Lee County, Illinois

Last updated

Lee County
County
Dixon Il Lee County Courthouse3.jpg
Lee County Courthouse
Map of Illinois highlighting Lee County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois in United States.svg
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°45′N89°18′W / 41.75°N 89.3°W / 41.75; -89.3
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Illinois.svg Illinois
FoundedFebruary 27, 1839
Named after Henry Lee III
Seat Dixon
Largest cityDixon
Area
 • Total
729 sq mi (1,890 km2)
 • Land725 sq mi (1,880 km2)
 • Water4.1 sq mi (11 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
34,145
 • Estimate 
(2024)
33,544 Decrease2.svg [1]
 • Density47/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 16th
Website www.leecountyil.com

Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 34,145. [2] Its county seat is Dixon. [3] The Dixon, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Lee County.

Contents

History

The area's first non-native settlers were mostly from the six New England states. [4] The early nineteenth century saw a wave of westward movement from New England, due largely to completion of the Erie Canal and the end of the Black Hawk War. [5] [6]

The area that included present-day Lee County was delineated as St. Clair County in 1809. In 1823, a large section of northern St. Clair County was partitioned off as Fulton County. In 1825, the northwestern portion of that county was partitioned off as Putnam County. In 1831, the area was further partitioned into Jo Daviess County. A section of that county was partitioned off in 1836 as Ogle County, and in 1839 the bottom half of Ogle County was split off as Lee County. It is largely understood that the county's name honors "Lighthorse Harry" Lee, an officer in the American Revolutionary War. [7] An alternative theory suggests the name honors Richard Henry Lee, a member of the Continental Congress (the Declaration of Independence was adopted pursuant to the Lee Resolution).

President Ronald Reagan lived in Dixon as a boy and attended Dixon High School. [8]

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 729 square miles (1,890 km2), of which 725 square miles (1,880 km2) is land and 4.1 square miles (11 km2) (0.6%) is water. [9]

Adjacent counties

Climate and weather

Dixon, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
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Source: The Weather Channel [10]
Metric conversion
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Dixon have ranged from a low of 10 °F (−12 °C) in January to a high of 82 °F (28 °C) in July, although a record low of −27 °F (−33 °C) was recorded in January 1999 and a record high of 110 °F (43 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranges from 1.43 inches (36 mm) in February to 4.88 inches (124 mm) in June. [10]

Major highways

Other features

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1840 2,035—
1850 5,292160.0%
1860 17,651233.5%
1870 27,17153.9%
1880 27,4911.2%
1890 26,187−4.7%
1900 29,89414.2%
1910 27,750−7.2%
1920 28,0040.9%
1930 32,32915.4%
1940 34,6047.0%
1950 36,4515.3%
1960 38,7496.3%
1970 37,947−2.1%
1980 36,328−4.3%
1990 34,392−5.3%
2000 36,0624.9%
2010 36,031−0.1%
2020 34,145−5.2%
2023 (est.)33,654 [11] −1.4%
US Decennial Census [12]
1790-1960 [13] 1900-1990 [14]
1990-2000 [15] 2010 [16]

2020 census

Lee 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 [17] Pop 1990 [18] Pop 2000 [19] Pop 2010 [20] Pop 2020 [21] % 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)34,82032,19132,64331,82428,43595.85%93.60%90.52%88.32%83.28%
Black or African American alone (NH)5801,2121,7531,7091,8311.60%3.52%4.86%4.74%5.36%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)38713251300.10%0.21%0.09%0.14%0.09%
Asian alone (NH)1231702022442480.34%0.49%0.56%0.68%0.73%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [22] x [23] 5610xx0.01%0.02%0.03%
Other race alone (NH)168211125950.46%0.06%0.03%0.07%0.28%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [24] x [25] 2693701,172xx0.75%1.03%3.43%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)5997271,1471,8022,3241.65%2.11%3.18%5.00%6.81%
Total36,32834,39236,06236,03134,145 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 36,031 people, 13,758 households, and 9,064 families residing in the county. [26] The population density was 49.7 inhabitants per square mile (19.2/km2). There were 15,049 housing units at an average density of 20.8 per square mile (8.0/km2). [9] The racial makeup of the county was 90.9% white, 4.8% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.9% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.0% of the population. [26] In terms of ancestry, 38.0% were German, 18.8% were Irish, 8.4% were English, and 8.2% were American. [27]

Of the 13,758 households, 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.1% were non-families, and 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 42.0 years. [26]

The median income for a household in the county was $48,502 and the median income for a family was $60,759. Males had a median income of $42,114 versus $30,920 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,440. About 7.6% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over. [28]

Communities

A wind farm in southeast Lee county at Interstate 39 exit 82. Illinois wind farm near I-39 exit 82.jpg
A wind farm in southeast Lee county at Interstate 39 exit 82.

Cities

Villages

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Politics

Lee County is, together with neighboring Ogle County, the most consistently Republican county in Illinois. It is one of very few counties in the United States to have never supported a Democrat for President since the Civil War. The only occasion when the Republican candidate did not win the county in this time was in 1912, when Theodore Roosevelt carried it while running as a member of the Progressive Party, unofficially known as the "Bull Moose" party.

As of 2018, Lee County is in the 16th congressional district, the 45th legislative district, and the 74th and 90th representative districts. [29]

United States presidential election results for Lee County, Illinois [30]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 3,51354.24%2,74042.30%2243.46%
1896 4,79764.78%2,46933.34%1391.88%
1900 4,82063.55%2,52833.33%2373.12%
1904 4,63469.77%1,60424.15%4046.08%
1908 4,25563.50%2,14432.00%3024.51%
1912 1,48223.03%1,99531.00%2,95945.98%
1916 7,98563.95%4,08732.73%4143.32%
1920 7,61578.94%1,71517.78%3163.28%
1924 8,36369.36%2,36719.63%1,32711.01%
1928 9,23867.14%4,47632.53%460.33%
1932 7,80251.46%7,18247.37%1771.17%
1936 8,91454.92%6,84542.17%4732.91%
1940 11,22864.96%6,00534.74%520.30%
1944 10,39767.88%4,89931.98%210.14%
1948 9,00166.97%4,36832.50%720.54%
1952 11,94171.71%4,70028.23%100.06%
1956 11,65371.98%4,53127.99%50.03%
1960 10,83564.73%5,89635.22%80.05%
1964 8,44553.59%7,31546.41%00.00%
1968 9,59862.92%4,72730.99%9306.10%
1972 10,63668.67%4,78830.91%650.42%
1976 8,67457.54%6,07640.30%3262.16%
1980 11,37373.67%3,17020.53%8955.80%
1984 11,17873.76%3,91925.86%580.38%
1988 8,90365.48%4,60833.89%850.63%
1992 6,65243.15%5,53035.87%3,23520.98%
1996 6,67747.08%5,89541.57%1,61011.35%
2000 8,06955.19%6,11141.80%4403.01%
2004 9,30758.62%6,41640.41%1530.96%
2008 8,25850.49%7,76547.47%3342.04%
2012 8,05952.51%6,93745.20%3522.29%
2016 8,61255.60%5,52835.69%1,3498.71%
2020 9,63058.58%6,40738.97%4032.45%
2024 9,68059.86%6,10537.75%3872.39%

Education

K-12 school districts include: [31]

Secondary school districts include: [31]

Elementary school districts include: [31]

See also

Notes

    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. ↑ "Lee County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 10, 2023.
    3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
    4. ↑ Stevens, Frank Everett. History of Lee County, Illinois, Vol. 1 p. 382
    5. ↑ Holbrook, Stewart Hall. The Yankee Exodus: An Account of Migration from New England, University of Washington Press (1968)
    6. ↑ Shalev, Eran. American Zion: The Old Testament as a Political Text from the Revolution to ..., Yale University Press (March 26, 2013) ISBN   9780300186925 pp. 70-71
    7. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p.  184.
    8. ↑ "School House to White House: The Education of the Presidents". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved December 30, 2007.
    9. 1 2 "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
    10. 1 2 "Monthly Averages for Dixon IL". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
    11. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
    12. ↑ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
    13. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
    14. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
    15. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
    16. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 23, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
    17. ↑ "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 .
    18. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
    19. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lee County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
    20. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lee County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
    21. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lee County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
    22. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
    23. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
    24. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
    25. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
    26. 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 12, 2015.
    27. ↑ "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 12, 2015.
    28. ↑ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
    29. ↑ 2018 Election Results - Lee County IL
    30. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
    31. 1 2 3 Geography Division (December 22, 2020). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Lee County, IL (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved December 13, 2024. - Text list

    41°45′N89°18′W / 41.750°N 89.300°W / 41.750; -89.300

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