Monroe County, Illinois | |
|---|---|
 Monroe County Courthouse in Waterloo | |
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofIllinois | |
| Coordinates:38°17′N90°11′W / 38.28°N 90.18°W /38.28; -90.18 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Illinois |
| Founded | 1816 |
| Named after | James Monroe |
| Seat | Waterloo |
| Largest city | Waterloo |
| Area | |
• Total | 398 sq mi (1,030 km2) |
| • Land | 385 sq mi (1,000 km2) |
| • Water | 13 sq mi (34 km2) 3.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 34,962 |
• Estimate (2024) | 34,969 [1] |
| • Density | 90.8/sq mi (35.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 12th |
| Website | monroecountyil |
Monroe County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofIllinois. According to the2020 census, it had a population of 34,962.[2] Itscounty seat and largest city isWaterloo.[3] Monroe County is included in theSt. Louis,MO-ILMetropolitan Statistical Area. It is located in the southern portion of Illinois known historically as "Little Egypt".
Indigenous peoples lived along the Mississippi River and related waterways for thousands of years before European contact.FrenchJesuit priests in theIllinois Country encountered theKaskaskia andCahokia, bands of theIlliniwek confederacy.
The firstEuropean settlement in this area wasSt. Philippe, founded in 1723 byPhilippe François Renault, aFrenchcourtier, on his concession about three miles north ofFort de Chartres along theMississippi River. This early agricultural community quickly produced a surplus, and grains were sold to the lowerLouisiana colony for years. They were integral to that community's survival, as its climate did not allow cultivation of such staple grains.
Monroe County was formed in 1816 out ofRandolph andSt. Clair counties, as the 8th county created from the thenIllinois Territory.
Beginning on the Mississippi River where the base line, which is about three-fourths of a mile below Judge Briggs's present residence, strikes the said river; thence with the base line until it strikes the first township line therefrom; thence southeast to the southeast corner of township two south, range nine west; thence south to the southeast corner of township four north, range nine west; thence southwestwardly to the Mississippi, so as to include Alexander McNabb's farm, and thence up the Mississippi to the beginning shall constitute a separate county, to be called MONROE.
IllinoisTerritorial Laws 1815-16, p. 25[4]
It was named in honor ofJames Monroe,[5] who had just served asUnited States Secretary of War and who was electedPresident later that same year. Its first county seat wasHarrisonville, named forWilliam Henry Harrison, former governor of theNorthwest Territory and future President. Harrison invested in several tracts of land in theAmerican Bottoms above Harrisonville, mostly in the present precinct of Moredock, ownership of which he retained until his death.[6]
Waterloo was designated as the mantle of county seat in 1825. The sites of the colonial towns of St. Philippe and Harrisonville were submerged by theMississippi River, in flooding caused bydeforestation of river banks during thesteamboat years. Crews cut so many trees that banks destabilized and collapsed in the current, making the river wider and more shallow fromSt. Louis to the confluence with theOhio River. This change caused more severe flooding, as well as lateral channel changes, such as the one that cut off the village ofKaskaskia from the Illinois mainland.[7]
An unincorporated community of Harrisonville was re-established east of the original site. The bounds of Monroe County in 1816 did not include Precincts 1 and 6 (village of Hecker and Prairie du Long), Precinct 1 and most of 6 was added in 1825 fromSt. Clair County.[8] The strip of Precinct 6 from the survey township line east to the Kaskaskia was added, once again from St. Clair, two years later in 1827.[9] Some minor adjustments and clarifications of the boundaries have taken place, but the borders have remained essentially static since 1827.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 398 square miles (1,030 km2), of which 385 square miles (1,000 km2) is land and 13 square miles (34 km2) (3.3%) is water.[10]
The western part of the county on theMississippi River is part of theAmerican Bottom floodplain, while the eastern portion of the county is relatively flat and was originallyprairie. The transition zone between has highbluffs oflimestone anddolomite and has distinctiveKarst topography with numeroussinkholes,caves, andsprings. Mississippi River bluffs along Monroe County's western border make the county part of the “Illinois Ozarks.” The county's roughly 500 limestone sinkholes, most filled with dense woods, add to Monroe County's unusual visual appeal.
| Waterloo, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate chart (explanation) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Waterloo have ranged from a low of 20 °F (−7 °C) in January to a high of 89 °F (32 °C) in July, although a record low of −18 °F (−28 °C) was recorded in December 1989 and a record high of 107 °F (42 °C) was recorded in August 1962. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.32 inches (59 mm) in January to 4.25 inches (108 mm) in July.[11]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 1,537 | — | |
| 1830 | 2,000 | 30.1% | |
| 1840 | 4,481 | 124.1% | |
| 1850 | 7,679 | 71.4% | |
| 1860 | 12,832 | 67.1% | |
| 1870 | 12,982 | 1.2% | |
| 1880 | 13,682 | 5.4% | |
| 1890 | 12,948 | −5.4% | |
| 1900 | 13,847 | 6.9% | |
| 1910 | 13,508 | −2.4% | |
| 1920 | 12,839 | −5.0% | |
| 1930 | 12,369 | −3.7% | |
| 1940 | 12,754 | 3.1% | |
| 1950 | 13,282 | 4.1% | |
| 1960 | 15,507 | 16.8% | |
| 1970 | 18,831 | 21.4% | |
| 1980 | 20,117 | 6.8% | |
| 1990 | 22,422 | 11.5% | |
| 2000 | 27,619 | 23.2% | |
| 2010 | 32,957 | 19.3% | |
| 2020 | 34,962 | 6.1% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 34,969 | [12] | 0.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[13] 1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15] 1990-2000[16] 2010-2013[2] 2020[17] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 34,962. The median age was 42.8 years. 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.7 males age 18 and over.[18]
The racial makeup of the county was 94.0%White, 0.3%Black or African American, 0.2%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.5% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.8% of the population.[19]
58.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 41.5% lived in rural areas.[20]
There were 13,752 households in the county, of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 60.7% were married-couple households, 13.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[18]
There were 14,540 housing units, of which 5.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 81.9% were owner-occupied and 18.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.4%.[18]
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[21] | Pop 1990[22] | Pop 2000[23] | Pop 2010[24] | Pop 2020[25] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 19,907 | 22,132 | 27,156 | 31,991 | 32,680 | 98.96% | 98.71% | 98.32% | 97.07% | 93.47% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 18 | 9 | 11 | 64 | 118 | 0.09% | 0.04% | 0.04% | 0.19% | 0.34% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 19 | 51 | 47 | 57 | 53 | 0.09% | 0.23% | 0.17% | 0.17% | 0.15% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 38 | 57 | 85 | 142 | 186 | 0.19% | 0.25% | 0.31% | 0.43% | 0.53% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | x[26] | x[27] | 1 | 6 | 2 | x | x | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 6 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 66 | 0.03% | 0.03% | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.19% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x[28] | x[29] | 112 | 239 | 1,211 | x | x | 0.41% | 0.73% | 3.46% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 129 | 166 | 203 | 450 | 646 | 0.64% | 0.74% | 0.74% | 1.37% | 1.85% |
| Total | 20,117 | 22,422 | 27,619 | 32,957 | 34,962 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2010 United States census, there were 32,957 people, 12,589 households, and 9,375 families residing in the county.[30] The population density was 85.6 inhabitants per square mile (33.1/km2). There were 13,392 housing units at an average density of 34.8 per square mile (13.4/km2).[10] The racial makeup of the county was 98.0% white, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% black or African American, 0.3% from other races, and 0.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population.[30] In terms of ancestry, 53.9% wereGerman, 16.5% wereIrish, 9.6% wereEnglish, and 6.2% wereAmerican.[31]
Of the 12,589 households, 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 25.5% were non-families, and 21.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age was 41.0 years.[30]
The median income for a household in the county was $68,253 and the median income for a family was $80,832. Males had a median income of $55,988 versus $39,375 for females. The per capita income for the county was $31,091. About 3.5% of families and 4.5% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 4.3% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.[32]
The closest access to and bridges over the Kaskaskia are downriver atBaldwin in Randolph County via Route 154 and upriver atNew Athens in St. Clair County via Route 13. South of Monroe County, there is a ferry across the Mississippi in Randolph County, providing access toSte. Genevieve,Missouri andPere Marquette State Park, and a bridge atChester via Route 150.
While the railroad played a large part in the history and development of the county, the main line through the county, running along Illinois Route 3, has been abandoned and removed. However,Union Pacific tracks run through the Bottoms from theintermodal yard at Dupo in St. Clair County, running roughly parallel to Bluff Rd. which crosses them several times, through old Valmeyer and Fults on past Prairie du Rocher in Randolph County. The tracks are still in use, but carry only freight, and have no stops in Monroe County.
There is a small airfield in the Bottoms west of Columbia called Sackman Field.
For census and election purposes, Monroe County is currently divided into 37 numbered precincts. However, for geographical, genealogical, and historic purposes the older, named precincts are of greater utility.
Monroe County, along with neighboringRandolph County, is located within Regional Office of Education #45.[33]
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Monroe County, Illinois" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(May 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Monroe County was hostile to the “Yankee”Civil War owing toCopperhead sentiment and voted solidly Democratic untilTheodore Roosevelt carried the county in 1904. Since that time, however, the county has become predominately Republican, and the only Democrats to gain a majority since 1904 have been CatholicAl Smith in 1928,Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936, andLyndon Johnson in 1964. Since 1968, Monroe County has been carried by the Republican Presidential nominee in every election except whenBill Clinton won a narrow plurality in 1992.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 1,153 | 40.05% | 1,611 | 55.96% | 115 | 3.99% |
| 1896 | 1,446 | 46.18% | 1,652 | 52.76% | 33 | 1.05% |
| 1900 | 1,535 | 46.40% | 1,757 | 53.11% | 16 | 0.48% |
| 1904 | 1,622 | 52.32% | 1,440 | 46.45% | 38 | 1.23% |
| 1908 | 1,733 | 52.95% | 1,512 | 46.20% | 28 | 0.86% |
| 1912 | 1,433 | 45.42% | 1,398 | 44.31% | 324 | 10.27% |
| 1916 | 2,825 | 56.91% | 2,104 | 42.39% | 35 | 0.71% |
| 1920 | 2,955 | 70.11% | 932 | 22.11% | 328 | 7.78% |
| 1924 | 2,390 | 48.35% | 1,369 | 27.70% | 1,184 | 23.95% |
| 1928 | 2,721 | 48.03% | 2,934 | 51.79% | 10 | 0.18% |
| 1932 | 2,186 | 34.93% | 3,993 | 63.80% | 80 | 1.28% |
| 1936 | 3,226 | 47.09% | 3,477 | 50.76% | 147 | 2.15% |
| 1940 | 4,754 | 62.54% | 2,826 | 37.17% | 22 | 0.29% |
| 1944 | 4,032 | 66.00% | 2,068 | 33.85% | 9 | 0.15% |
| 1948 | 3,403 | 62.65% | 2,026 | 37.30% | 3 | 0.06% |
| 1952 | 4,528 | 65.07% | 2,430 | 34.92% | 1 | 0.01% |
| 1956 | 4,715 | 64.03% | 2,648 | 35.96% | 1 | 0.01% |
| 1960 | 4,731 | 58.17% | 3,398 | 41.78% | 4 | 0.05% |
| 1964 | 3,936 | 46.08% | 4,605 | 53.92% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 5,086 | 55.48% | 2,822 | 30.78% | 1,259 | 13.73% |
| 1972 | 6,479 | 68.44% | 2,958 | 31.25% | 29 | 0.31% |
| 1976 | 5,602 | 57.66% | 3,984 | 41.00% | 130 | 1.34% |
| 1980 | 6,315 | 63.63% | 3,121 | 31.45% | 488 | 4.92% |
| 1984 | 6,936 | 67.89% | 3,256 | 31.87% | 25 | 0.24% |
| 1988 | 6,275 | 57.83% | 4,529 | 41.74% | 47 | 0.43% |
| 1992 | 4,807 | 38.33% | 4,894 | 39.02% | 2,841 | 22.65% |
| 1996 | 5,350 | 46.38% | 4,798 | 41.60% | 1,387 | 12.02% |
| 2000 | 7,632 | 55.32% | 5,797 | 42.02% | 367 | 2.66% |
| 2004 | 9,468 | 57.84% | 6,788 | 41.47% | 114 | 0.70% |
| 2008 | 9,881 | 54.50% | 7,953 | 43.87% | 295 | 1.63% |
| 2012 | 10,888 | 62.24% | 6,215 | 35.53% | 391 | 2.24% |
| 2016 | 12,629 | 65.25% | 5,535 | 28.60% | 1,190 | 6.15% |
| 2020 | 14,142 | 66.69% | 6,569 | 30.98% | 495 | 2.33% |
| 2024 | 14,055 | 66.88% | 6,473 | 30.80% | 486 | 2.31% |
Places adjacent to Monroe County, Illinois | |
|---|---|
Municipalities and communities ofMonroe County, Illinois,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| 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 | ||
| Counties |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-sized cities (25,000+) | ||
| Small cities (10,000-25,000) | ||
| Small cities (5,000-10,000) | ||
| Transit systems | ||
| Amtrak stations | ||
| Interstates | ||
| Airports/military bases |
| |
| Universities | ||
| Colleges | ||
| Sports teams based in Southern Illinois | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
