| Coles County, Illinois | |
Location in the state of Illinois |
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Illinois's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | 1831 |
|---|---|
| Seat | Charleston |
| Largest city | Charleston |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
510.08 sq mi (1,321 km²) 508.29 sq mi (1,316 km²) 1.79 sq mi (5 km²), |
| Population - (2010) - Density |
53,873 105/sq mi (40/km²) |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website | www.co.coles.il.us |
Coles County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 53,873, which is an increase of 1.3% from 53,196 in 2000.[1] Its county seat is Charleston, which is also the home of Eastern Illinois University.[2]. The county is part of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.
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Coles County was organized in December 1830 out of Clark and Edgar counties. It was named after Edward Coles, the second governor of Illinois from 1822 to 1826.
Coles County is home to several well-known legends and folktales, including the Mad Gasser of Mattoon and the ghost of Mary Hawkins at Pemberton Hall. Michael Kleen has documented many of these tales, including the "witch's grave" of St. Omer Cemetery and story of "Rag Doll Cemetery," in his book Tales of Coles County, Illinois.[3][4] The legend of "Rag Doll Cemetery" formed the basis of the independent film "Rag Doll," which was filmed primarily in and around Mattoon, Illinois in 2010.[5] Additionally, the novel "A Family Possessed" by L. W. Stevenson is based on poltergeist activity experienced by a rural family living in Coles County in the 1980s.[6] Ashmore Estates has long been a part of local folklore. Originally the almshouse at the Coles County Poor Farm, it is now a haunted attraction and a place of interest for paranormal investigators.[7]
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 510.08 square miles (1,321.1 km2), of which 508.29 square miles (1,316.5 km2) (or 99.65%) is land and 1.79 square miles (4.6 km2) (or 0.35%) is water.[8]
Coles County is divided into these twelve townships:
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 34,146 |
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| 1910 | 34,517 | 1.1% | |
| 1920 | 35,108 | 1.7% | |
| 1930 | 37,315 | 6.3% | |
| 1940 | 38,470 | 3.1% | |
| 1950 | 40,328 | 4.8% | |
| 1960 | 42,860 | 6.3% | |
| 1970 | 47,815 | 11.6% | |
| 1980 | 52,260 | 9.3% | |
| 1990 | 51,644 | −1.2% | |
| 2000 | 53,196 | 3.0% | |
| IL Counties 1900-1990 | |||
As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 53,196 people, 21,043 households, and 12,078 families residing in the county. The population density was 105 people per square mile (40/km²). There were 22,768 housing units at an average density of 45 per square mile (17/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.37% White, 2.28% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. 1.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.4% were of German, 17.8% American, 12.6% English and 12.3% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.8% spoke English and 1.8% Spanish as their first language.
There were 21,043 households out of which 26.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.20% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.60% were non-families. 31.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 19.70% under the age of 18, 23.50% from 18 to 24, 23.80% from 25 to 44, 19.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 91.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,286, and the median income for a family was $45,708. Males had a median income of $32,831 versus $21,923 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,370. About 7.50% of families and 17.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.40% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Charleston have ranged from a low of 19 °F (−7 °C) in January to a high of 88 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −27 °F (−33 °C) was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of 110 °F (43 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.20 inches (56 mm) in January to 4.65 inches (118 mm) in July.[10]
| Douglas County | Edgar County | |||
| Moultrie County | ||||
| Coles County, Illinois | ||||
| Shelby County | Cumberland County | Clark County |
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