List of counties in Illinois

There are 102 counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. The largest of these by population is Cook County, home to Chicago and the second-most populous county in the United States, while the smallest is Hardin County. The largest by area is McLean County while the smallest is Putnam County. Illinois's FIPS state code is 17 and its postal abbreviation is IL.

See also: List of United States counties and county equivalents

Counties of Illinois
LocationState of Illinois
Number102
Populations4,836 (Hardin) – 5,194,675 (Cook)
Areas160 square miles (410 km2) (Putnam) – 1,184 square miles (3,070 km2) (McLean)
GovernmentCounty government
Subdivisions261 Precincts
1,433 Townships

What is now Illinois was claimed as part of Illinois County, Virginia, between 1778 and 1782. Modern-day county formation dates to 1790 when the area was part of the Northwest Territory; two counties—St. Clair and Knox—were created at that time. Knox would later become a county in Indiana and is unrelated to the current Knox County in Illinois, while St. Clair would become the oldest county in Illinois. 15 counties had been created by the time Illinois achieved statehood in 1818. The last county, Ford County, was created in 1859. Cook County, established in 1831 and named for the early Illinois Attorney General Daniel Pope Cook, contained the absolute majority of the state's population in the first half of the 20th century and retains more than 40% of it as of the 2010 Census.

Most counties in Illinois were named after early American leaders, especially of the American Revolutionary War, as well as soldiers from the Battle of Tippecanoe and the War of 1812. Some are named after natural features or counties in other states. Some are named for early Illinois leaders. Two counties are named for Native American tribes, and one bears the name of a plant used as a food source by Native Americans. While it does have a Lincoln city, Illinois does not have a county named after its favorite son, Abraham Lincoln; it does, however, have a Douglas County (founded 1859) named after his political rival Stephen A. Douglas. It also has Calhoun County (founded 1825), named after John C. Calhoun, outspoken for his pro-slavery and pro-southern views in the years preceding the American Civil War. Several of the counties are named after Southerners, reflecting the fact that Illinois was for a short time part of Virginia, and settled in its early years by many Southerners. No counties are named after heroes of the Civil War, mainly because the counties were all named before that war. The state does have a Lee County (founded 1839) named after the family of Robert E. Lee, who at one time served in Illinois. Illinois also has two counties named after the same person, New York governor DeWitt Clinton (DeWitt County, and Clinton County).

Information on the FIPS county code, county seat, year of establishment, origin, etymology, population, area and map of each county is included in the table below.

Counties

Note: the links in the FIPS County Code column are to the Census Bureau info page for that county.

County
 FIPS code[1] County seat[2] Est.[2] Origin Etymology[3][4] Population[2] Area[2] Map
Adams County 001 Quincy1825Pike CountyJohn Quincy Adams (1767–1848), sixth President of the United States 67,103 857 sq mi
(2,220 km2)
Alexander County 003 Cairo1819Union CountyWilliam M. Alexander, settler and state representative in the Illinois General Assembly 8,238 236 sq mi
(611 km2)
Bond County 005 Greenville1817Crawford County, Edwards County, and Madison CountyShadrach Bond (1773–1832), first Governor of Illinois 17,768 380 sq mi
(984 km2)
Boone County 007 Belvidere1837Winnebago CountyDaniel Boone (1734–1820), trailblazer of the Wilderness Road in Kentucky 54,165 281 sq mi
(728 km2)
Brown County 009 Mount Sterling1839Schuyler CountyJacob Brown (1775–1828), successful War of 1812 army officer responsible for Great Lakes defenses 6,937 306 sq mi
(793 km2)
Bureau County 011 Princeton1837Putnam CountyPierre de Bureo, Frenchman, North American fur trader 34,978 869 sq mi
(2,251 km2)
Calhoun County 013 Hardin1825Pike CountyJohn C. Calhoun (1782–1850), South Carolina senator and seventh Vice President of the United States 5,089 254 sq mi
(658 km2)
Carroll County 015 Mount Carroll1839Jo DaviessCharles Carroll of Carrollton (1737–1832), signed the Declaration of Independence on behalf of Maryland 15,387 444 sq mi
(1,150 km2)
Cass County 017 Virginia1837Morgan CountyLewis Cass (1782–1866), second governor of Michigan Territory, fourteenth United States Secretary of War 13,642 376 sq mi
(974 km2)
Champaign County 019 Urbana1833Vermilion CountyChampaign County, Ohio, which took its name from the French for "open level country" 201,081 997 sq mi
(2,582 km2)
Christian County 021 Taylorville1839Sangamon CountyChristian County, Kentucky, which was itself named after Colonel William Christian 34,800 709 sq mi
(1,836 km2)
Clark County 023 Marshall1819Crawford CountyGeorge Rogers Clark (1752–1818), highest-ranking officer in the Northwest Territory during the American Revolution 16,335 502 sq mi
(1,300 km2)
Clay County 025 Louisville1824Wayne, Lawrence, Fayette, and Crawford CountyHenry Clay (1777–1852), Kentucky legislator who negotiated the Missouri Compromise 13,815 469 sq mi
(1,215 km2)
Clinton County 027 Carlyle1824Washington, Bond, and Fayette CountyDeWitt Clinton (1769–1828), Governor of New York, responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal 37,762 474 sq mi
(1,228 km2)
Coles County 029 Charleston1830Clark and Edgar CountyEdward Coles (1786–1868), second Governor of Illinois, responsible for the abolition of slavery in Illinois 53,873 508 sq mi
(1,316 km2)
Cook County 031 Chicago1831Putnam CountyDaniel Pope Cook (1794–1827), politician and first Attorney General of Illinois 5,194,675 946 sq mi
(2,450 km2)
Crawford County 033 Robinson1816Edwards CountyWilliam H. Crawford (1772–1834), ninth United States Secretary of War, seventh Secretary of the Treasury 19,817 444 sq mi
(1,150 km2)
Cumberland County 035 Toledo1843Coles CountyDisputed: Cumberland Road, which entered the county; Cumberland, Maryland; or Cumberland River in Kentucky 11,048 346 sq mi
(896 km2)
DeKalb County 037 Sycamore1837Kane CountyJohann de Kalb (1721–1780), German soldier in the Continental Army who fought alongside Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette 105,160 634 sq mi
(1,642 km2)
DeWitt County 039 Clinton1839Macon and McLean CountyDeWitt Clinton (1769–1828), Governor of New York, responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal 16,561 398 sq mi
(1,031 km2)
Douglas County 041 Tuscola1859Coles CountyStephen A. Douglas (1813–61), prominent Illinois Democrat who engaged in debates with Abraham Lincoln 19,980 417 sq mi
(1,080 km2)
DuPage County 043 Wheaton1839Cook CountyDuPage River 916,924 334 sq mi
(865 km2)
Edgar County 045 Paris1823Clark CountyJohn Edgar (c. 1750–1832), Illinois delegate to the Northwest Territory legislature; at the time, wealthiest man in Illinois 18,576 624 sq mi
(1,616 km2)
Edwards County 047 Albion1814Gallatin County and Madison CountyNinian Edwards (1775–1833), third Governor of the State of Illinois and only governor of the Illinois Territory 6,721 222 sq mi
(575 km2)
Effingham County 049 Effingham1831Fayette and Crawford CountyThomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Effingham, military officer who resigned from the British Army to avoid fighting the American colonies 34,242 479 sq mi
(1,241 km2)
Fayette County 051 Vandalia1821Bond, Wayne, Clark, Jefferson, and Crawford CountyGilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette (1757–1834), French military officer who was a key factor in the American and French Revolutions. 22,140 716 sq mi
(1,854 km2)
Ford County 053 Paxton1859Vermilion CountyThomas Ford (1800–50), eighth Governor of Illinois; served during the Illinois Mormon War 14,081 486 sq mi
(1,259 km2)
Franklin County 055 Benton1818White County and Gallatin CountyBenjamin Franklin (1706–90), prolific writer, inventor, and politician; key factor in the American Revolution 39,561 412 sq mi
(1,067 km2)
Fulton County 057 Lewistown1823Pike CountyRobert Fulton (1765–1815), inventor of the steamboat 37,069 866 sq mi
(2,243 km2)
Gallatin County 059 Shawneetown1812Randolph CountyAlbert Gallatin (1761–1849), fourth and longest-serving United States Secretary of the Treasury 5,589 324 sq mi
(839 km2)
Greene County 061 Carrollton1821Madison CountyNathanael Greene (1742–86), major general in the Continental Army 13,886 543 sq mi
(1,406 km2)
Grundy County 063 Morris1841LaSalle CountyFelix Grundy (1777–1840), Tennessean senator who served as the thirteenth United States Attorney General 50,063 420 sq mi
(1,088 km2)
Hamilton County 065 McLeansboro1821White CountyAlexander Hamilton (1755–1804), first United States Secretary of the Treasury 8,457 435 sq mi
(1,127 km2)
Hancock County 067 Carthage1825Adams CountyJohn Hancock (1737–93), first governor of the Massachusetts colony and president of the Second Continental Congress 19,104 795 sq mi
(2,059 km2)
Hardin County 069 Elizabethtown1839Pope CountyHardin County, Kentucky, which was itself named after John Hardin 4,320 178 sq mi
(461 km2)
Henderson County 071 Oquawka1841Warren CountyHenderson County, Kentucky, which was itself named after Richard Henderson 7,331 379 sq mi
(982 km2)
Henry County 073 Cambridge1825Fulton CountyPatrick Henry (1736-99), American Revolutionary War figure; first and sixth Governor of Virginia 50,486 823 sq mi
(2,132 km2)
Iroquois County 075 Watseka1833Vermilion CountyIroquois Native Americans 29,718 1,116 sq mi
(2,890 km2)
Jackson County 077 Murphysboro1816Randolph County and Johnson CountyAndrew Jackson (1767–1845), seventh President of the United States, United States Senator from Tennessee, and general in the War of 1812 60,218 588 sq mi
(1,523 km2)
Jasper County 079 Newton1831Clay and Crawford CountySgt. William Jasper (c. 1750-79), American Revolutionary War soldier popularized by Parson Weems 9,698 494 sq mi
(1,279 km2)
Jefferson County 081 Mount Vernon1819Edwards and White CountyThomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third President of the United States, second Vice President of the United States, Governor of Virginia, and one of the foremost Founding Fathers of the United States 38,827 571 sq mi
(1,479 km2)
Jersey County 083 Jerseyville1839Greene CountyState of New Jersey, from which many early settlers hailed 22,985 369 sq mi
(956 km2)
Jo Daviess County 085 Galena1827Henry, Mercer, and Putnam CountyJoseph Hamilton Daveiss (1774–1811), commander of the Indiana Dragoons at the Battle of Tippecanoe 22,678 601 sq mi
(1,557 km2)
Johnson County 087 Vienna1812Randolph CountyRichard Mentor Johnson (abt. 1780-1850), ninth Vice President of the United States and United States Senator from Kentucky 12,582 346 sq mi
(896 km2)
Kane County 089 Geneva1836LaSalle CountyElias Kane (1794–1835), United States Senator from Illinois 515,269 521 sq mi
(1,349 km2)
Kankakee County 091 Kankakee1853Iroquois and Will CountyKankakee River 113,449 678 sq mi
(1,756 km2)
Kendall County 093 Yorkville1841LaSalle and Kane CountyAmos Kendall (1789–1869), United States Postmaster General under Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren 114,736 321 sq mi
(831 km2)
Knox County 095 Galesburg1825Fulton CountyGen. Henry Knox (1750–1806), American Revolutionary War general and first United States Secretary of War 52,919 716 sq mi
(1,854 km2)
Lake County 097 Waukegan1839McHenry CountyLake Michigan 703,462 448 sq mi
(1,160 km2)
LaSalle County 099 Ottawa1831Putnam and Tazewell CountySieur de la Salle (1643-87), French explorer of the Great Lakes 113,924 1,135 sq mi
(2,940 km2)
Lawrence County 101 Lawrenceville1821Crawford and Edwards CountyCapt. James Lawrence (1781–1813), commander of the USS Chesapeake in the War of 1812. Famous for his command "Don't give up the ship!" 16,833 372 sq mi
(963 km2)
Lee County 103 Dixon1839Ogle County"Light Horse" Henry Lee III (1756–1818), American Revolutionary War officer and ninth Governor of Virginia 36,031 725 sq mi
(1,878 km2)
Livingston County 105 Pontiac1837LaSalle and McLean CountyEdward Livingston (1764–1836), prominent jurist, Congressman from New York and Louisiana, and U.S. Secretary of State from 1831-33 38,950 1,044 sq mi
(2,704 km2)
Logan County 107 Lincoln1839Sangamon CountyJohn Logan, country doctor and early settler, and the father of John A. Logan 30,305 618 sq mi
(1,601 km2)
Macon County 115 Decatur1829Shelby CountyNathaniel Macon (1758–1837), sixth Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senator from North Carolina 110,768 581 sq mi
(1,505 km2)
Macoupin County 117 Carlinville1829Greene CountyNative American word macoupin, meaning "American lotus" 47,765 864 sq mi
(2,238 km2)
Madison County 119 Edwardsville1812St. Clair County and Randolph CountyJames Madison (1751–1836), fourth President of the United States and principal author of the Constitution of the United States 269,282 725 sq mi
(1,878 km2)
Marion County 121 Salem1823Fayette and Jefferson CountyFrancis Marion (c. 1732-95), general in the American Revolutionary War known as "The Swamp Fox" 39,437 572 sq mi
(1,481 km2)
Marshall County 123 Lacon1839Putnam CountyJohn Marshall (1755–1835), fourth and longest-serving Chief Justice of the United States, wrote opinion in Marbury v. Madison establishing the principle of judicial review 12,640 386 sq mi
(1,000 km2)
Mason County 125 Havana1841Tazewell and Menard CountyNamed after Mason County, Kentucky, itself named after George Mason 14,666 539 sq mi
(1,396 km2)
Massac County 127 Metropolis1843Pope and Johnson CountyFort Massac, a colonial-era fort on the Ohio River 15,429 239 sq mi
(619 km2)
McDonough County 109 Macomb1826Schuyler CountyCommodore Thomas Macdonough (1783–1825), commander of American naval forces at the Battle of Plattsburgh 32,612 589 sq mi
(1,526 km2)
McHenry County 111 Woodstock1836Cook and LaSalle CountyMajor William McHenry (c. 1771 – 1835), officer during several campaigns against Native Americans and was a member of the Illinois legislature 308,760 604 sq mi
(1,564 km2)
McLean County 113 Bloomington1830Tazewell CountyJohn McLean (1791–1830), United States Representative and United States Senator from Illinois (the latter from 1824-25 and 1829-30) 169,572 1,184 sq mi
(3,067 km2)
Menard County 129 Petersburg1839Sangamon CountyPierre Menard (1766–1844), prominent early settler and first Lieutenant Governor of Illinois 12,705 314 sq mi
(813 km2)
Mercer County 131 Aledo1825Schuyler CountyHugh Mercer (1726-77), British officer in the Seven Years' War and general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War 16,434 561 sq mi
(1,453 km2)
Monroe County 133 Waterloo1816Randolph County and St. Clair CountyJames Monroe (1758–1831), seventh United States Secretary of State, eighth United States Secretary of War, Governor of Virginia, and fifth President of the United States 32,957 388 sq mi
(1,005 km2)
Montgomery County 135 Hillsboro1821Bond and Madison CountyGen. Richard Montgomery (1738-75), brigadier-general in the Continental Army who led the unsuccessful invasion of Canada 30,104 704 sq mi
(1,823 km2)
Morgan County 137 Jacksonville1823Sangamon CountyGen. Daniel Morgan (1736–1802), successful tactician in the American Revolutionary War and later United States Representative from Virginia 35,547 569 sq mi
(1,474 km2)
Moultrie County 139 Sullivan1843Shelby and Macon CountyGen. William Moultrie (1730–1805), American Revolutionary War general and Governor of South Carolina 14,846 336 sq mi
(870 km2)
Ogle County 141 Oregon1836Jo DaviessJoseph Ogle (1737–1821), early settler in southwest Illinois, who helped found the first Methodist church in Illinois 53,497 759 sq mi
(1,966 km2)
Peoria County 143 Peoria1825Fulton CountyThe Peoria Native American tribe 186,494 620 sq mi
(1,606 km2)
Perry County 145 Pinckneyville1827Randolph and Jackson CountyCommodore Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819), American naval officer who led the victorious American forces at the Battle of Lake Erie 22,350 441 sq mi
(1,142 km2)
Piatt County 147 Monticello1841DeWitt and Macon CountyJames A. Piatt, the patriarch of a prominent settler family in the early history of the county 16,729 440 sq mi
(1,140 km2)
Pike County 149 Pittsfield1821Madison, Bond, and Clark CountyZebulon Pike (1779–1813), early explorer of the American Southwest, namesake of Pikes Peak 16,430 830 sq mi
(2,150 km2)
Pope County 151 Golconda1816Gallatin and Johnson CountyNathaniel Pope (1784–1850), early Delegate from Illinois Territory to Congress and judge on the United States District Court for the District of Illinois 4,470 371 sq mi
(961 km2)
Pulaski County 153 Mound City1843Alexander and Johnson CountyGen. Casimir Pulaski (1745-79), Polish American general of cavalry in the American Revolutionary War 6,161 201 sq mi
(521 km2)
Putnam County 155 Hennepin1825Fulton CountyGen. Israel Putnam (1718-90), commander of American forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill 6,006 160 sq mi
(414 km2)
Randolph County 157 Chester1795St. Clair CountyEdmund Randolph (1753–1813), first Attorney General of the United States, and briefly United States Secretary of State 33,476 578 sq mi
(1,497 km2)
Richland County 159 Olney1841Clay and Lawrence CountyRichland County, Ohio, itself named for its rich soil 16,233 360 sq mi
(932 km2)
Rock Island County 161 Rock Island1831Jo Daviess CountyRock Island 147,546 427 sq mi
(1,106 km2)
Saline County 165 Harrisburg1847Gallatin CountySalt springs within the county 24,913 383 sq mi
(992 km2)
Sangamon County 167 Springfield1821Madison and Bond CountySangamon River 197,465 868 sq mi
(2,248 km2)
Schuyler County 169 Rushville1825Pike and Fulton CountyGen. Philip Schuyler (1733–1804), American Revolutionary War general and United States Senator from New York 7,544 437 sq mi
(1,132 km2)
Scott County 171 Winchester1839Morgan CountyScott County, Kentucky, itself named after Charles Scott 5,355 251 sq mi
(650 km2)
Shelby County 173 Shelbyville1827Fayette CountyIsaac Shelby (1750–1826), soldier in the American Revolutionary War and War of 1812; first and fifth Governor of Kentucky 22,363 759 sq mi
(1,966 km2)
St. Clair County 163 Belleville1790original two countiesArthur St. Clair (1737–1818), major general in the American Revolutionary War and first Governor of the Northwest Territory 270,056 664 sq mi
(1,720 km2)
Stark County 175 Toulon1839Knox and Putnam CountyGen. John Stark (1728–1822), general in the American Revolutionary War, called the "Hero of Bennington" 5,994 288 sq mi
(746 km2)
Stephenson County 177 Freeport1837Jo Daviess and Winnebago CountyBenjamin Stephenson (1769–1822), representative of Illinois Territory in the United States Congress from 1814 to 1816 47,711 564 sq mi
(1,461 km2)
Tazewell County 179 Pekin1827Sangamon CountyLittleton Waller Tazewell (1774–1860), United States Senator from (and later governor of) Virginia 135,394 649 sq mi
(1,681 km2)
Union County 181 Jonesboro1818Johnson CountyThe federal union of the states 17,808 416 sq mi
(1,077 km2)
Vermilion County 183 Danville1826Edgar CountyThe Vermilion River 81,625 899 sq mi
(2,328 km2)
Wabash County 185 Mount Carmel1824Edwards CountyThe Wabash River 11,947 224 sq mi
(580 km2)
Warren County 187 Monmouth1825Schuyler CountyJoseph Warren (1741-75), played a role in American Patriot movements, a prominent early fatality in the American Revolutionary War 17,707 543 sq mi
(1,406 km2)
Washington County 189 Nashville1818St. Clair CountyGeorge Washington (1732-99), commander-in-chief of American forces in the American Revolutionary War and first President of the United States 14,716 563 sq mi
(1,458 km2)
Wayne County 191 Fairfield1819Edwards CountyGen. "Mad" Anthony Wayne (1745-96), major general in the United States Army in the American Revolutionary War and the Northwest Indian War 16,760 714 sq mi
(1,849 km2)
White County 193 Carmi1815Gallatin CountyIsaac White (1776–1811), resident of Illinois who enlisted in the Indiana militia and was killed at the Battle of Tippecanoe 14,665 495 sq mi
(1,282 km2)
Whiteside County 195 Morrison1836Jo Daviess and Henry CountySamuel Whiteside (1783–1868), state legislator and militia leader 58,498 685 sq mi
(1,774 km2)
Will County 197 Joliet1836Cook and Iroquois CountyConrad Will (1779–1835),[5] physician, local businessman and longtime member of the state legislature 677,560 837 sq mi
(2,168 km2)
Williamson County 199 Marion1839Franklin CountyHugh Williamson (1735–1819), delegate from North Carolina to the Philadelphia Convention 66,357 424 sq mi
(1,098 km2)
Winnebago County 201 Rockford1836Jo DaviessWinnebago Native Americans 295,266 514 sq mi
(1,331 km2)
Woodford County 203 Eureka1841Tazewell and McLean CountyGen. William Woodford (1734-80), brigadier general in the American Revolutionary War who died while a British prisoner 38,664 528 sq mi
(1,368 km2)

Defunct counties
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See also

Notes
  1. "EPA County FIPS Code Listing". EPA.gov. Archived from the original on February 16, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2008.
  2. "Find a county". National Association of Counties. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  3. "Illinois County Biographies". Genealogy Trails.com. Genealogy Trails. 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
  4. "The Origin of Illinois County Names". Genealogy Trails.com. Genealogy Trails. 2000. Retrieved September 21, 2008.
  5. Matile, Roger (June 22, 2006). "Reflections: Was Dr. Conrad Will really worth his salt?". Ledger-Sentinel. Retrieved October 11, 2011.

References
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