hamburg, with a population of 99. Calhoun County is at the tip of the peninsula formed by the courses of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers above their confluence and is almost completely surrounded by water. Calhoun County is sparsely populated; it has just five municipalities, all of them villages.
Brighton is a village located mostly in Macoupin County and partially in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, the village had a population of 2,221. The village's current mayor is Matthew P. Kasten.
Grafton is the oldest city in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. It is located near the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 626. Prior to the Great Flood of 1993, Grafton had enjoyed a stable population of nearly 1,000 residents.
Jerseyville is the largest city in and the county seat of Jersey County, Illinois, United States. At the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 8,337.
The Metro East is an urban area in Southern Illinois, United States that contains the eastern and northern urban, suburban, and exurban areas on the Mississippi River in Greater St Louis. It encompasses eight Illinois counties and constitutes the second-most populous metropolitan area in Illinois.
The Jersey County Journal is a weekly newspaper that is distributed free to all residents in Jersey County, Illinois with a postal address. It can also be purchased at multiple locations in the county for a cost of one dollar.
Elsah Township is one of eleven townships in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 2,462 and it contained 1,027 housing units.
Fidelity Township is one of eleven townships in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 715 and it contained 309 housing units.
Jersey Township is one of eleven townships in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 10,165 and it contained 4,398 housing units.
Mississippi Township is one of eleven townships in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 2,041 and it contained 804 housing units.
Otter Creek Township is one of eleven townships in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 1,035 and it contained 422 housing units.
Piasa Township is one of eleven townships in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,376 and it contained 1,321 housing units.
Quarry Township is one of eleven townships in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 1,174 and it contained 610 housing units.
Richwood Township is one of eleven townships in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 653 and it contained 302 housing units.
Ruyle Township is one of eleven townships in Jersey County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 421 and it contained 162 housing units.
Shipman Township is located in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 1,433 and it contained 593 housing units.