Byron | |
|---|---|
 Post Office in Byron. | |
| Motto: Gateway to the Rock River Valley. | |
 Location of Byron in Ogle County, Illinois. | |
| Coordinates:42°07′38″N89°15′39″W / 42.12722°N 89.26083°W /42.12722; -89.26083 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Ogle |
| Township | Byron |
| Founded | July 1835 |
| Incorporated Town | 1878 |
| Area | |
• Total | 4.65 sq mi (12.05 km2) |
| • Land | 4.65 sq mi (12.04 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 682 ft (208 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 3,784 |
| • Density | 813.9/sq mi (314.23/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 61010[3] |
| Area code | 815 |
| FIPS code | 17-10240 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2393487[2] |
| Website | byron |
Byron is a city inOgle County,Illinois, United States, probably best known as the location of theByron Nuclear Generating Station, one of the lastnuclear power plants commissioned in the United States. Byron is located inByron Township, along theRock River. As of the2020 census, Byron had a population of 3,784.[4] The town bills itself as the "Gateway to the Rock River Valley".[5]
The city that is now Byron was founded when a settler rode through the area on his way fromGalena toMidway.[6][7]
Byron is located inByron Township at the junction ofIllinois Route 72 andIllinois Route 2. Byron's topography includes a man-madeprairie and the Rock River that passes through the town. It is generally flat and is ideal for farming in most regions.[8]According to the 2010 census, Byron has a total area of 3.572 square miles (9.25 km2), of which 3.57 square miles (9.25 km2) (or 99.94%) is land and 0.002 square miles (0.01 km2) (or 0.06%) is water.[9]
TheIowa, Chicago, and Eastern Railroad passes by the town as well.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890 | 698 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,015 | 45.4% | |
| 1910 | 932 | −8.2% | |
| 1920 | 855 | −8.3% | |
| 1930 | 915 | 7.0% | |
| 1940 | 1,113 | 21.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,237 | 11.1% | |
| 1960 | 1,578 | 27.6% | |
| 1970 | 1,749 | 10.8% | |
| 1980 | 2,035 | 16.4% | |
| 1990 | 2,284 | 12.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,917 | 27.7% | |
| 2010 | 3,753 | 28.7% | |
| 2020 | 3,784 | 0.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] | |||
As of thecensus[11] of 2000, there were 2,917 people, 1,119 households, and 747 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,179.2 inhabitants per square mile (455.3/km2). There were 1,166 housing units at an average density of 471.4 per square mile (182.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.70%White, 0.41%African American, 0.14%Native American, 0.31%Asian, 0.31% fromother races, and 1.13% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.54% of the population. According to a special census taken in 2006, the population of the city has increased to 3,779 since the 2000 census.
There were 1,119 households, out of which 38.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% weremarried couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $37,027, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $40,568 versus $23,221 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $17,164. About 6.9% of families and 7.8% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
TheByron Nuclear Generating Station, currently owned byConstellation Energy, is just south of Byron. It began operations in 1985, after ten years of construction. The station provides a great deal of the electricity used in northern Illinois.
It is in theByron Community Unit School District 226.[12] There are three schools: Mary Morgan Elementary School, Byron Middle School, and Byron High School (pre-K-12) serving approximately 2,500 students.Byron High School placed fourth in the Illinois State Finals Academic Challenge in 2001.
Mary Morgan Elementary School was named an "Exemplary High Performing School" by theU.S. Department of Education's National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, awarded in 2017.[13]
Byron is divided into fourwards, each of which elects twoalderman, giving the city an eight-member council. The eight members of the council are organized into fivecommittees with specific responsibilities, necessarily, given the number of council members, committee memberships overlap.
Elected separately, by the whole city, is themayor. The mayor's powers include the right to appoint members of the five standing committees, and to preside over council meetings. He may also call special meetings of the council.
The city also has other elected officials, including a city clerk and a treasurer. There are also unelected paid positions; these are filled by appointment of the mayor. These include the comptroller and the city attorney.
Despite the fact that Byron has a mayor-council system of government, the municipal code for Byron contains a provision whereby a city administratormay be appointed, if the mayor and council so desire. To date, this provision has not been placed into effect.
Municipalities and communities ofOgle County, Illinois,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
Places adjacent to Byron, Illinois | |
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