Mason County, Illinois

Last updated

Mason County
County
Mason County Courthouse, Havana.jpg
Mason County Courthouse, Havana
Map of Illinois highlighting Mason County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois in United States.svg
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°14′N89°55′W / 40.24°N 89.91°W / 40.24; -89.91
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Illinois.svg Illinois
Founded1841
Named after George Mason
Seat Havana
Largest cityHavana
Area
 • Total
563 sq mi (1,460 km2)
 • Land539 sq mi (1,400 km2)
 • Water24 sq mi (60 km2)  4.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
13,086
 • Estimate 
(2024)
12,543 Decrease2.svg [1]
 • Density23/sq mi (9.0/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 15th
Website www.masoncountyil.gov

Mason County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 13,086. [2] Its county seat is Havana. [3] The county is named in honor of George Mason, a member of the Virginia legislature who campaigned for the adoption of the United States Bill of Rights.

Contents

History

Mason County was created in 1841 out of portions of Tazewell and Menard counties.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 563 square miles (1,460 km2), of which 539 square miles (1,400 km2) is land and 24 square miles (62 km2) (4.3%) is water. [4]

Mason County is bound on the south by the Sangamon River, and on the west by the Illinois River. These rivers join at the county's southwest tip.

The soil covering much of Mason County is very sandy. This was formed during the melting of the Wisconsin Glacier about 10,000 years ago. Meltwater from the glacier deposited large amounts of sand in a delta region near at the junction of the Sangamon and Illinois Rivers.

The sandy soil does not hold water well, quickly exposing crops to drought conditions as the water table drops during periods of low precipitation. However, the soil is very good for growing vegetables that are otherwise not common in Illinois. Modern irrigation has made this a highly productive agricultural area.

A sand wetland on the Illinois River is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as the Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge.

National protected area

State Forest

State Fish & Wildlife Areas

Climate and weather

Havana, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel [5]
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 Havana 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. [5]

Adjacent counties

Transportation

Public Transportation

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850 5,921—
1860 10,93184.6%
1870 16,18448.1%
1880 16,2420.4%
1890 16,067−1.1%
1900 17,4918.9%
1910 17,377−0.7%
1920 16,634−4.3%
1930 15,115−9.1%
1940 15,3581.6%
1950 15,326−0.2%
1960 15,193−0.9%
1970 16,1616.4%
1980 19,49220.6%
1990 16,269−16.5%
2000 16,038−1.4%
2010 14,666−8.6%
2020 13,086−10.8%
2023 (est.)12,523 [6] −4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]
1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9]
1990-2000 [10] 2010-2013 [2]

2020 census

Mason 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 [11] Pop 1990 [12] Pop 2000 [13] Pop 2010 [14] Pop 2020 [15] % 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)19,32716,13715,79914,29612,33999.15%99.19%98.51%97.48%94.29%
Black or African American alone (NH)181953490.01%0.05%0.12%0.36%0.37%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)19263231240.10%0.16%0.20%0.21%0.18%
Asian alone (NH)38383240260.19%0.23%0.20%0.27%0.20%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x [16] x [17] 001xx0.00%0.00%0.01%
Other race alone (NH)16233110.08%0.01%0.02%0.02%0.08%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x [18] x [19] 73126452xx0.46%0.86%3.45%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)9158801171840.47%0.36%0.50%0.80%1.41%
Total19,49216,26916,03814,66613,086 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 14,666 people, 6,079 households, and 4,060 families living in the county. [20] The population density was 27.2 inhabitants per square mile (10.5/km2). There were 7,077 housing units at an average density of 13.1 per square mile (5.1/km2). [4] The racial makeup of the county was 98.1% white, 0.4% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.8% of the population. [20] In terms of ancestry, 33.8% were German, 15.6% were American, 11.1% were English, and 10.3% were Irish. [21]

Of the 6,079 households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.2% were non-families, and 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age was 44.0 years. [20]

The median income for a household in the county was $42,461 and the median income for a family was $51,348. Males had a median income of $43,448 versus $31,087 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,427. About 13.8% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.6% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over. [22]

Mason County was identified as a “sundown” county which “has remained all white for many decades, despite its location between Springfield and Peoria...”. [23]

Communities

Cities

Villages

Census-designated place

Other unincorporated communities

Townships

Politics

Although it voted for the Whig Party in the three elections from 1840 to 1848, Mason County was to be solidly Democratic for the next sixty to seventy years due to its anti-Yankee German-American heritage. It was not until the 1920 election when bitter resentment was felt by German-Americans at Woodrow Wilson’s postwar policies that Mason supported a GOP candidate.

In the following eighty years, Mason was a Republican-leaning swing county, although isolationist sentiment did cause it to vote narrowly for Wendell Willkie in 1940 and more convincingly for Thomas E. Dewey in 1944.

United States presidential election results for Mason County, Illinois [24]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 1,61440.01%2,21154.81%2095.18%
1896 2,10045.83%2,40752.53%751.64%
1900 2,02743.72%2,50854.10%1012.18%
1904 1,79845.04%1,80645.24%3889.72%
1908 1,92443.49%2,26451.18%2365.33%
1912 94823.00%2,17352.73%1,00024.27%
1916 3,02942.43%3,88654.43%2243.14%
1920 3,84258.40%2,59539.44%1422.16%
1924 3,52252.72%2,53637.96%6229.31%
1928 3,95654.78%3,24644.95%190.26%
1932 2,55130.73%5,68168.45%680.82%
1936 3,39538.88%5,27860.45%580.66%
1940 4,54150.47%4,41649.08%410.46%
1944 3,95954.52%3,28245.19%210.29%
1948 3,52549.83%3,50349.52%460.65%
1952 4,98261.91%3,06138.04%40.05%
1956 4,67759.29%3,19940.55%130.16%
1960 4,33753.02%3,82446.75%190.23%
1964 2,83336.84%4,85763.16%00.00%
1968 3,89949.65%3,36542.85%5897.50%
1972 4,89762.70%2,90137.14%120.15%
1976 3,84749.01%3,94750.29%550.70%
1980 4,64460.37%2,68034.84%3694.80%
1984 4,10954.89%3,35444.80%230.31%
1988 3,42449.95%3,40649.69%250.36%
1992 2,47332.11%3,96951.53%1,26016.36%
1996 2,43037.71%3,38552.53%6299.76%
2000 3,41150.37%3,19247.14%1692.50%
2004 3,90754.39%3,21544.76%610.85%
2008 3,14145.98%3,54251.85%1482.17%
2012 3,26551.86%2,86745.54%1642.60%
2016 4,05862.50%2,01431.02%4216.48%
2020 4,65468.59%1,98529.26%1462.15%
2024 4,46469.73%1,77327.69%1652.58%

Education

K-12 school districts include: [25]

It also includes portions of an elementary school district, New Holland-Middletown Elementary School District 88, and a secondary school district, Lincoln Community High School District 404. [25]

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. 1 2 "QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. 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.
  5. 1 2 "Monthly Averages for Havana, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  9. ↑ "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.
  10. ↑ "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.
  11. ↑ "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 .
  12. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau .
  13. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Mason County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
  14. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mason County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
  15. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mason County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau .
  16. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  17. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  18. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  19. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  20. 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.
  21. ↑ "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.
  22. ↑ "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.
  23. ↑ Loewen, James (2005). Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism. New York: The New Press. p. 80. ISBN   978-1-62097-454-4.
  24. ↑ 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.
  25. 1 2 "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Mason County, IL" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved October 29, 2024. - Text list

40°14′N89°55′W / 40.24°N 89.91°W / 40.24; -89.91

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