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Effingham County, Illinois

Coordinates: 39°04′N 88°35′W / 39.06°N 88.59°W / 39.06; -88.59
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For other places named Effingham, see Effingham (disambiguation).

Effingham County
County
Effingham County Government Center and Jail in Effingham
Effingham County Government Center and Jail in Effingham
Official seal of Effingham County
Seal
Map of Illinois highlighting Effingham County
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Map of the United States highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°04′N 88°35′W / 39.06°N 88.59°W / 39.06; -88.59
Country United States
State Illinois
Founded1831
Named forThomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Effingham
SeatEffingham
Largest cityEffingham
Area
 • Total
480 sq mi (1,200 km2)
 • Land479 sq mi (1,240 km2)
 • Water1.2 sq mi (3 km2)  0.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
34,668
 • Density72/sq mi (28/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district12th
Websitewww.effinghamcountyil.gov

Effingham County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 34,668.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Effingham. Some other cities in Effingham County, Illinois include Altamont, Teutopolis, Beecher City, Montrose, Dieterich, Shumway, Watson, Mason, and Edgewood. Effingham County comprises the Effingham, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.[2]

History

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Effingham County at the time of its creation in 1831

Effingham County was formed in 1831 out of Fayette and Crawford counties. It may have been named after Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Effingham, who resigned his commission as general in the British army in 1775, refusing to serve in the war against the Colonies. The name is Anglo-Saxon for "Effa's house". New information suggests that the county was named after a surveyor who surveyed the area whose last name was Effingham. There is no written proof that the county was named after Lord Effingham.

Government

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Effingham County Courthouse in Effingham

Effingham County is governed by a board of elected representatives.[3] The Effingham County Board is the legislative body of County Government. It is composed of nine elected members, each representing a geographic district within the County. Each district is currently composed on average of just under 4000 residents. The districts are adjusted every 10 years after the national census information is published. The current Effingham County Board Chairman is Joshua Douthit (Republican) elected in 2022 from District B.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 480 square miles (1,200 km2), of which 479 square miles (1,240 km2) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) (0.3%) is water.[4]

Just west of Effingham on Interstate 70 there is a 198-foot (60 m) white cross; 35,000 vehicles are estimated to pass the site each day. It is one of the world's tallest crosses, and took over 200 short tons (180 t) of steel to erect.

Climate and weather

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Effingham, 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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60
 
 
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5
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28
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31
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74
 
 
29
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77
 
 
26
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19
6
 
 
103
 
 
11
1
 
 
83
 
 
4
−5
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Effingham have ranged from a low of 18 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 87 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −29 °F (−34 °C) was recorded in January 1915 and a record high of 111 °F (44 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.38 inches (60 mm) in January to 4.51 inches (115 mm) in July.[5]

Adjacent counties

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Major highways

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Transit

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18401,675—
18503,799126.8%
18607,816105.7%
187015,653100.3%
188018,92020.9%
189019,3582.3%
190020,4655.7%
191020,055−2.0%
192019,556−2.5%
193019,013−2.8%
194022,03415.9%
195021,675−1.6%
196023,1076.6%
197024,6086.5%
198030,94425.7%
199031,7042.5%
200034,2648.1%
201034,242−0.1%
202034,6681.2%
2023 (est.)34,331[6]−1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[1]
2000 census age pyramid for Effingham County

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 34,242 people, 13,515 households, and 9,302 families residing in the county.[11] The population density was 71.5 inhabitants per square mile (27.6/km2). There were 14,570 housing units at an average density of 30.4 per square mile (11.7/km2).[4] The racial makeup of the county was 97.6% white, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% American Indian, 0.8% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.7% of the population.[11] In terms of ancestry, 41.6% were German, 10.0% were Irish, 9.3% were American, and 8.8% were English.[12]

Of the 13,515 households, 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.2% were non-families, and 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age was 39.2 years.[11]

The median income for a household in the county was $49,509 and the median income for a family was $61,373. Males had a median income of $40,951 versus $28,209 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,843. About 7.8% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.1% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.[13]

Communities

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Cities

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Town

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Villages

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Townships

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Effingham County is divided into fifteen townships:

Unincorporated Communities

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Politics

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In its early years Effingham County was owing to its anti-Civil War German-American population powerfully Democratic. Until Woodrow Wilson’s harsh policies towards Germany following World War I drove many voters to the GOP’s Warren G. Harding, it had voted an absolute majority to the Democratic presidential candidate in every election since the county’s formation. Opposition to the New Deal caused a considerable swing away from Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, and combined with local opposition to Roosevelt’s war policies in 1940 to cause FDR to only win the county by forty-seven votes from Wendell Willkie.

Since that election, the county has voted Republican in every election except 1948 and 1964, and no Democrat since Jimmy Carter in 1976 has reached 35 percent of the county’s vote. Currently Effingham County is one of Illinois’ most Republican counties, rivalled by a number of southern counties like Edwards. In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, John McCain carried the county by a 36% margin over Barack Obama, making it McCain's strongest county in the state, with Obama carrying his home state by a 25.1% margin over McCain.[14]

Currently all elected officials holding major offices in Effingham County are Republican with 8 of 9 elected County Board Representatives being Republican.

United States presidential election results for Effingham County, Illinois[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 15,006 78.64% 3,716 19.47% 361 1.89%
2016 13,635 77.43% 3,083 17.51% 891 5.06%
2012 12,501 75.25% 3,861 23.24% 251 1.51%
2008 11,323 67.08% 5,262 31.17% 295 1.75%
2004 11,774 72.33% 4,388 26.96% 116 0.71%
2000 9,855 68.04% 4,225 29.17% 405 2.80%
1996 7,696 54.18% 4,825 33.97% 1,683 11.85%
1992 6,329 42.25% 5,221 34.85% 3,431 22.90%
1988 8,431 64.53% 4,553 34.85% 82 0.63%
1984 9,617 71.22% 3,841 28.44% 46 0.34%
1980 9,104 65.93% 4,229 30.63% 475 3.44%
1976 7,194 53.72% 5,952 44.45% 245 1.83%
1972 8,752 66.34% 4,431 33.59% 10 0.08%
1968 6,698 55.95% 4,496 37.55% 778 6.50%
1964 5,044 42.65% 6,782 57.35% 0 0.00%
1960 6,410 53.01% 5,676 46.94% 6 0.05%
1956 6,904 60.67% 4,455 39.15% 21 0.18%
1952 6,530 57.79% 4,745 41.99% 25 0.22%
1948 4,823 48.92% 4,940 50.11% 96 0.97%
1944 5,441 53.77% 4,587 45.33% 91 0.90%
1940 5,941 49.48% 5,988 49.88% 77 0.64%
1936 4,293 40.57% 6,030 56.98% 260 2.46%
1932 2,933 30.65% 6,503 67.96% 133 1.39%
1928 3,882 47.26% 4,239 51.61% 93 1.13%
1924 3,159 39.18% 3,814 47.30% 1,090 13.52%
1920 4,176 57.47% 2,985 41.08% 106 1.46%
1916 3,207 40.36% 4,529 57.00% 210 2.64%
1912 1,002 23.25% 2,575 59.76% 732 16.99%
1908 1,877 38.86% 2,826 58.51% 127 2.63%
1904 1,863 42.68% 2,303 52.76% 199 4.56%
1900 1,853 37.95% 2,979 61.01% 51 1.04%
1896 1,895 38.57% 2,953 60.11% 65 1.32%
1892 1,472 32.92% 2,744 61.37% 255 5.70%

See also

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References

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Specific
  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Board | Effingham County, Illinois (IL)". www.co.effingham.il.us. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Effingham, Illinois". The Weather Channel. 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 4, 2014.
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  9. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 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 March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  11. ^ a b c "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 11, 2015.
  12. ^ "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 11, 2015.
  13. ^ "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 11, 2015.
  14. ^ U.S. Election Atlas
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
General
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39°04′N 88°35′W / 39.06°N 88.59°W / 39.06; -88.59

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