Ford County
County
Ford County Courthouse in Paxton
Ford County Courthouse in Paxton
Map of Illinois highlighting Ford County
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Map of the United States highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°35′N 88°13′W / 40.59°N 88.22°W / 40.59; -88.22
Country United States
State Illinois
FoundedFebruary 17, 1859
Named forThomas Ford
SeatPaxton
Largest cityPaxton
Area
 • Total486 sq mi (1,260 km2)
 • Land486 sq mi (1,260 km2)
 • Water0.6 sq mi (2 km2)  0.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total13,534
 • Density28/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts2nd, 16th
Websitewww.fordcountycourthouse.com

Ford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States Census, it had a population of 13,534.[1] Its county seat is Paxton.[2] Ford County was part of the Champaign–Urbana, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area until 2018, when the Office of Management and Budget removed the county from the area.[3][4]

History

Ford County was formed February 17, 1859 making it Illinois's "newest" county. It was created at the behest of some residents of Vermilion County, who complained to the General Assembly that they lived too far from the county seat. Ford County was named after Thomas Ford, the Governor of Illinois from 1842 to 1846.[5]

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 486 square miles (1,260 km2), of which 486 square miles (1,260 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.1%) is water.[6]

Climate and weather

Paxton, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source:The Weather Channel[7]
Metric conversion
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42
 
 
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2
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28
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25
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18
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77
 
 
9
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2
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Paxton have ranged from a low of 14 °F (−10 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in January 1999 and a record high of 102 °F (39 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.40 inches (36 mm) in February to 4.38 inches (111 mm) in May.[7]

Adjacent counties

Transit

Major highways

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18601,979—
18709,103360.0%
188015,09965.9%
189017,03512.8%
190018,3597.8%
191017,096−6.9%
192016,466−3.7%
193015,489−5.9%
194015,007−3.1%
195015,9016.0%
196016,6064.4%
197016,382−1.3%
198015,265−6.8%
199014,275−6.5%
200014,241−0.2%
201014,081−1.1%
202013,534−3.9%
US Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010[12]
2000 census age pyramid for Ford County

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,081 people, 5,676 households, and 3,798 families living in the county.[13] The population density was 29.0 inhabitants per square mile (11.2/km2). There were 6,282 housing units at an average density of 12.9 per square mile (5.0/km2).[6] The racial makeup of the county was 97.1% white, 0.6% black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.1% of the population.[13] In terms of ancestry, 35.7% were German, 15.5% were Irish, 13.6% were American, and 10.4% were English.[14]

Of the 5,676 households, 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.1% were non-families, and 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 42.4 years.[13]

The median income for a household in the county was $48,667 and the median income for a family was $62,819. Males had a median income of $43,849 versus $30,136 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,401. About 5.4% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.[15]

Communities

Map of Ford County

Cities

Villages

Unincorporated communities

Extinct settlements

Townships

Politics

Ford County is one of the state's most consistently Republican counties; since its 1859 organization it has voted for Republican presidential candidates in all but two elections. In 1912, the GOP was mortally divided and Progressive Theodore Roosevelt carried the county over the more conservative official nominee William Howard Taft; in 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt in the first of his four campaigns became and has remained the only Democrat to carry Ford County. Since 1968 no Democratic presidential candidate has topped 36% of the county's vote, and since the county first formed only three Democrats – all in landslide national victories – have managed 40% of Ford County's votes.

After the Libertarian Party's success in the 1998 election for Ford County Sheriff and other countywide offices, it achieved established party status. At the time this made Ford County the only county in Illinois with three established parties. Due to its second place showing over the then-dormant Democratic Party in that election, the Libertarians received the minority party's seat on the Board of Review and one of the five seats on the Sheriff's Merit Commission.[16] This status was lost by 2002 after the Libertarian Party failed to field any candidates in the 2002 general election.[17]

President Gerald Ford visited Ford County on October 24, 1974, to mark the retirement of Congressman Leslie C. Arends of Melvin who served in Congress for 40 years, including over 30 years as Republican Minority Whip.[18]

United States presidential election results for Ford County, Illinois[19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 5,048 72.46% 1,754 25.18% 165 2.37%
2016 4,480 70.04% 1,414 22.11% 502 7.85%
2012 4,229 70.20% 1,656 27.49% 139 2.31%
2008 4,079 63.73% 2,227 34.80% 94 1.47%
2004 4,511 69.62% 1,912 29.51% 56 0.86%
2000 3,889 63.20% 2,090 33.97% 174 2.83%
1996 3,077 53.33% 2,065 35.79% 628 10.88%
1992 3,046 47.00% 2,175 33.56% 1,260 19.44%
1988 4,059 66.05% 2,026 32.97% 60 0.98%
1984 4,871 73.11% 1,763 26.46% 29 0.44%
1980 5,024 69.64% 1,803 24.99% 387 5.36%
1976 4,801 63.56% 2,690 35.61% 62 0.82%
1972 5,656 74.51% 1,934 25.48% 1 0.01%
1968 5,233 65.38% 2,216 27.69% 555 6.93%
1964 4,650 57.57% 3,427 42.43% 0 0.00%
1960 5,779 68.16% 2,698 31.82% 1 0.01%
1956 6,027 73.66% 2,152 26.30% 3 0.04%
1952 6,216 74.49% 2,121 25.42% 8 0.10%
1948 4,903 69.89% 2,079 29.64% 33 0.47%
1944 5,317 69.91% 2,270 29.85% 18 0.24%
1940 5,770 65.11% 3,062 34.55% 30 0.34%
1936 4,524 53.79% 3,715 44.17% 171 2.03%
1932 3,342 43.88% 4,175 54.82% 99 1.30%
1928 4,668 68.72% 2,098 30.88% 27 0.40%
1924 4,672 70.53% 1,093 16.50% 859 12.97%
1920 4,995 82.40% 958 15.80% 109 1.80%
1916 4,670 66.31% 2,054 29.16% 319 4.53%
1912 832 22.44% 1,035 27.91% 1,841 49.65%
1908 2,617 65.59% 1,164 29.17% 209 5.24%
1904 2,836 71.22% 926 23.25% 220 5.52%
1900 2,936 64.87% 1,469 32.46% 121 2.67%
1896 2,832 64.28% 1,507 34.20% 67 1.52%
1892 2,227 58.41% 1,359 35.64% 227 5.95%

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ford County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Office of Management and Budget (April 10, 2018). "OMB Bulletin No. 18-03: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 11, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  4. ↑ Office of Management and Budget (September 14, 2018). "OMB Bulletin No. 18-04: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on September 15, 2018. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
  5. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 128.
  6. 1 2 "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Monthly Averages for Paxton IL". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  8. ↑ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  12. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  16. ↑ Stahly, Jim (June 3, 1999). "Libertarians Make History in Ford County". The Pantagraph. p. A1 – via NewsBank.
  17. ↑ "Election 2002". The Pantagraph. November 7, 2002. p. A1 – via NewsBank.
  18. ↑ Welcome to Paxton Archived 12 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine, accessed February 15, 2011.
  19. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  • History of Ford County - Information from Centurama Celebrating The First 100 Years of Ford County, Illinois 1859-1959

40°35′N 88°13′W / 40.59°N 88.22°W / 40.59; -88.22

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