Marion County, Illinois

Last updated

Marion County
County
Marion County Courthouse in Salem.jpg
Marion County Courthouse in Salem
Flag of Marion County, Illinois.png
Flag
Map of Illinois highlighting Marion County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois in United States.svg
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°39′N88°55′W / 38.65°N 88.92°W / 38.65; -88.92
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Illinois.svg Illinois
Founded1823
Named after Francis Marion
Seat Salem
Largest city Centralia
Area
 • Total
576 sq mi (1,490 km2)
 • Land572 sq mi (1,480 km2)
 • Water3.7 sq mi (10 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
37,729
 • Estimate 
(2024)
36,437 Decrease2.svg [1]
 • Density66/sq mi (25/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 15th

Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 37,729. [2] Its county seat is Salem. [3] Marion County comprises the Centralia, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL Combined Statistical Area.

Contents

History

Marion County was organized on January 24, 1823, from portions of Jefferson and Fayette counties. It was named in honor of Revolutionary War Gen. Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox". [4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 576 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 572 square miles (1,480 km2) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2) (0.6%) is water. [5]

The southwest corner of Marion County is the intersection of the Baseline with the Third Principal Meridian, the point of origin for the third survey of the Northwest Territory under the Land Ordinance of 1785. The origin is marked with a boulder south of Centralia just off U.S. 51.

Climate and weather

Salem, 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 Salem 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 −23 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in August 1983. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.46 inches (62 mm) in January to 4.37 inches (111 mm) in May. [6]

Transit

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1830 2,125—
1840 4,742123.2%
1850 6,72041.7%
1860 12,73989.6%
1870 20,62261.9%
1880 23,68614.9%
1890 24,3412.8%
1900 30,44625.1%
1910 35,09415.3%
1920 37,4976.8%
1930 35,635−5.0%
1940 47,98934.7%
1950 41,700−13.1%
1960 39,349−5.6%
1970 38,986−0.9%
1980 43,52311.6%
1990 41,561−4.5%
2000 41,6910.3%
2010 39,437−5.4%
2020 37,729−4.3%
2023 (est.)36,673 [7] −2.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [8]
1790-1960 [9] 1900-1990 [10]
1990-2000 [11] 2010 [12]

2020 census

Marion 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)41,48739,47738,95136,45633,15095.32%94.99%93.43%92.44%87.86%
Black or African American alone (NH)1,5181,5071,5931,5361,5093.49%3.63%3.82%3.89%4.00%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)6810685105940.16%0.26%0.20%0.27%0.25%
Asian alone (NH)1382272352243490.32%0.55%0.56%0.57%0.93%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [18] x [19] 1591xx0.04%0.02%0.00%
Other race alone (NH)42122611970.10%0.03%0.06%0.03%0.26%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [20] x [21] 4085541,817xx0.98%1.40%4.82%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)2702323785427120.62%0.56%0.91%1.37%1.89%
Total43,52341,56141,69139,43737,729 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 39,437 people, 16,148 households, and 10,746 families residing in the county. [22] The population density was 68.9 inhabitants per square mile (26.6/km2). There were 18,296 housing units at an average density of 32.0 per square mile (12.4/km2). [5] The racial makeup of the county was 93.1% white, 3.9% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. [22] In terms of ancestry, 27.5% were German, 15.8% were Irish, 13.6% were English, and 10.8% were American. [23]

Of the 16,148 households, 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.5% were non-families, and 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 41.4 years. [22]

The median income for a household in the county was $38,974 and the median income for a family was $50,518. Males had a median income of $41,428 versus $28,042 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,493. About 12.2% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over. [24]

Communities

Cities

Villages

Townships

Marion County is divided into seventeen townships:

Unincorporated Communities

Politics

Initially a strongly Democratic anti-Yankee county, Marion County has undergone two transitions. Between 1912 and 2004 it was a perfect bellwether apart from the Catholicism-influenced 1960 election when substantial anti-Catholic voting by its largely southern white population caused it to support Republican Richard Nixon. Since the beginning of the twenty-first century it has voted consistently for Republican presidential candidates.

United States presidential election results for Marion County, Illinois [25]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 2,32439.88%2,70946.49%79413.63%
1896 2,87042.32%3,83556.55%771.14%
1900 3,22143.88%3,92853.51%1912.60%
1904 3,19047.25%2,49036.88%1,07115.86%
1908 3,43543.14%4,00150.24%5276.62%
1912 1,58620.10%3,49344.26%2,81335.64%
1916 6,43842.99%7,89252.70%6464.31%
1920 6,62052.06%4,35134.22%1,74413.72%
1924 5,88944.01%4,76835.63%2,72420.36%
1928 9,11060.52%5,82338.69%1190.79%
1932 6,27636.11%10,79162.09%3131.80%
1936 8,32142.79%10,82055.64%3051.57%
1940 10,46142.74%13,80756.41%2080.85%
1944 9,40847.90%10,07951.32%1530.78%
1948 7,79846.19%8,87852.58%2081.23%
1952 10,80453.64%9,31746.26%190.09%
1956 10,81355.78%8,55144.11%210.11%
1960 11,12154.92%9,11645.02%130.06%
1964 7,06036.35%12,36363.65%00.00%
1968 8,13446.09%7,73743.84%1,77810.07%
1972 10,75560.58%6,96839.25%310.17%
1976 8,72946.63%9,83452.53%1570.84%
1980 10,96958.73%6,99037.42%7193.85%
1984 11,30059.65%7,59940.11%460.24%
1988 8,69550.05%8,59249.46%860.50%
1992 5,76430.52%9,66951.20%3,45018.27%
1996 5,99938.06%7,79249.43%1,97212.51%
2000 8,24049.45%8,06848.42%3552.13%
2004 9,41354.65%7,69444.67%1170.68%
2008 8,69149.92%8,34547.93%3742.15%
2012 9,24858.46%6,22539.35%3472.19%
2016 11,85969.36%4,36925.55%8705.09%
2020 12,67872.47%4,52425.86%2921.67%
2024 12,40973.85%4,11624.50%2781.65%

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. ↑ "Marion County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 10, 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. U.S. Government Printing Office. p.  200.
  5. 1 2 "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Monthly Averages for Salem, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. 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 7, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 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 December 18, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  12. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 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 – Marion 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) – Marion 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) – Marion 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 12, 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 12, 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 12, 2015.
  25. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.

38°39′N88°55′W / 38.65°N 88.92°W / 38.65; -88.92

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