Lee County, Illinois

Lee County, Illinois

Lee County Courthouse
Map of Illinois highlighting Lee County
Location in the U.S. state of Illinois
Map of the United States highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location in the U.S.
Founded February 27, 1839
Named for Henry Lee III
Seat Dixon
Largest city Dixon
Area
 • Total 729 sq mi (1,888 km2)
 • Land 725 sq mi (1,878 km2)
 • Water 4.1 sq mi (11 km2), 0.6%
Population
 • (2010) 36,031
 • Density 50/sq mi (19/km²)
Congressional district 16th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.leecountyil.com

Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 36,031.[1] Its county seat is Dixon.[2]

The Dixon, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Lee County.

History

Lee County was formed in 1839 out of Ogle County. The County is named in honor of Lighthorse Harry Lee, officer in the Revolutionary War, or Richard Henry Lee,[3] member of the Continental Congress. The Declaration of Independence was adopted pursuant to the Lee Resolution. President Ronald Reagan lived in Dixon as a boy and attended Dixon High School.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 729 square miles (1,890 km2), of which 725 square miles (1,880 km2) is land and 4.1 square miles (11 km2) (0.6%) is water.[5]

Climate and weather

Dixon, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
1.6
 
 
26
10
 
 
1.4
 
 
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15
 
 
2.6
 
 
44
27
 
 
3.6
 
 
58
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4.3
 
 
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48
 
 
4.9
 
 
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3.5
 
 
82
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4.5
 
 
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60
 
 
3.3
 
 
73
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2.7
 
 
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39
 
 
2.8
 
 
45
28
 
 
2.1
 
 
31
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Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[6]

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Dixon have ranged from a low of 10 °F (−12 °C) in January to a high of 82 °F (28 °C) in July, although a record low of −27 °F (−33 °C) was recorded in January 1999 and a record high of 110 °F (43 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.43 inches (36 mm) in February to 4.88 inches (124 mm) in June.[6]

Major highways

Other features

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18402,035—
18505,292160.0%
186017,651233.5%
187027,17153.9%
188027,4911.2%
189026,187−4.7%
190029,89414.2%
191027,750−7.2%
192028,0040.9%
193032,32915.4%
194034,6047.0%
195036,4515.3%
196038,7496.3%
197037,947−2.1%
198036,328−4.3%
199034,392−5.3%
200036,0624.9%
201036,031−0.1%
Est. 201634,251[7]−4.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2013[1]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 36,031 people, 13,758 households, and 9,064 families residing in the county.[12] The population density was 49.7 inhabitants per square mile (19.2/km2). There were 15,049 housing units at an average density of 20.8 per square mile (8.0/km2).[5] The racial makeup of the county was 90.9% white, 4.8% black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.9% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.0% of the population.[12] In terms of ancestry, 38.0% were German, 18.8% were Irish, 8.4% were English, and 8.2% were American.[13]

Of the 13,758 households, 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.1% were non-families, and 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 42.0 years.[12]

The median income for a household in the county was $48,502 and the median income for a family was $60,759. Males had a median income of $42,114 versus $30,920 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,440. About 7.6% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.[14]

Communities

A wind farm in southeast Lee county just west of Interstate 39 exit 82.

Cities

Villages

Townships

Lee County is divided into twenty-two townships:

Politics

Lee County is together with neighbouring Ogle County the most consistently Republican county in Yankee-settled Northern Illinois. It is one of thirty-eight counties in the United States to have never supported a Democrat for President since the Civil War:[lower-alpha 1] the last time a Democrat carried the county was Franklin Pierce in 1852 before the Republican Party was formed. Barack Obama, who managed to claim six Illinois counties[lower-alpha 2] that had never voted Democratic since 1852 or earlier, got within three percent of also carrying Lee County in that 2008 election and surpassed the Democratic percentages in Franklin D. Roosevelt’s and Lyndon B. Johnson’s landslides. However, the 2016 election saw a strong re-intensification of Lee County’s traditional Republican leanings due to severe concerns about employment opportunities in the “Rust Belt”.

Presidential Elections Results[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 55.6% 8,612 35.7% 5,528 8.7% 1,349
2012 52.5% 8,059 45.2% 6,937 2.3% 352
2008 50.5% 8,258 47.5% 7,765 2.0% 334
2004 58.6% 9,307 40.4% 6,416 1.0% 153
2000 55.2% 8,069 41.8% 6,111 3.0% 440
1996 47.1% 6,677 41.6% 5,895 11.4% 1,610
1992 43.2% 6,652 35.9% 5,530 21.0% 3,235
1988 65.5% 8,903 33.9% 4,608 0.6% 85
1984 73.8% 11,178 25.9% 3,919 0.4% 58
1980 73.7% 11,373 20.5% 3,170 5.8% 895
1976 57.5% 8,674 40.3% 6,076 2.2% 326
1972 68.7% 10,636 30.9% 4,788 0.4% 65
1968 62.9% 9,598 31.0% 4,727 6.1% 930
1964 53.6% 8,445 46.4% 7,315
1960 64.7% 10,835 35.2% 5,896 0.1% 8
1956 72.0% 11,653 28.0% 4,531 0.0% 5
1952 71.7% 11,941 28.2% 4,700 0.1% 10
1948 67.0% 9,001 32.5% 4,368 0.5% 72
1944 67.9% 10,397 32.0% 4,899 0.1% 21
1940 65.0% 11,228 34.7% 6,005 0.3% 52
1936 54.9% 8,914 42.2% 6,845 2.9% 473
1932 51.5% 7,802 47.4% 7,182 1.2% 177
1928 67.1% 9,238 32.5% 4,476 0.3% 46
1924 69.4% 8,363 19.6% 2,367 11.0% 1,327
1920 78.9% 7,615 17.8% 1,715 3.3% 316
1916 64.0% 7,985 32.7% 4,087 3.3% 414
1912 23.0% 1,482 31.0% 1,995 46.0% 2,959
1908 63.5% 4,255 32.0% 2,144 4.5% 302
1904 69.8% 4,634 24.2% 1,604 6.1% 404
1900 63.6% 4,820 33.3% 2,528 3.1% 237
1896 64.8% 4,797 33.3% 2,469 1.9% 139
1892 54.2% 3,513 42.3% 2,740 3.5% 224

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The full list of counties that have never supported a Democrat for President since the Civil War is:
    Kansas: Doniphan County, Riley County
    Missouri: Ozark County, Taney County, Gasconade County, Putnam County
    Illinois: Edwards County, Lee County, Ogle County
    Michigan: Missaukee County, Ottawa County, Sanilac County
    Pennsylvania: Snyder County, Union County
    Kentucky: Butler County, Clay County, Jackson County, Leslie County, McCreary County, Monroe County, Owsley County
    West Virginia: Grant County, Morgan County
    Maryland: Garrett County
    Tennessee: Blount County, Carter County, Cocke County, Grainger County, Hancock County, Jefferson County, Johnson County, Scott County, Sevier County, Unicoi County, Washington County
    North Carolina: Avery County, Wilkes County, Yadkin County
  2. ↑ The six counties voting for Obama in 2008 but never previously for a Democrat since the foundation of the Republican Party were Boone County, Carroll County, DuPage County, Kane County, Kendall County and McHenry County. Of these, Carroll County had never voted Democratic even before the GOP, having supported the Whig Party in all four elections from 1840 to 1852.

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 184.
  4. ↑ "School House to White House: The Education of the Presidents". National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved December 30, 2007.
  5. 1 2 "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  6. 1 2 "Monthly Averages for Dixon, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved 2011-01-27.
  7. ↑ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved June 9, 2017.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 6, 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  13. ↑ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  14. ↑ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2015-07-12.
  15. ↑ http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS

Coordinates: 41°45′N 89°18′W / 41.750°N 89.300°W / 41.750; -89.300

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