Ford County, Illinois

Ford County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 United States Census, it had a population of 14,081.[1] Its county seat is Paxton.[2]

Ford County
U.S. county
Ford County Courthouse in Paxton
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 40°35′N 88°13′W
Country United States
State Illinois
Founded1859
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
 (2010)
 • Total14,081
 • Estimate 
(2018)
13,264
 • Density29/sq mi (11/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts15th, 16th
Websitewww.fordcountycourthouse.com

Ford County is part of the Champaign–Urbana, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Ford County was formed February 17, 1859. It was the last of Illinois's 102 counties to be formed, and 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.[3]

  • The creation of Douglas and Ford Counties in 1859 resulted in Illinois's current county map.

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.[4]

Climate and weather
Paxton, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
1.7
 
 
30
14
 
 
1.4
 
 
35
19
 
 
3.2
 
 
48
29
 
 
3.4
 
 
61
39
 
 
4.4
 
 
72
50
 
 
3.5
 
 
82
59
 
 
3.8
 
 
85
62
 
 
3.3
 
 
83
60
 
 
3.2
 
 
77
53
 
 
3.3
 
 
65
41
 
 
3
 
 
49
31
 
 
3
 
 
35
20
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[5]

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.[5]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
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%
Est. 201813,264[6]−5.8%
US Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[1]
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.[11] 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).[4] 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.[11] In terms of ancestry, 35.7% were German, 15.5% were Irish, 13.6% were American, and 10.4% were English.[12]

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.[11]

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.[13]

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.

The Libertarian Party has performed well enough in recent elections to gain "established party" status, making it easier for Libertarian candidates to appear on the ballot. Ford is the only county in Illinois where this is the case.[14]

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.[15]

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2016 70.0% 4,480 22.1% 1,414 7.9% 502
2012 70.2% 4,229 27.5% 1,656 2.3% 139
2008 63.7% 4,079 34.8% 2,227 1.5% 94
2004 69.6% 4,511 29.5% 1,912 0.9% 56
2000 63.2% 3,889 34.0% 2,090 2.8% 174
1996 53.3% 3,077 35.8% 2,065 10.9% 628
1992 47.0% 3,046 33.6% 2,175 19.5% 1,260
1988 66.1% 4,059 33.0% 2,026 1.0% 60
1984 73.1% 4,871 26.5% 1,763 0.4% 29
1980 69.6% 5,024 25.0% 1,803 5.4% 387
1976 63.6% 4,801 35.6% 2,690 0.8% 62
1972 74.5% 5,656 25.5% 1,934 0.0% 1
1968 65.4% 5,233 27.7% 2,216 6.9% 555
1964 57.6% 4,650 42.4% 3,427
1960 68.2% 5,779 31.8% 2,698 0.0% 1
1956 73.7% 6,027 26.3% 2,152 0.0% 3
1952 74.5% 6,216 25.4% 2,121 0.1% 8
1948 69.9% 4,903 29.6% 2,079 0.5% 33
1944 69.9% 5,317 29.9% 2,270 0.2% 18
1940 65.1% 5,770 34.6% 3,062 0.3% 30
1936 53.8% 4,524 44.2% 3,715 2.0% 171
1932 43.9% 3,342 54.8% 4,175 1.3% 99
1928 68.7% 4,668 30.9% 2,098 0.4% 27
1924 70.5% 4,672 16.5% 1,093 13.0% 859
1920 82.4% 4,995 15.8% 958 1.8% 109
1916 66.3% 4,670 29.2% 2,054 4.5% 319
1912 22.4% 832 27.9% 1,035 49.6% 1,841
1908 65.6% 2,617 29.2% 1,164 5.2% 209
1904 71.2% 2,836 23.3% 926 5.5% 220
1900 64.9% 2,936 32.5% 1,469 2.7% 121
1896 64.3% 2,832 34.2% 1,507 1.5% 67
1892 58.4% 2,227 35.6% 1,359 6.0% 227
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See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 3, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 128.
  4. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  5. "Monthly Averages for Paxton IL". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  7. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
  11. "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.
  12. "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.
  13. "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.
  14. Archived news story from 1999
  15. Welcome to Paxton Archived 12 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine, accessed February 15, 2011.
  16. 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

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