Henderson County
County
Henderson County Courthouse, Oquawka
Henderson County Courthouse, Oquawka
Map of Illinois highlighting Henderson County
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Map of the United States highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°49′N 90°56′W / 40.81°N 90.93°W / 40.81; -90.93
Country United States
State Illinois
Founded1841
Named forRichard Henderson
SeatOquawka
Largest villageOquawka
Area
 • Total395 sq mi (1,020 km2)
 • Land379 sq mi (980 km2)
 • Water16 sq mi (40 km2)  4.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total6,387
 • Density16/sq mi (6.2/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district15th
Websitewww.hendersoncountyedc.com

Henderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States Census, it has a population of 6,387.[1] Its county seat is Oquawka.[2]

Henderson County is part of the Burlington, IA–IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Henderson County was formed in 1841 from a portion of Warren County. It was named for Henderson County, Kentucky, which was named for Richard Henderson,[3] founder of the Transylvania Company, an early attempt to organize what later became Kentucky around 1775.

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 395 square miles (1,020 km2), of which 379 square miles (980 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (4.1%) is water.[4]

Climate and weather

Oquawka, 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 Oquawka have ranged from a low of 15 °F (−9 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −26 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in February 1996 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in August 1983. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.31 inches (33 mm) in January to 4.48 inches (114 mm) in July.[5]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18504,612—
18609,501106.0%
187012,58232.4%
188010,722−14.8%
18909,876−7.9%
190010,8369.7%
19109,724−10.3%
19209,7700.5%
19308,778−10.2%
19408,9491.9%
19508,416−6.0%
19608,237−2.1%
19708,4512.6%
19809,1147.8%
19908,096−11.2%
20008,2131.4%
20107,331−10.7%
20206,387−12.9%
US Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010[10]
2000 census age pyramid for Henderson County

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 7,331 people, 3,149 households, and 2,127 families residing in the county.[11] The population density was 19.3 inhabitants per square mile (7.5/km2). There were 3,827 housing units at an average density of 10.1 per square mile (3.9/km2).[4] The racial makeup of the county was 98.2% white, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.2% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.1% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 24.4% were German, 14.5% were Irish, 11.9% were English, 5.9% were Swedish, and 5.0% were American.[12]

Of the 3,149 households, 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.5% were non-families, and 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.78. The median age was 47.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,450 and the median income for a family was $55,154. Males had a median income of $41,052 versus $27,426 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,492. About 7.8% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.[13]

Politics

As part of Yankee-settled Northern Illinois, Henderson County was solidly Whig in its first three elections and then equally Republican from that party's formation until the Great Depression. Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 was the first Democrat to win it, but the county returned to Republican Alf Landon in 1936 and was not won by a Democrat until the GOP nominated the southern-oriented conservative Barry Goldwater in 1964.

After that, like many Yankee counties, it returned to its Republican roots between 1968 and 1984, but with the shift of the GOP to a Southern Evangelical perspective Henderson County turned reliably Democratic in presidential elections from 1988 to 2012. Republican Donald Trump carried the county with over 61 percent of the vote in 2016; the highest percentage won by any Republican candidate since Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, and for then Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, it was the lowest by a Democrat since Al Smith in 1928.

Henderson County is located in Illinois's 17th Congressional District and is currently represented by Democrat Cheri Bustos. For the Illinois House of Representatives, the county is located in the 94th district and is currently represented by Republican Randy Frese. The county is located in the 47th district of the Illinois Senate, and is currently represented by Republican Jil Tracy.

United States presidential election results for Henderson County, Illinois[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 2,394 65.48% 1,187 32.47% 75 2.05%
2016 2,155 61.26% 1,155 32.83% 208 5.91%
2012 1,541 43.19% 1,978 55.44% 49 1.37%
2008 1,541 40.25% 2,215 57.85% 73 1.91%
2004 1,857 44.71% 2,269 54.64% 27 0.65%
2000 1,708 44.18% 2,030 52.51% 128 3.31%
1996 1,233 34.07% 1,953 53.97% 433 11.96%
1992 1,310 32.36% 2,013 49.73% 725 17.91%
1988 1,726 45.17% 2,085 54.57% 10 0.26%
1984 2,289 53.51% 1,969 46.03% 20 0.47%
1980 2,443 57.54% 1,609 37.89% 194 4.57%
1976 2,210 50.15% 2,152 48.83% 45 1.02%
1972 2,689 60.62% 1,744 39.31% 3 0.07%
1968 2,224 53.62% 1,635 39.42% 289 6.97%
1964 1,863 45.07% 2,271 54.93% 0 0.00%
1960 2,572 60.19% 1,697 39.71% 4 0.09%
1956 2,743 65.08% 1,469 34.85% 3 0.07%
1952 2,839 65.98% 1,458 33.88% 6 0.14%
1948 2,336 60.87% 1,465 38.17% 37 0.96%
1944 2,695 63.34% 1,550 36.43% 10 0.24%
1940 3,264 61.81% 1,977 37.44% 40 0.76%
1936 2,663 51.02% 2,496 47.82% 61 1.17%
1932 1,815 42.55% 2,372 55.60% 79 1.85%
1928 2,695 71.11% 1,065 28.10% 30 0.79%
1924 2,879 72.87% 803 20.32% 269 6.81%
1920 2,747 76.65% 740 20.65% 97 2.71%
1916 2,528 58.50% 1,611 37.28% 182 4.21%
1912 648 27.84% 721 30.97% 959 41.19%
1908 1,547 62.23% 820 32.98% 119 4.79%
1904 1,668 65.67% 708 27.87% 164 6.46%
1900 1,772 61.98% 976 34.14% 111 3.88%
1896 1,756 62.80% 962 34.41% 78 2.79%
1892 1,352 55.94% 921 38.11% 144 5.96%

Communities

City

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Henderson County is divided into eleven townships:

State and Federal facilities

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ "Henderson County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 154.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Oquawka IL". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  6. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  8. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  9. ^ "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 5, 2014.
  10. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  15. ^ Oquawka State Wildlife Refuge Illinois State Parks (accessed 19 December 2018)

Further reading

External links

40°49′N 90°56′W / 40.81°N 90.93°W / 40.81; -90.93

Places adjacent to Henderson County, Illinois
Municipalities and communities of Henderson County, Illinois, United States
State of Illinois
Authority control databases
Categories