Jump to content

Lawrence County, Illinois

Coordinates: 38°43′N 87°44′W / 38.72°N 87.73°W / 38.72; -87.73
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lawrence County, Illinois
County
Lawrence County Courthouse in Lawrenceville
Lawrence County Courthouse in Lawrenceville
Map of Illinois highlighting Lawrence County
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Coordinates: 38°43′N 87°44′W / 38.72°N 87.73°W / 38.72; -87.73
Country United States
State Illinois
Founded1821
Named afterJames Lawrence
SeatLawrenceville
Largest cityLawrenceville
Area
 • Total
374 sq mi (970 km2)
 • Land372 sq mi (960 km2)
 • Water2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
15,280
 • Estimate 
(2024)
14,801 Decrease[1]
 • Density41.1/sq mi (15.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district12th
Websitewww.lawrencecounty
illinois.com

Lawrence County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of Illinois. At the 2020 census, the population was 15,280.[2] Its county seat is Lawrenceville.[3]

History

[edit]

Lawrence County was formed in 1821 out of Crawford and Edwards counties. It was named for Capt. James Lawrence, who was killed in action during the War of 1812 while commanding the frigate USS Chesapeake.[4] Mortally wounded, he gave his men the famous last order, "Don't give up the ship."

  • Lawrence County from its creation in 1821 to 1824
    Lawrence County from its creation in 1821 to 1824
  • Lawrence County between 1824 and 1841
    Lawrence County between 1824 and 1841
  • Lawrence County in 1841, when the creation of Richland County reduced Lawrence to its current size
    Lawrence County in 1841, when the creation of Richland County reduced Lawrence to its current size

Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 374 square miles (970 km2), of which 372 square miles (960 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.5%) is water.[5]

Climate and weather

[edit]
Lawrenceville, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
2.6
 
 
36
18
 
 
2.5
 
 
42
22
 
 
3.6
 
 
53
32
 
 
4.3
 
 
65
42
 
 
5.1
 
 
75
52
 
 
4.1
 
 
84
61
 
 
4.7
 
 
88
65
 
 
3.7
 
 
86
63
 
 
3.2
 
 
80
54
 
 
3.2
 
 
68
42
 
 
4.3
 
 
54
33
 
 
3.2
 
 
42
23
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[6]
Metric conversion
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
66
 
 
2
−8
 
 
64
 
 
6
−6
 
 
91
 
 
12
0
 
 
109
 
 
18
6
 
 
130
 
 
24
11
 
 
103
 
 
29
16
 
 
119
 
 
31
18
 
 
94
 
 
30
17
 
 
80
 
 
27
12
 
 
82
 
 
20
6
 
 
108
 
 
12
1
 
 
82
 
 
6
−5
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Lawrenceville 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 January 1994 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.51 inches (64 mm) in February to 5.13 inches (130 mm) in May.[6]

Transit

[edit]

Major highways

[edit]

Adjacent counties

[edit]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18303,668—
18407,09293.3%
18506,121−13.7%
18609,21450.5%
187012,53336.0%
188013,6639.0%
189014,6937.5%
190016,52312.5%
191022,66137.1%
192021,380−5.7%
193021,8852.4%
194021,075−3.7%
195020,539−2.5%
196018,540−9.7%
197017,522−5.5%
198017,8071.6%
199015,972−10.3%
200015,452−3.3%
201016,8338.9%
202015,280−9.2%
2024 (est.)14,801[7]−3.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[2]
2000 census age pyramid for Lawrence County

2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 15,280. The median age was 41.4 years. 19.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 124.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 129.6 males age 18 and over.[12][13]

The racial makeup of the county was 84.3% White, 9.2% Black or African American, 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.4% from some other race, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.4% of the population.[13]

30.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 69.7% lived in rural areas.[14]

There were 5,571 households in the county, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.3% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]

There were 6,279 housing units, of which 11.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.8% were owner-occupied and 26.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.4%.[12]

Racial and ethnic composition

[edit]
Lawrence County 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[15] Pop 1990[16] Pop 2000[17] Pop 2010[18] Pop 2020[19] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 17,522 15,709 15,053 14,491 12,777 98.40% 98.35% 97.42% 86.09% 83.62%
Black or African American alone (NH) 138 151 118 1,583 1,393 0.77% 0.95% 0.76%

9.40%

9.12%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 15 31 19 30 12 0.08% 0.19% 0.12%

0.18%

0.08%
Asian alone (NH) 25 20 18 38 58 0.14% 0.13% 0.12%

0.23%

0.38%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [20] x [21] 0 1 7 x x 0.00% 0.01% 0.05%
Other race alone (NH) 14 5 5 8 29 0.08% 0.03% 0.03%

0.05%

0.19%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [22] x [23] 102 129 490 x x 0.66% 0.77% 3.21%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 93 56 137 553 514 0.52% 0.35% 0.89%

3.29%

3.36%
Total 17,807 15,972 15,452 16,833 15,280 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2010 census

[edit]

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 16,833 people, 6,130 households, and 4,056 families living in the county.[24] The population density was 45.2 inhabitants per square mile (17.5/km2). There were 6,936 housing units at an average density of 18.6 per square mile (7.2/km2).[5] The racial makeup of the county was 87.3% white, 9.6% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.7% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.3% of the population.[24] In terms of ancestry, 12.7% were German, 10.4% were American, 9.5% were Irish, and 7.8% were English.[25]

Of the 6,130 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.8% were non-families, and 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age was 39.7 years.[24]

The median income for a household in the county was $38,771 and the median income for a family was $45,565. Males had a median income of $40,949 versus $25,991 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,297. About 14.8% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.9% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.[26]

Communities

[edit]

Cities

[edit]

Village

[edit]

Unincorporated communities

[edit]

Townships

[edit]

Nine townships make up Lawrence County. They are:

Politics

[edit]

In its early days, Lawrence County was a Democratic-leaning swing county, voting Republican only twice up to 1892 when it supported Ulysses S. Grant in 1872 and Benjamin Harrison in 1888. It did not vote for a losing Republican candidate until Wendell Willkie carried the county in 1940 due to isolationist sentiment. Since that time, however, Lawrence County – like so many in Southern Illinois – has become reliably Republican. The only Democrat to gain an absolute majority in the county since 1936 has been Lyndon Johnson in 1964, although Bill Clinton obtained pluralities in both 1992 and 1996.

United States presidential election results for Lawrence County, Illinois[27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1892 1,523 45.30% 1,572 46.76% 267 7.94%
1896 1,972 49.41% 1,948 48.81% 71 1.78%
1900 1,961 48.03% 2,021 49.50% 101 2.47%
1904 1,969 50.64% 1,712 44.03% 207 5.32%
1908 2,197 47.16% 2,253 48.36% 209 4.49%
1912 1,617 30.39% 2,550 47.93% 1,153 21.67%
1916 4,481 44.47% 5,052 50.14% 543 5.39%
1920 4,720 54.17% 3,707 42.54% 287 3.29%
1924 4,607 51.50% 4,103 45.87% 235 2.63%
1928 5,851 60.16% 3,806 39.13% 69 0.71%
1932 4,194 40.17% 6,100 58.42% 147 1.41%
1936 5,060 44.39% 6,168 54.11% 170 1.49%
1940 6,061 51.22% 5,625 47.54% 147 1.24%
1944 5,191 55.79% 4,003 43.02% 111 1.19%
1948 4,472 49.38% 4,391 48.48% 194 2.14%
1952 6,207 61.54% 3,875 38.42% 4 0.04%
1956 6,104 61.89% 3,751 38.03% 7 0.07%
1960 6,120 62.45% 3,667 37.42% 13 0.13%
1964 4,176 44.85% 5,136 55.15% 0 0.00%
1968 4,883 54.58% 3,075 34.37% 988 11.04%
1972 5,347 65.36% 2,818 34.45% 16 0.20%
1976 4,345 51.47% 4,044 47.90% 53 0.63%
1980 4,453 56.68% 3,030 38.57% 373 4.75%
1984 4,686 61.35% 2,924 38.28% 28 0.37%
1988 3,655 53.57% 3,140 46.02% 28 0.41%
1992 2,681 35.80% 3,270 43.67% 1,537 20.53%
1996 2,568 40.18% 2,871 44.92% 953 14.91%
2000 3,594 54.64% 2,822 42.90% 162 2.46%
2004 4,162 61.85% 2,518 37.42% 49 0.73%
2008 3,403 51.89% 3,016 45.99% 139 2.12%
2012 3,857 64.40% 2,011 33.58% 121 2.02%
2016 4,521 74.19% 1,290 21.17% 283 4.64%
2020 4,886 76.08% 1,419 22.10% 117 1.82%
2024 4,715 76.97% 1,283 20.94% 128 2.09%

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  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. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 182.
  5. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Lawrenceville, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  7. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  10. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 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 March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  12. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  13. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  14. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  17. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lawrence County County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  18. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lawrence County County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  19. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lawrence County County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  20. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  21. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  22. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
  23. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
  24. ^ 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 12, 2015.
  25. ^ "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.
  26. ^ "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.
  27. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
[edit]

38°43′N 87°44′W / 38.72°N 87.73°W / 38.72; -87.73

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lawrence_County,_Illinois&oldid=1329354378"