Macoupin County, Illinois | |
|---|---|
 Macoupin County Courthouse in Carlinville | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofIllinois | |
| Coordinates:39°16′N89°55′W / 39.26°N 89.92°W /39.26; -89.92 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Illinois |
| Founded | 1829 |
| Named after | Macoupin Creek |
| Seat | Carlinville |
| Largest city | Carlinville |
| Area | |
• Total | 868 sq mi (2,250 km2) |
| • Land | 863 sq mi (2,240 km2) |
| • Water | 4.7 sq mi (12 km2) 0.5% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 44,967 |
• Estimate (2024) | 43,895 [1] |
| • Density | 52.1/sq mi (20.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 13th |
| Website | www |
Macoupin County is a county located in theU.S. state ofIllinois. According to the2020 census, it had a population of 44,967.[2] Thecounty seat isCarlinville.[3]
The primary industry isagriculture, consisting of crops ofcorn (maize),soybeans, and somewheat.
The region was inhabited byIllinoisanIndians when the first white explorers arrived.Macoupin is an adaptation of the Miami-Illinois term for theAmerican lotusNelumbo lutea. None of the native Indians remain, although some descendants of the earliest European settlers claim partial ancestry. The first European contact was byFrench explorers in the seventeenth century, travelling southward down the major rivers. The main European settlement was from the southwest, as people moved inland from the established transportation route of theMississippi River.
Macoupin County was established on January 17, 1829.[4] It was formed out of Greene and Madison Counties and was named afterMacoupin Creek,[5] which runs near Carlinville and meanders southwest to theIllinois River. Theeconomy was based onsubsistence agriculture, and communication was to the southwest.
In the middle 19th century, Illinois developed and changed rapidly. The greatest change was in the building ofrailroads, and Macoupin County was on the rail and road transportation link betweenSt. Louis and the still-young metropolis ofChicago. The county lies midway between St. Louis and the relocated state capital ofSpringfield. The economy was still based entirely onagriculture, but there was now easier market access. Towns were small and sparsely distributed, and any new communities were founded along the railroad lines that provided transportation. Culturally, the county remained closer to its historical ties with St. Louis than to more northerly areas.
Agriculture remained a mainstay of the economy, but this was joined bycoal mining, an industry that partially changed the complexion of the county. With coal underlying the entire region, the most economical development was to place mines alongside the railroad tracks (for transportation of coal) and located in or near already-existing towns. By the twentieth century, there were mines in many towns, all of them with substantial populations of foreign-born minersfrom everywhere in Europe.
During the twentieth century, agriculture and coal mining remained the mainstays of the county's economy, and the county's fortunes rose and fell with them. Farming was stillfamily based. Macoupin County was often at the center of major labor disputes between mine owners and miners and was a hotbed ofunion activity. The county had previously played a significant role in violent 1890s disputes that brought unwanted national attention, was at center stage when theUnited Mine Workers rose to power, and was again prominent during the internecine war between the UMW and theProgressive Miners of America of the 1930s.
Agriculture remained the county's prime economic activity, but farming became a large-scalecorporate enterprise, with small family farms rapidly disappearing. Coal mining decreased and has almost disappeared entirely. Buildings and structures related to coal mining were torn down as they were wasted away, so there is now little to see of this once-major industry.
Towns were (and still are) characterized either by a midwesterntown square layout or by amain street layout. In the former, a central city block may be a smallpark with agazebo, with thesmall businesses of the town surrounding it. In the latter, a single street will have the small businesses of the town lining either side of it. Carlinville has a city square layout, with the main county building occupying the central city block. This building houses all the offices of the county.[verification needed] Typically,churches of the variousdenominations will lie within two or three blocks of the town square, or sometimes will lie mainly along a single street near the town's center.
With modern roads easily accessible, some towns in the northern part of the county became virtualbedroom communities as people commuted to Springfield to work and shop, hastening the decline of small businesses in the towns. The same effect was felt in the southernmost part of the county, and in 2005, theU.S. Census Bureau included the county in theSt. Louis Metropolitan Statistical Area due to increased commuting patterns and employment in St. Louis and theMetro-East.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 868 square miles (2,250 km2), of which 863 square miles (2,240 km2) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km2) (0.5%) is water.[6]
| Carlinville, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Carlinville have ranged from a low of 17 °F (−8 °C) in January to a high of 87 °F (31 °C) in July. A record low of −23 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of 113 °F (45 °C) was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.95 inches (50 mm) in February to 4.25 inches (108 mm) in May.[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1830 | 1,990 | — | |
| 1840 | 7,826 | 293.3% | |
| 1850 | 12,355 | 57.9% | |
| 1860 | 24,602 | 99.1% | |
| 1870 | 32,726 | 33.0% | |
| 1880 | 37,692 | 15.2% | |
| 1890 | 40,352 | 7.1% | |
| 1900 | 42,256 | 4.7% | |
| 1910 | 50,685 | 19.9% | |
| 1920 | 57,274 | 13.0% | |
| 1930 | 48,703 | −15.0% | |
| 1940 | 46,304 | −4.9% | |
| 1950 | 44,210 | −4.5% | |
| 1960 | 43,524 | −1.6% | |
| 1970 | 44,557 | 2.4% | |
| 1980 | 49,384 | 10.8% | |
| 1990 | 47,679 | −3.5% | |
| 2000 | 49,019 | 2.8% | |
| 2010 | 47,765 | −2.6% | |
| 2020 | 44,967 | −5.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010[12] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 44,967. The median age was 44.4 years. 20.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 21.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.6 males age 18 and over.[13]
The racial makeup of the county was 93.6%White, 0.8%Black or African American, 0.3%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.3% from some other race, and 4.6% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.3% of the population.[14]
34.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 65.5% lived in rural areas.[15]
There were 18,804 households in the county, of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.6% were married-couple households, 18.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
There were 21,023 housing units, of which 10.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.0% were owner-occupied and 24.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.8%.[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) | 21,665 | 20,089 | 47,828 | 46,315 | 41,850 | 97.74% | 96.15% | 97.57% | 96.96% | 93.07% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 297 | 581 | 396 | 359 | 368 | 1.34% | 2.78% | 0.81% | 0.75% | 0.82% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 37 | 37 | 100 | 110 | 109 | 0.17% | 0.18% | 0.20% | 0.23% | 0.24% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 26 | 31 | 88 | 129 | 179 | 0.12% | 0.15% | 0.18% | 0.27% | 0.40% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[21] | x[22] | 12 | 8 | 0 | x | x | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 9 | 1 | 19 | 32 | 54 | 0.04% | 0.00% | 0.04% | 0.07% | 0.12% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[23] | x[24] | 271 | 394 | 1,837 | x | x | 0.55% | 0.82% | 4.09% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 133 | 154 | 305 | 418 | 570 | 0.60% | 0.74% | 0.62% | 0.88% | 1.27% |
| Total | 22,167 | 20,893 | 49,019 | 47,765 | 44,967 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2010 United States census, there were 47,765 people, 19,381 households, and 13,224 families residing in the county.[25] The population density was 55.4 inhabitants per square mile (21.4/km2). There were 21,584 housing units at an average density of 25.0 per square mile (9.7/km2).[6] The racial makeup of the county was 97.6% white, 0.8% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.9% of the population.[25] In terms of ancestry, 35.8% wereGerman, 16.2% wereIrish, 13.9% wereEnglish, 9.5% wereAmerican, and 8.0% wereItalian.[26]
Of the 19,381 households, 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.8% were non-families, and 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 41.7 years.[25]
The median income for a household in the county was $47,178 and the median income for a family was $59,700. Males had a median income of $48,878 versus $30,748 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,222. About 9.7% of families and 12.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.[27]
Macoupin County is divided into twenty-sixtownships:
As part of the rural German Catholic belt surrounding the Illinois section of the St. Louis metropolitan area, Macoupin County traditionally favored the Democratic Party. Up to and including the 2000 election, Macoupin voted for the Republican nominee only in six major landslide victories, and no Republican gained an absolute majority of the county's vote untilRichard Nixon’s 3,000-plus-county landslides victory overGeorge McGovern in 1972.
The twenty-first century has seen a major change in these voting patterns due to the county's conservative population. The 2012 election saw IllinoisanBarack Obama become the first Democrat to win the presidency without carrying Macoupin County, and in 2016Hillary Clinton won less than thirty percent of the vote in this once traditionally Democratic county – a figure eleven percent worse than McGovern's in his landslide defeat.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 3,868 | 40.53% | 5,051 | 52.92% | 625 | 6.55% |
| 1896 | 4,970 | 46.41% | 5,574 | 52.05% | 164 | 1.53% |
| 1900 | 4,814 | 45.10% | 5,472 | 51.27% | 387 | 3.63% |
| 1904 | 4,796 | 46.69% | 4,336 | 42.21% | 1,140 | 11.10% |
| 1908 | 4,988 | 42.76% | 5,775 | 49.51% | 901 | 7.72% |
| 1912 | 2,177 | 21.11% | 4,902 | 47.53% | 3,235 | 31.37% |
| 1916 | 8,875 | 43.64% | 10,012 | 49.24% | 1,448 | 7.12% |
| 1920 | 8,700 | 44.68% | 5,936 | 30.49% | 4,834 | 24.83% |
| 1924 | 8,571 | 39.24% | 6,134 | 28.08% | 7,136 | 32.67% |
| 1928 | 10,699 | 47.68% | 11,290 | 50.32% | 449 | 2.00% |
| 1932 | 7,031 | 29.74% | 14,810 | 62.65% | 1,799 | 7.61% |
| 1936 | 9,502 | 36.76% | 14,896 | 57.62% | 1,453 | 5.62% |
| 1940 | 13,000 | 47.08% | 14,356 | 52.00% | 254 | 0.92% |
| 1944 | 11,572 | 48.86% | 11,951 | 50.46% | 160 | 0.68% |
| 1948 | 10,198 | 45.74% | 11,742 | 52.66% | 358 | 1.61% |
| 1952 | 12,336 | 48.67% | 12,944 | 51.07% | 68 | 0.27% |
| 1956 | 12,290 | 49.90% | 12,303 | 49.96% | 34 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | 11,731 | 47.12% | 13,120 | 52.70% | 45 | 0.18% |
| 1964 | 8,430 | 35.63% | 15,227 | 64.37% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 10,262 | 43.91% | 10,750 | 46.00% | 2,356 | 10.08% |
| 1972 | 13,583 | 58.03% | 9,662 | 41.28% | 162 | 0.69% |
| 1976 | 10,242 | 45.55% | 11,910 | 52.97% | 334 | 1.49% |
| 1980 | 12,131 | 54.27% | 9,116 | 40.78% | 1,107 | 4.95% |
| 1984 | 12,282 | 53.51% | 10,602 | 46.19% | 69 | 0.30% |
| 1988 | 9,362 | 43.20% | 12,195 | 56.28% | 112 | 0.52% |
| 1992 | 6,518 | 27.55% | 12,050 | 50.93% | 5,093 | 21.52% |
| 1996 | 7,235 | 34.33% | 11,107 | 52.70% | 2,733 | 12.97% |
| 2000 | 9,749 | 45.58% | 11,015 | 51.50% | 625 | 2.92% |
| 2004 | 11,413 | 50.09% | 11,193 | 49.12% | 179 | 0.79% |
| 2008 | 9,891 | 44.07% | 12,090 | 53.87% | 462 | 2.06% |
| 2012 | 10,946 | 51.92% | 9,464 | 44.89% | 673 | 3.19% |
| 2016 | 14,322 | 63.96% | 6,689 | 29.87% | 1,380 | 6.16% |
| 2020 | 16,153 | 67.11% | 7,365 | 30.60% | 552 | 2.29% |
| 2024 | 16,065 | 68.35% | 6,892 | 29.32% | 546 | 2.32% |
Places adjacent to Macoupin County, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||
| Counties |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Major cities (25,000+) | ||
| Cities (5,000-25,000) | ||
| Communities (1,000-5,000) | ||
| Transit systems | ||
| Amtrak stations |
| |
| Interstates | ||
| Airports | ||
| Colleges | ||
| Sports teams |
| |
| Topics |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Central city | ||
| Largest cities (over 50,000 in2020) | ||
| Medium-sized cities (over 20,000 in2020) | ||
| Largest towns and villages (over 10,000 in2020) |
| |
| Missouri counties | ||
| Illinois counties | ||
| Subregions | ||
Municipalities and communities ofMacoupin County, Illinois,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Town | ||
| Villages | ||
| Townships | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This city also has portions in adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
