Union County, Illinois
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Union County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 17,244.<ref name=QF>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Jonesboro.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known locally as "Little Egypt".
History
Union County was formed out of Johnson County, nearly a year before the Illinois Territory gained statehood.Template:Sfn It was named for a joint revival meeting of the Baptists and Dunkards, called a "union meeting". The county seal depicts the leaders of these two groups shaking hands.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
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For its first year of existence, Union County included an area of unorganized territory temporarily attached to it.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> -
In 1819, the additional territory became Alexander County, reducing Union to its current borders.
Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (2.1%) is water.<ref name=CD/>
Climate and weather
Template:Climate chart In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Jonesboro 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 1918 and a record high of Template:Convert was recorded in July 1901. Average monthly precipitation ranged from Template:Convert in September to Template:Convert in May.<ref name=WX/>
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Jackson County – north
- Williamson County – northeast
- Johnson County – east
- Pulaski County – southeast
- Alexander County – south
- Cape Girardeau County, Missouri – west
- Perry County, Missouri – northwest
Protected areas
- Brown Barrens Nature Preserve<ref>Brown Barrens Nature Preserve, Union County IL Google Maps (accessed 29 December 2018)</ref>
- Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (partial)
- Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge (partial)
- Lincoln Memorial Picnic Grounds<ref>Lincoln Memorial Picnic Grounds, Union County IL Google Maps (accessed 29 December 2018)</ref>
- Giant City State Park (partial)
- McClure Shale Glade Nature Preserve<ref>McClure Shale Glade Nature Preserve, Union County IL Google Maps (accessed 29 December 2018)</ref>
- Trail of Tears State Forest
- Shawnee National Forest (partial)
- Union County State Fish and Wildlife Area
Demographics
2020 census
| 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) | 17,563 | 17,243 | 17,407 | 16,454 | 15,331 | 98.86% | 97.87% | 95.16% | 92.40% | 88.91% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 68 | 122 | 149 | 151 | 226 | 0.38% | 0.69% | 0.81% | 0.85% | 1.31% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 19 | 22 | 62 | 59 | 46 | 0.11% | 0.12% | 0.34% | 0.33% | 0.27% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 16 | 50 | 48 | 52 | 67 | 0.09% | 0.28% | 0.26% | 0.29% | 0.39% |
| 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> | 2 | 5 | 11 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.03% | 0.06% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 8 | 0 | 6 | 8 | 28 | 0.05% | 0.00% | 0.03% | 0.04% | 0.16% |
| 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> | 138 | 216 | 668 | x | x | 0.75% | 1.21% | 3.87% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 91 | 182 | 481 | 863 | 867 | 0.51% | 1.03% | 2.63% | 4.85% | 5.03% |
| Total | 17,765 | 17,619 | 18,293 | 17,808 | 17,244 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 17,808 people, 7,167 households, and 4,837 families residing in the county.<ref name=DP1>Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,924 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.<ref name=CD>Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% white, 0.9% black or African American, 0.5% American Indian, 0.3% Asian, 2.0% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.8% of the population.<ref name=DP1/> In terms of ancestry, 23.0% were German, 12.6% were Irish, 9.4% were English, and 8.1% were American.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Of the 7,167 households, 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.5% were non-families, and 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 42.9 years.<ref name=DP1/>
The median income for a household in the county was $39,760 and the median income for a family was $48,465. Males had a median income of $36,831 versus $31,272 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,512. About 12.7% of families and 21.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.5% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Communities
Cities
Villages
Unincorporated communities
Politics
Like much of Southern Illinois, Union County has shifted toward the Republican Party over the past couple decades,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with the Republican candidate for president winning the county since 2000. 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
Education
School districts include:<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>
K-12: Template:Div col
- Cobden School Unit District 17
- Dongola School Unit District 66
- Goreville Community Unit School District 1
- Shawnee Community Unit School District 84
Secondary:
Elementary: Template:Div col
- Anna Community Consolidated School District 37
- Buncombe Consolidated School District 43
- Cypress School District 64
- Jonesboro Community Consolidated School District 43
- Lick Creek Community Consolidated School District 16
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Union County, Illinois
- Ku Klux Klan in Southern Illinois
References
Bibliography
External links
- Union County Official Website
- Union County State's Attorney
- Union County Treasurer
- Union County Chamber of Commerce
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