Peoria County, Illinois | |
|---|---|
 Peoria County Courthouse | |
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofIllinois | |
| Coordinates:40°47′N89°46′W / 40.79°N 89.76°W /40.79; -89.76 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Illinois |
| Founded | 1825 |
| Named after | Peoria tribe |
| Seat | Peoria |
| Largest city | Peoria |
| Area | |
• Total | 631 sq mi (1,630 km2) |
| • Land | 619 sq mi (1,600 km2) |
| • Water | 11 sq mi (28 km2) 1.8% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 181,830 |
• Estimate (2024) | 179,630 [1] |
| • Density | 294/sq mi (113/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Codes | 61451, 61517, 61523, 61525, 61526, 61528, 61529, 61531, 61533, 61536, 61539, 61547, 61552, 61559, 61562, 61569, 61601, 61602, 61603, 61604, 61605, 61606, 61607, 61612, 61613, 61614, 61615, 61616, 61625, 61629, 61630, 61633, 61634, 61636, 61637, 61638, 61639, 61641, 61643, 61650, 61651, 61652, 61653, 61654, 61655, 61656 |
| Congressional districts | 16th,17th |
| Website | www |
Peoria County is located in theU.S. state ofIllinois. The2020 United States census listed its population at 181,830.[2] Itscounty seat isPeoria.[3] Peoria County is part of thePeoria metropolitan area.
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.m.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding missing information.(August 2008) |
Peoria County was formed in 1825 out ofFulton County. It was named for thePeoria, anIlliniwek people who lived there. It included most of the western valley of the Illinois River up to the Chicago river portage.
According to theUS Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 631 square miles (1,630 km2), of which 619 square miles (1,600 km2) is land and 11 square miles (28 km2) (1.8%) is water.[4] The county is drained bySpoon River, Kickapoo Creek, Elbow Creek, and Copperas Creek.[5]
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Peoria have ranged from a low of 14 °F (−10 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −27 °F (−33 °C) was recorded in January 1884 and a record high of 113 °F (45 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.50 inches (38 mm) in January to 4.17 inches (106 mm) in May.[6]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 6,153 | — | |
| 1850 | 17,547 | 185.2% | |
| 1860 | 36,601 | 108.6% | |
| 1870 | 47,540 | 29.9% | |
| 1880 | 55,355 | 16.4% | |
| 1890 | 70,378 | 27.1% | |
| 1900 | 88,608 | 25.9% | |
| 1910 | 100,255 | 13.1% | |
| 1920 | 111,710 | 11.4% | |
| 1930 | 141,344 | 26.5% | |
| 1940 | 153,374 | 8.5% | |
| 1950 | 174,347 | 13.7% | |
| 1960 | 189,044 | 8.4% | |
| 1970 | 195,318 | 3.3% | |
| 1980 | 200,466 | 2.6% | |
| 1990 | 182,827 | −8.8% | |
| 2000 | 183,433 | 0.3% | |
| 2010 | 186,494 | 1.7% | |
| 2020 | 181,830 | −2.5% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 179,630 | [8] | −1.2% |
| US Decennial Census[9] 1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11] 1990–2000[12] 2010–2019[2] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 181,830. The median age was 38.5 years; 23.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.2 males age 18 and over.[13]
The racial makeup of the county was 67.4%White, 18.7%Black or African American, 0.3%American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.3%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 2.8% from some other race, and 6.5% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.5% of the population.[14]
83.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 16.9% lived in rural areas.[15]
There were 75,808 households in the county, of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.9% were married-couple households, 21.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
There were 85,074 housing units, of which 10.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 63.3% were owner-occupied and 36.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.5%.[13]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[16] | Pop 1990[17] | Pop 2000[18] | Pop 2010[19] | Pop 2020[20] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 174,586 | 152,801 | 143,932 | 135,620 | 120,629 | 87.09% | 83.58% | 78.47% | 72.72% | 66.34% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 21,349 | 24,746 | 29,320 | 32,720 | 33,635 | 10.65% | 13.54% | 15.98% | 17.54% | 18.50% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 275 | 303 | 365 | 373 | 342 | 0.14% | 0.17% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.19% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,322 | 2,193 | 3,010 | 5,819 | 7,730 | 0.66% | 1.20% | 1.64% | 3.12% | 4.25% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[21] | x[22] | 39 | 59 | 61 | x | x | 0.02% | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 462 | 188 | 288 | 314 | 783 | 0.23% | 0.10% | 0.16% | 0.17% | 0.43% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[23] | x[24] | 2,652 | 4,487 | 8,559 | x | x | 1.45% | 2.41% | 4.71% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,472 | 2,596 | 3,827 | 7,102 | 10,091 | 1.23% | 1.42% | 2.09% | 3.81% | 5.55% |
| Total | 200,466 | 182,827 | 183,433 | 186,494 | 181,830 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In terms of ancestry, per the 2010 US Census, 28.3% wereGerman, 14.8% wereIrish, 10.4% wereEnglish, and 5.5% wereAmerican.[25]
Of the 75,793 households, 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.7% were non-families, and 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age was 36.8 years.[26]
The median income for a household in the county was $49,747 and the median income for a family was $63,163. Males had a median income of $51,246 versus $32,881 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,157. About 10.3% of families and 14.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.[27]
The cities ofPeoria andWest Peoria are considered independent from all of the townships within this county.
People from Peoria County other than in the city of Peoria:
Peoria County is governed by an 18-member County Board which meets on the second Thursday of each month. Each member represents a district with roughly 10,000 residents.[31]
| District | Board Member | Residence | In office since | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharon K. Williams | Peoria | 2012 | Democratic |
| 2 | Camille Coates | Peoria | 2022 | Democratic |
| 3 | Betty Duncan | Peoria | 2020 | Democratic |
| 4 | Brandy Bryant | Peoria | 2019 | Democratic |
| 5 | James C. Dillon (Chair) | West Peoria | 2006 | Democratic |
| 6 | Dr. Eden Blair | Peoria | 2019 | Democratic |
| 7 | Phillip Salzer | Peoria | unknown | Democratic |
| 8 | Nathan Hoerr | Peoria | 2022 | Republican |
| 9 | Danny Phelan | Peoria Heights | 2022 | Democratic |
| 10 | Rob Reneau | Peoria | 2018 | Democratic |
| 11 | Linda E. Daley | Peoria | 2019 | Republican |
| 12 | Daniel Kelch | Edwards | 2022 | Republican |
| 13 | Terry Ruthland | Chillicothe | 2022 | Republican |
| 14 | Brian Elsasser | Princeville | 1998 | Republican |
| 15 | Steven B. Rieker | Peoria | 2016 | Republican |
| 16 | Matt Windish | Brimfield | 2018 | Republican |
| 17 | Jennifer Groves Allison | Peoria | 2019 | Democratic |
| 18 | Paul Rosenbohm | Peoria | 2010 | Republican |
The County also elects an Auditor, Circuit Clerk, Coroner, County Clerk, Sheriff, State's Attorney, Regional Superintendent (Education), and Treasurer to four-year terms.
| Office | Current Holder | In office since | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auditor | Jessica Thomas | 2018 | Democratic |
| Circuit Clerk | Bobby Spears | 2002 | Democratic |
| Coroner | Jamie Harwood | 2016 | Democratic |
| County Clerk | Rachael Parker | 2019 | Democratic |
| Sheriff | Chris Watkins | 2022 | Republican |
| State's Attorney | Jodi Hoos | 2019 | Democratic |
| Regional Superintendent | Elizabeth Crider | 2014 | Democratic |
| Treasurer | Nicole Bjerke | 2017 | Republican |
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 7,266 | 45.63% | 8,053 | 50.57% | 605 | 3.80% |
| 1896 | 10,486 | 52.70% | 9,068 | 45.57% | 344 | 1.73% |
| 1900 | 10,700 | 51.82% | 9,433 | 45.69% | 514 | 2.49% |
| 1904 | 11,868 | 62.02% | 5,697 | 29.77% | 1,570 | 8.20% |
| 1908 | 10,828 | 52.47% | 8,898 | 43.12% | 909 | 4.41% |
| 1912 | 9,229 | 41.91% | 8,364 | 37.98% | 4,427 | 20.10% |
| 1916 | 18,615 | 48.38% | 18,718 | 48.65% | 1,145 | 2.98% |
| 1920 | 24,541 | 66.00% | 9,453 | 25.42% | 3,188 | 8.57% |
| 1924 | 25,243 | 58.55% | 6,343 | 14.71% | 11,526 | 26.74% |
| 1928 | 31,024 | 56.50% | 23,150 | 42.16% | 739 | 1.35% |
| 1932 | 25,166 | 39.50% | 37,605 | 59.02% | 945 | 1.48% |
| 1936 | 25,425 | 33.96% | 48,063 | 64.20% | 1,377 | 1.84% |
| 1940 | 34,911 | 45.21% | 42,009 | 54.40% | 301 | 0.39% |
| 1944 | 34,171 | 50.81% | 32,837 | 48.83% | 243 | 0.36% |
| 1948 | 35,018 | 52.78% | 31,026 | 46.76% | 308 | 0.46% |
| 1952 | 49,245 | 59.09% | 33,955 | 40.74% | 139 | 0.17% |
| 1956 | 50,888 | 62.72% | 30,145 | 37.15% | 108 | 0.13% |
| 1960 | 45,529 | 53.77% | 39,061 | 46.13% | 86 | 0.10% |
| 1964 | 33,327 | 41.30% | 47,360 | 58.70% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 37,021 | 49.96% | 30,937 | 41.75% | 6,147 | 8.29% |
| 1972 | 50,324 | 64.49% | 27,264 | 34.94% | 444 | 0.57% |
| 1976 | 46,526 | 56.65% | 34,606 | 42.14% | 991 | 1.21% |
| 1980 | 47,815 | 57.26% | 28,276 | 33.86% | 7,419 | 8.88% |
| 1984 | 45,607 | 55.02% | 36,830 | 44.43% | 462 | 0.56% |
| 1988 | 37,605 | 51.35% | 35,253 | 48.14% | 372 | 0.51% |
| 1992 | 30,718 | 37.77% | 38,099 | 46.85% | 12,511 | 15.38% |
| 1996 | 30,990 | 41.82% | 37,383 | 50.45% | 5,729 | 7.73% |
| 2000 | 36,398 | 47.39% | 38,604 | 50.26% | 1,810 | 2.36% |
| 2004 | 41,051 | 49.60% | 41,121 | 49.68% | 599 | 0.72% |
| 2008 | 34,579 | 42.32% | 45,906 | 56.19% | 1,219 | 1.49% |
| 2012 | 36,774 | 46.90% | 40,209 | 51.28% | 1,428 | 1.82% |
| 2016 | 35,633 | 45.05% | 38,060 | 48.12% | 5,409 | 6.84% |
| 2020 | 38,252 | 45.55% | 43,578 | 51.90% | 2,143 | 2.55% |
| 2024 | 36,896 | 46.28% | 40,564 | 50.88% | 2,262 | 2.84% |
Prior to 1992, Peoria County, like most of central Illinois, was overwhelminglyRepublican. Usually, it only voted forDemocratic Party presidential candidates when they won nationally by a landslide. It began trending away from the GOP in the mid-1980s, as evidenced whenRonald Reagan only carried it with 55 percent of the vote in 1984 even as he was winning reelection in a landslide nationally.
From 1992 onward, the county has backed the Democratic candidate in every presidential election, though never by a margin greater than 10 percent aside from 2008 when IllinoisanBarack Obama won it by nearly 14 points. This relative closeness in results was most evident in 2004 when the county backedJohn Kerry overGeorge W. Bush by only 70 votes.
In Congress, Peoria County is represented by DemocratEric Sorensen ofIllinois's 17th congressional district and RepublicanDarin LaHood of theIllinois's 18th congressional district.
In theIllinois Senate, Peoria County is represented by RepublicanWin Stoller of the 37th Legislative District and DemocratDave Koehler of the 46th Legislative District. In theIllinois House of Representatives, Peoria County is represented by RepublicanRyan Spain of the 73rd Representative District, Republican Travis Weaver of the 91st Representative District and DemocratJehan Gordon-Booth of the 92nd Representative District.
K-12 school districts include:[33]
Secondary school districts include:[33]
Elementary school districts include:[33]
Places adjacent to Peoria County, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofPeoria County, Illinois,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Townships | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
