Douglas County, Illinois
Douglas County, Illinois | |
|---|---|
Douglas County Courthouse and veterans' memorial | |
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois | |
| Coordinates: 39°46′N 88°13′W / 39.77°N 88.22°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| Founded | 1859 |
| Named after | Stephen A. Douglas |
| Seat | Tuscola |
| Largest city | Tuscola |
| Area | |
• Total | 417 sq mi (1,080 km2) |
| • Land | 416 sq mi (1,080 km2) |
| • Water | 0.6 sq mi (1.6 km2) 0.1% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 19,740 |
• Estimate (2024) | 19,824 [1] |
| • Density | 47.7/sq mi (18.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 15th |
| Website | douglascountyil |
Douglas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 19,740.[2] The county seat is Tuscola.[3]
History
Douglas County was formed in 1859 out of Coles County. It was named for Stephen A. Douglas,[4] who was elected to the United States Senate in 1858, following the Lincoln–Douglas debates.
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The creation of Douglas and Ford Counties in 1859 resulted in Illinois' current county map.
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 417 square miles (1,080 km2), of which 416.4 square miles (1,078 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.1%) is water.[5]
Climate and weather
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Tuscola 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 −26 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in December 1989 and a record high of 113 °F (45 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.12 inches (54 mm) in February to 4.64 inches (118 mm) in July.[6]
Adjacent counties
- Champaign County - north
- Vermilion County - northeast
- Edgar County - east
- Coles County - south
- Moultrie County - west
- Piatt County - northwest
Major highways
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 7,140 | — | |
| 1870 | 13,484 | 88.9% | |
| 1880 | 15,853 | 17.6% | |
| 1890 | 17,669 | 11.5% | |
| 1900 | 19,097 | 8.1% | |
| 1910 | 19,591 | 2.6% | |
| 1920 | 19,604 | 0.1% | |
| 1930 | 17,914 | −8.6% | |
| 1940 | 17,590 | −1.8% | |
| 1950 | 16,706 | −5.0% | |
| 1960 | 19,243 | 15.2% | |
| 1970 | 18,997 | −1.3% | |
| 1980 | 19,774 | 4.1% | |
| 1990 | 19,464 | −1.6% | |
| 2000 | 19,922 | 2.4% | |
| 2010 | 19,980 | 0.3% | |
| 2020 | 19,740 | −1.2% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 19,824 | 0.4% | |
| US Decennial Census[7] 1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9] 1990-2000[10] 2010-2014[11] 2020[2] 2024[12] | |||
2020 census
| 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) | 19,491 | 19,102 | 18,993 | 18,427 | 17,420 | 98.57% | 98.14% | 95.34% | 92.23% | 88.25% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 6 | 15 | 59 | 53 | 67 | 0.03% | 0.08% | 0.30% | 0.27% | 0.34% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 24 | 18 | 29 | 31 | 28 | 0.12% | 0.09% | 0.15% | 0.16% | 0.14% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 34 | 37 | 49 | 82 | 103 | 0.17% | 0.19% | 0.25% | 0.41% | 0.52% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [18] | x [19] | 2 | 0 | 6 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 10 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 34 | 0.05% | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.03% | 0.17% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [20] | x [21] | 99 | 171 | 517 | x | x | 0.50% | 0.86% | 2.62% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 209 | 292 | 690 | 1,210 | 1,565 | 1.06% | 1.50% | 3.46% | 6.06% | 7.93% |
| Total | 19,774 | 19,464 | 19,922 | 19,980 | 19,740 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 19,980 people, 7,720 households, and 5,377 families living in the county.[22] The population density was 48.0 inhabitants per square mile (18.5/km2). There were 8,390 housing units at an average density of 20.1 per square mile (7.8/km2).[5] The racial makeup of the county was 95.7% white, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 2.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 6.1% of the population.[22] In terms of ancestry, 29.6% were German, 12.6% were American, 12.1% were English, and 10.7% were Irish.[23]
Of the 7,720 households, 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.3% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age was 38.7 years.[22]
The median income for a household in the county was $46,941 and the median income for a family was $60,352. Males had a median income of $41,318 versus $28,731 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,438. About 7.1% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.[24]
Communities
Cities
- Arcola
- Newman
- Tuscola (seat)
- Villa Grove
Villages
Unincorporated communities
Townships
Politics
Douglas is a strongly Republican county. Apart from a narrow plurality of thirty-two votes to Bill Clinton in 1992, it has voted Republican in every Presidential election since 1968, and in all but five overall since 1880. Despite its long-time Republican leanings, Hillary Clinton's 2016 performance of gaining a mere 23.8 percent of the county's vote stands over six percent worse than any Democrat since the Civil War.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| № | % | № | % | № | % | |
| 1892 | 2,246 | 50.48% | 1,999 | 44.93% | 204 | 4.59% |
| 1896 | 2,666 | 54.78% | 2,140 | 43.97% | 61 | 1.25% |
| 1900 | 2,733 | 55.46% | 2,106 | 42.74% | 89 | 1.81% |
| 1904 | 2,518 | 54.80% | 1,685 | 36.67% | 392 | 8.53% |
| 1908 | 2,656 | 55.33% | 1,917 | 39.94% | 227 | 4.73% |
| 1912 | 1,386 | 31.03% | 1,633 | 36.56% | 1,448 | 32.42% |
| 1916 | 4,564 | 52.17% | 3,768 | 43.07% | 416 | 4.76% |
| 1920 | 4,885 | 65.21% | 2,308 | 30.81% | 298 | 3.98% |
| 1924 | 4,046 | 55.65% | 2,315 | 31.84% | 909 | 12.50% |
| 1928 | 4,890 | 68.19% | 2,239 | 31.22% | 42 | 0.59% |
| 1932 | 3,108 | 37.74% | 4,954 | 60.15% | 174 | 2.11% |
| 1936 | 4,606 | 47.51% | 5,029 | 51.88% | 59 | 0.61% |
| 1940 | 5,451 | 54.34% | 4,513 | 44.99% | 67 | 0.67% |
| 1944 | 4,684 | 58.29% | 3,323 | 41.36% | 28 | 0.35% |
| 1948 | 4,181 | 58.65% | 2,893 | 40.58% | 55 | 0.77% |
| 1952 | 5,530 | 67.10% | 2,706 | 32.84% | 5 | 0.06% |
| 1956 | 5,559 | 66.66% | 2,774 | 33.27% | 6 | 0.07% |
| 1960 | 5,761 | 61.95% | 3,532 | 37.98% | 6 | 0.06% |
| 1964 | 4,223 | 47.35% | 4,695 | 52.65% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 5,058 | 59.25% | 2,824 | 33.08% | 655 | 7.67% |
| 1972 | 5,840 | 68.66% | 2,656 | 31.23% | 10 | 0.12% |
| 1976 | 4,635 | 54.39% | 3,826 | 44.90% | 61 | 0.72% |
| 1980 | 5,330 | 64.26% | 2,564 | 30.91% | 400 | 4.82% |
| 1984 | 5,691 | 66.14% | 2,886 | 33.54% | 27 | 0.31% |
| 1988 | 4,378 | 57.62% | 3,184 | 41.91% | 36 | 0.47% |
| 1992 | 3,309 | 39.98% | 3,341 | 40.37% | 1,626 | 19.65% |
| 1996 | 3,272 | 46.66% | 2,955 | 42.14% | 786 | 11.21% |
| 2000 | 4,734 | 58.07% | 3,215 | 39.44% | 203 | 2.49% |
| 2004 | 5,702 | 66.77% | 2,767 | 32.40% | 71 | 0.83% |
| 2008 | 5,005 | 59.73% | 3,228 | 38.52% | 146 | 1.74% |
| 2012 | 5,334 | 67.34% | 2,430 | 30.68% | 157 | 1.98% |
| 2016 | 5,698 | 69.53% | 1,949 | 23.78% | 548 | 6.69% |
| 2020 | 6,227 | 71.08% | 2,335 | 26.66% | 198 | 2.26% |
| 2024 | 6,076 | 71.92% | 2,198 | 26.02% | 174 | 2.06% |
See also
References
- ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020–2024". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. March 2025. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
- ^ a b 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Illinois
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 108.
- ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
- ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Tuscola IL". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
- ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ "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 4, 2014.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
- ^ Douglas county, IL Quickfacts Census USA
- ^ "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.
- ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Douglas County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Douglas County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Douglas County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
- ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
- ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
- ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
- ^ a b c "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
- ^ "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 11, 2015.
- ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
- ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 1, 2018.