Pulaski County, Illinois

Pulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 5,193.<ref name="2020 census" /> Its county seat is Mound City.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Its largest city is Mounds. It is located along the Ohio River in the southwestern portion of the state, known locally as "Little Egypt".

History

Pulaski County was formed on March 3, 1843, out of parts of Alexander and Johnson counties. It was named in honor of Casimir Pułaski who was killed at the siege of Savannah in the Revolutionary War.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

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  Pulaski County at the time of its creation in 1843

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (2.0%) is water.<ref name="census-density"/> It is the third-smallest county in Illinois by area.

Climate and weather

Template:Climate chart In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mound City have ranged from a low of Template:Convert in January to a high of Template:Convert in July, although a record low of Template:Convert was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of Template:Convert was recorded in June 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from Template:Convert in September to Template:Convert in May.<ref name="weather"/>

Major highways

• Interstate 57<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• U.S. Highway 51
• Illinois Route 3
• Illinois Route 37
• Illinois Route 169

Adjacent counties

• Union County (north)
• Johnson County (northeast)
• Massac County (east)
• Ballard County, Kentucky (southeast)
• Alexander County (west)

National protected area

• Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

2020 census

Pulaski County, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold

Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 1980<ref name=1980Census>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 1990<ref name=1990Census>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 1980	% 1990	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	5,865	5,020	4,841	3,937	3,245	66.35%	66.73%	65.88%	63.90%	62.49%
Black or African American alone (NH)	2,900	2,459	2,249	1,976	1,462	32.81%	32.69%	30.61%	32.07%	28.15%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	19	8	10	25	36	0.21%	0.11%	0.14%	0.41%	0.69%
Asian alone (NH)	11	6	68	13	13	0.12%	0.08%	0.93%	0.21%	0.25%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)	x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census</ref>	x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census</ref>	0	3	0	x	x	0.00%	0.05%	0.00%
Other race alone (NH)	4	1	6	14	14	0.05%	0.01%	0.08%	0.23%	0.27%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	x <ref>not an option in the 1980 Census</ref>	x <ref>not an option in the 1990 Census</ref>	67	96	219	x	x	0.91%	1.56%	4.22%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	41	29	107	97	204	0.46%	0.39%	1.46%	1.57%	3.93%
Total	8,840	7,523	7,348	6,161	5,193	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 6,161 people, 2,642 households, and 1,658 families living in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,155 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.<ref name="census-density">Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 64.4% white, 32.4% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.6% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 15.1% were German, 6.8% were Irish, 6.6% were English, and 6.6% were American.<ref name="census-dp2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 2,642 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.2% were non-families, and 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 43.2 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $31,173 and the median income for a family was $39,699. Males had a median income of $36,915 versus $29,007 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,444. About 16.7% of families and 22.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.0% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">Template:Cite web</ref>

Communities

Cities

• Mound City
• Mounds

Villages

• Karnak
• New Grand Chain (usually referred to as "Grand Chain")
• Olmsted
• Pulaski
• Ullin

Unincorporated communities

• America
• Perks
• Spencer Heights
• Villa Ridge
• Wetaug

Politics

Pulaski County was often a swing county at the presidential level, but has voted for the Republican candidates for U.S. president since 2012.

This trend in Pulaski County has begun to affect down-ballot races as well. In the 2020 Senate election, longtime Democratic Senator Dick Durbin lost the county for the first time in his career, after winning it in his four prior elections.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

See also

• Cantonment Wilkinson Site
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Pulaski County

References

• Template:Cite book