Perry County
County
Perry County Courthouse in Pinckneyville
Perry County Courthouse in Pinckneyville
Map of Illinois highlighting Perry County
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Map of the United States highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°05′N 89°22′W / 38.09°N 89.37°W / 38.09; -89.37
Country United States
State Illinois
Founded29 January 1827
Named forOliver Hazard Perry
SeatPinckneyville
Largest cityDu Quoin
Area
 • Total447 sq mi (1,160 km2)
 • Land442 sq mi (1,140 km2)
 • Water5.2 sq mi (13 km2)  1.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total20,945
 • Density47/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district12th
Websiteperryil.com

Perry County is in Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 20,945.[1] Its county seat is Pinckneyville.[2] It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known as "Little Egypt".

History

Perry County was formed in 1827 out of Jackson and Randolph counties. It was named in honor of Oliver Hazard Perry who defeated the British fleet at the decisive Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812.

In its early history, Perry County was mainly an inland pioneer outpost. Early settlers, including some Revolutionary War veterans bearing land grants, moved here from the Eastern United States. These were primarily Protestant settlers. Growth boomed in the 1850s for two reasons: construction of the Illinois Central Railroad through the eastern portion of the county, and the discovery of large coal reserves. Immigrants from Ireland, Poland, Germany, Italy and elsewhere steadily increased the county's population from 1850 through the 1920s. African Americans also were established in the county during northward migration following the Civil War.

Mining continued to be the dominant employment sector through the 1990s.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 447 square miles (1,160 km2), of which 442 square miles (1,140 km2) is land and 5.2 square miles (13 km2) (1.2%) is water.[3]

Perry County is located in Southern Illinois. Pinckneyville, at the center of the county, is approximately 70 miles (110 km) southeast of St. Louis, Missouri and 300 miles (480 km) southwest of Chicago. The Mississippi River lies about 10 miles (16 km) west and southwest of the County at its closest point.

The county's topography is mainly flat with some rolling hills. The part of the county's eastern border, the part shared with Franklin County, is formed by the Little Muddy River. Beaucoup Creek runs north to south through the county and lies just east of Pinckneyville.

The county's topography also features many "strip cut" lakes, lakes left behind following above-ground coal mining. Lakes at two of the county's chief recreation areas, the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds and Pyramid State Recreation Area, were formed this way.

Climate and weather

Pinckneyville, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
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M
J
J
A
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O
N
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2.8
 
 
40
22
 
 
2.6
 
 
46
26
 
 
4.3
 
 
57
36
 
 
4.3
 
 
68
45
 
 
4.8
 
 
77
55
 
 
4.2
 
 
86
64
 
 
3.5
 
 
90
68
 
 
3.3
 
 
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3.3
 
 
81
57
 
 
3.2
 
 
71
45
 
 
4.4
 
 
56
36
 
 
3.5
 
 
44
26
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source:The Weather Channel[4]
Metric conversion
J
F
M
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70
 
 
4
−6
 
 
66
 
 
8
−3
 
 
109
 
 
14
2
 
 
108
 
 
20
7
 
 
122
 
 
25
13
 
 
107
 
 
30
18
 
 
90
 
 
32
20
 
 
85
 
 
31
18
 
 
83
 
 
27
14
 
 
81
 
 
22
7
 
 
113
 
 
13
2
 
 
88
 
 
7
−3
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Pinckneyville have ranged from a low of 22 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 90 °F (32 °C) in July, although a record low of −22 °F (−30 °C) was recorded in January 1912 and a record high of 113 °F (45 °C) was recorded in July 1934. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.61 inches (66 mm) in February to 4.81 inches (122 mm) in May.[4]

Public transit

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18301,215—
18403,222165.2%
18505,27863.8%
18609,55281.0%
187013,72343.7%
188016,00716.6%
189017,5299.5%
190019,83013.1%
191022,08811.4%
192022,9013.7%
193022,767−0.6%
194023,4382.9%
195021,684−7.5%
196019,184−11.5%
197019,7573.0%
198021,7149.9%
199021,412−1.4%
200023,0947.9%
201022,350−3.2%
202020,945−6.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]
1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7]
1990-2000[8] 2010[9]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 22,350 people, 8,335 households, and 5,622 families residing in the county.[10] The population density was 50.6 inhabitants per square mile (19.5/km2). There were 9,426 housing units at an average density of 21.3 per square mile (8.2/km2).[3] The racial makeup of the county was 87.9% white, 8.3% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.7% of the population.[10] In terms of ancestry, 32.8% were German, 14.3% were Irish, 10.6% were English, 8.1% were American, and 6.3% were Polish.[11]

Of the 8,335 households, 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.5% were non-families, and 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 39.4 years.[10]

The median income for a household in the county was $40,696 and the median income for a family was $50,130. Males had a median income of $40,768 versus $28,377 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,926. About 11.5% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.6% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.[12]

Communities

Perry County never adopted a township form of government. Federal township plats were prepared for each township which include legal descriptions of 14 townships.[13]

Perry County has been divided into precincts: Beaucoup, Cutler, Denmark, DuQuoin, Paradise, Pinckneyville, Sunfield, Swanwick, Tamaroa and Willisville.[14] To provide election precincts of similar population based on recent census data, precincts are divided or combined to form election precincts. The election precincts in 2020 were: Beaucoup, Cutler, Du Quoin Number 1, Du Quoin Number 2, Du Quoin Number 3, Du Quoin Number 4, Du Quoin Number 5, Du Quoin Number 6, Du Quoin Number 7, Du Quoin Number 8, Du Quoin Number 9, Du Quoin Number 10, Du Quoin Number 11, Du Quoin Number 12, Pinckneyville Number 1, Pinckneyville Number 2, Pinckneyville Number 3, Pinckneyville Number 4, Pinckneyville Number 5, Pinckneyville Number 6, Pinckneyville Number 7, Pinckneyville Number 8, Sunfield, Swanwick, Tamaroa Number 1, Tamaroa Number 2, and Willisville.[15]

Cities

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Politics

Perry County has been reliably Republican county since 2012, when it backed Mitt Romney (R) by nearly 18 points over Illinois native Barack Obama, even as Obama won both Illinois and the country. By 2020 it was so heavily Republican that incumbent Donald Trump beat Democrat Joe Biden by nearly 45 points in his bid for reelection, even as Biden won the race nationally (and Illinois). The county last voted blue, by a very narrow margin of 0.6%, in 2000. The table below includes a list of Perry County's election results at the presidential level.

United States presidential election results for Perry County, Illinois[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 7,313 72.61% 2,612 25.94% 146 1.45%
2016 6,855 69.42% 2,462 24.93% 557 5.64%
2012 5,507 57.67% 3,819 39.99% 223 2.34%
2008 5,086 50.89% 4,701 47.03% 208 2.08%
2004 5,589 53.61% 4,770 45.76% 66 0.63%
2000 4,802 48.30% 4,862 48.90% 278 2.80%
1996 3,237 32.63% 5,347 53.90% 1,337 13.48%
1992 3,105 28.01% 6,009 54.20% 1,972 17.79%
1988 4,576 46.78% 5,167 52.83% 38 0.39%
1984 5,852 55.88% 4,584 43.77% 36 0.34%
1980 5,888 55.49% 4,337 40.88% 385 3.63%
1976 5,286 46.39% 5,976 52.44% 133 1.17%
1972 6,968 62.98% 4,084 36.91% 12 0.11%
1968 5,384 49.02% 4,449 40.51% 1,150 10.47%
1964 4,287 39.24% 6,639 60.76% 0 0.00%
1960 6,708 57.47% 4,958 42.48% 6 0.05%
1956 6,513 57.06% 4,901 42.94% 0 0.00%
1952 6,580 55.19% 5,340 44.79% 3 0.03%
1948 5,109 49.96% 5,043 49.32% 74 0.72%
1944 6,236 56.97% 4,677 42.73% 33 0.30%
1940 7,243 52.35% 6,539 47.26% 55 0.40%
1936 5,482 42.94% 7,043 55.16% 243 1.90%
1932 3,778 32.85% 7,400 64.34% 324 2.82%
1928 4,636 47.47% 5,029 51.49% 101 1.03%
1924 3,693 39.76% 3,007 32.37% 2,589 27.87%
1920 4,598 58.47% 2,478 31.51% 788 10.02%
1916 4,796 49.70% 4,445 46.07% 408 4.23%
1912 894 18.89% 2,107 44.53% 1,731 36.58%
1908 2,392 46.27% 2,482 48.01% 296 5.73%
1904 2,451 52.65% 1,466 31.49% 738 15.85%
1900 2,336 48.25% 2,321 47.94% 184 3.80%
1896 2,342 48.57% 2,370 49.15% 110 2.28%
1892 1,840 44.14% 1,980 47.49% 349 8.37%

See also

References

  1. ^ "Perry County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Pinckneyville, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  5. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  6. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  7. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  8. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  9. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ T4S_R1W_3PM (1). Perry County Township Plats. U.S. Surveyor General's Records for Illinois: Federal Township Plats. Illinois State Archives. Accessed 25 July 2021.
  14. ^ Perry County, IL History. Accessed Jul 2021.
  15. ^ Illinois Gazeteer: Perry County. Hometown Locator. Accessed July 2021.
  16. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 11, 2018.

38°05′N 89°22′W / 38.09°N 89.37°W / 38.09; -89.37

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