Logan County

History

Established in 1839, Logan County was named after physician and State Representative John Logan, father of Union General John Alexander Logan.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 619 square miles (1,600 km2), of which 618 square miles (1,600 km2) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2) (0.1%) is water.

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Lincoln have ranged from a low of 15 °F (−9.4 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −29 °F (−33.9 °C) was recorded in December 1914 and a record high of 113 °F (45 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.55 inches (39.4 mm) in February to 4.42 inches (112.3 mm) in May.

Transit

SHOW Bus

Lincoln station

Major highways

I-55

I-55 BL (Lincoln)

I-155

US 136

IL 10

IL 54 (former US 54)

IL 121

Adjacent counties

Mason County - northwest

Tazewell County - north

McLean County - northeast

De Witt County - east

Macon County - southeast

Sangamon County - south

Menard County - west

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 27,987. The median age was 41.9 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.0 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 88.1% White, 5.4% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.6% from some other race, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.9% of the population.

50.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 50.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 10,749 households in the county, of which 26.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 46.3% were married-couple households, 19.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 11,984 housing units, of which 10.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 71.5% were owner-occupied and 28.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.

2010 census

According to the 2010 United States census, there were 30,305 people, 11,070 households, and 7,274 families residing in the county. The population density was 49.0 inhabitants per square mile (18.9/km2). There were 12,107 housing units at an average density of 19.6 per square mile (7.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 89.1% white, 7.5% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.2% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 30.9% were German, 17.4% were American, 13.1% were Irish, and 10.8% were English.

Of the 11,070 households, 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.3% were non-families, and 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 39.4 years.

14.4% of the population were living in group quarters including 11.4% of the population institutionalized.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,999 and the median income for a family was $63,245. Males had a median income of $43,940 versus $31,783 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,063. About 6.8% of families and 9.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.1% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Atlanta

Lincoln (seat)

Mount Pulaski

Census-designated places

Beason

Chestnut

Cornland

Extinct community

Postville

Government and infrastructure

The Illinois Department of Corrections Logan Correctional Center is located in unincorporated Logan County, near Lincoln.

Politics

In the period following the Civil War, Logan was a swing county, following the popular vote winner in every election up to 1936 except those of 1900 and 1916. Since 1940, when its isolationist sentiment drove voters to Wendell Willkie, Logan has become a strongly Republican county. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Logan County since Lyndon Johnson’s 1964 landslide over Barry Goldwater. In fact, apart from Johnson, Barack Obama in 2008 is the solitary Democrat to reach forty percent in the past nineteen elections.

Education

K-12 school districts include:

Secondary school districts include:

Lincoln Community High School District 404

Elementary school districts include:

Notable people

Brian Cook, NBA player

Norm Cook, NBA player

Robert A. Emmitt, Oregon farmer and legislator

Terry Kinney, actor

Edward Madigan, Former United States Secretary of Agriculture

William Keepers Maxwell Jr., editor, novelist, short story writer