Lee County | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofIllinois | |
 Illinois's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:41°45′N89°18′W / 41.75°N 89.3°W /41.75; -89.3 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Illinois |
| Founded | February 27, 1839 |
| Named after | Henry Lee III |
| Seat | Dixon |
| Largest city | Dixon |
| Area | |
• Total | 729 sq mi (1,890 km2) |
| • Land | 725 sq mi (1,880 km2) |
| • Water | 4.1 sq mi (11 km2) 0.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 34,145 |
• Estimate (2023) | 33,654 |
| • Density | 47/sq mi (18/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 16th |
| Website | www |
Lee County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofIllinois. According to the2020 census, it has a population of 34,145.[1] Itscounty seat isDixon.[2] The Dixon, ILMicropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Lee County.
The area's first non-native settlers were mostly from the sixNew England states.[3] The early nineteenth century saw a wave of westward movement from New England, due largely to completion of theErie Canal and the end of theBlack Hawk War.[4][5]
The area that included present-day Lee County was delineated asSt. Clair County in 1809. In 1823, a large section of northern St. Clair County was partitioned off asFulton County. In 1825, the northwestern portion of that county was partitioned off asPutnam County. In 1831, the area was further partitioned intoJo Daviess County. A section of that county was partitioned off in 1836 asOgle County, and in 1839 the bottom half of Ogle County was split off as Lee County. It is largely understood that the county's name honors"Lighthorse Harry" Lee, an officer in theAmerican Revolutionary War.[6] An alternative theory suggests the name honorsRichard Henry Lee, a member of theContinental Congress (theDeclaration of Independence was adopted pursuant to theLee Resolution).
PresidentRonald Reagan lived in Dixon as a boy and attendedDixon High School.[7]
According to theUS 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.[8]
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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 ranges from 1.43 inches (36 mm) in February to 4.88 inches (124 mm) in June.[9]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 2,035 | — | |
| 1850 | 5,292 | 160.0% | |
| 1860 | 17,651 | 233.5% | |
| 1870 | 27,171 | 53.9% | |
| 1880 | 27,491 | 1.2% | |
| 1890 | 26,187 | −4.7% | |
| 1900 | 29,894 | 14.2% | |
| 1910 | 27,750 | −7.2% | |
| 1920 | 28,004 | 0.9% | |
| 1930 | 32,329 | 15.4% | |
| 1940 | 34,604 | 7.0% | |
| 1950 | 36,451 | 5.3% | |
| 1960 | 38,749 | 6.3% | |
| 1970 | 37,947 | −2.1% | |
| 1980 | 36,328 | −4.3% | |
| 1990 | 34,392 | −5.3% | |
| 2000 | 36,062 | 4.9% | |
| 2010 | 36,031 | −0.1% | |
| 2020 | 34,145 | −5.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 33,654 | [10] | −1.4% |
| US Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010[15] | |||
As of the2010 United States Census, there were 36,031 people, 13,758 households, and 9,064 families residing in the county.[16] 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).[8] 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.[16] In terms of ancestry, 38.0% wereGerman, 18.8% wereIrish, 8.4% wereEnglish, and 8.2% wereAmerican.[17]
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.[16]
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 thepoverty line, including 11.8% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.[18]
Lee County is, together with neighboringOgle County, the most consistentlyRepublican county in Illinois. It is one of very few counties in the United States to have never supported a Democrat for President since the Civil War. The only occasion when the Republican candidate did not win the county in this time was in 1912, whenTheodore Roosevelt carried it while running as a member of theProgressive Party, unofficially known as the "Bull Moose" party.
As of 2018, Lee County is in the16th congressional district, the 45th legislative district, and the 74th and 90th representative districts.[19]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 9,680 | 59.86% | 6,105 | 37.75% | 387 | 2.39% |
| 2020 | 9,630 | 58.58% | 6,407 | 38.97% | 403 | 2.45% |
| 2016 | 8,612 | 55.60% | 5,528 | 35.69% | 1,349 | 8.71% |
| 2012 | 8,059 | 52.51% | 6,937 | 45.20% | 352 | 2.29% |
| 2008 | 8,258 | 50.49% | 7,765 | 47.47% | 334 | 2.04% |
| 2004 | 9,307 | 58.62% | 6,416 | 40.41% | 153 | 0.96% |
| 2000 | 8,069 | 55.19% | 6,111 | 41.80% | 440 | 3.01% |
| 1996 | 6,677 | 47.08% | 5,895 | 41.57% | 1,610 | 11.35% |
| 1992 | 6,652 | 43.15% | 5,530 | 35.87% | 3,235 | 20.98% |
| 1988 | 8,903 | 65.48% | 4,608 | 33.89% | 85 | 0.63% |
| 1984 | 11,178 | 73.76% | 3,919 | 25.86% | 58 | 0.38% |
| 1980 | 11,373 | 73.67% | 3,170 | 20.53% | 895 | 5.80% |
| 1976 | 8,674 | 57.54% | 6,076 | 40.30% | 326 | 2.16% |
| 1972 | 10,636 | 68.67% | 4,788 | 30.91% | 65 | 0.42% |
| 1968 | 9,598 | 62.92% | 4,727 | 30.99% | 930 | 6.10% |
| 1964 | 8,445 | 53.59% | 7,315 | 46.41% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 10,835 | 64.73% | 5,896 | 35.22% | 8 | 0.05% |
| 1956 | 11,653 | 71.98% | 4,531 | 27.99% | 5 | 0.03% |
| 1952 | 11,941 | 71.71% | 4,700 | 28.23% | 10 | 0.06% |
| 1948 | 9,001 | 66.97% | 4,368 | 32.50% | 72 | 0.54% |
| 1944 | 10,397 | 67.88% | 4,899 | 31.98% | 21 | 0.14% |
| 1940 | 11,228 | 64.96% | 6,005 | 34.74% | 52 | 0.30% |
| 1936 | 8,914 | 54.92% | 6,845 | 42.17% | 473 | 2.91% |
| 1932 | 7,802 | 51.46% | 7,182 | 47.37% | 177 | 1.17% |
| 1928 | 9,238 | 67.14% | 4,476 | 32.53% | 46 | 0.33% |
| 1924 | 8,363 | 69.36% | 2,367 | 19.63% | 1,327 | 11.01% |
| 1920 | 7,615 | 78.94% | 1,715 | 17.78% | 316 | 3.28% |
| 1916 | 7,985 | 63.95% | 4,087 | 32.73% | 414 | 3.32% |
| 1912 | 1,482 | 23.03% | 1,995 | 31.00% | 2,959 | 45.98% |
| 1908 | 4,255 | 63.50% | 2,144 | 32.00% | 302 | 4.51% |
| 1904 | 4,634 | 69.77% | 1,604 | 24.15% | 404 | 6.08% |
| 1900 | 4,820 | 63.55% | 2,528 | 33.33% | 237 | 3.12% |
| 1896 | 4,797 | 64.78% | 2,469 | 33.34% | 139 | 1.88% |
| 1892 | 3,513 | 54.24% | 2,740 | 42.30% | 224 | 3.46% |
K-12 school districts include:[21]
Secondary school districts include:[21]
Elementary school districts include:[21]
Places adjacent to Lee County, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofLee County, Illinois,United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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