Brown County, Illinois

Brown County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,244.^[1] Its county seat is Mount Sterling.^[2] Siloam Springs State Park is located partly in this county.

Brown County
County
Brown County Courthouse in Mount Sterling
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°57′N 90°45′W
Country	United States
State	Illinois
Founded	1839
Named for	Jacob Brown
Seat	Mount Sterling
Largest city	Mount Sterling
Area
• Total	307 sq mi (800 km2)
• Land	306 sq mi (790 km2)
• Water	1.6 sq mi (4 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	6,244
• Estimate  (2023)	6,294
• Density	20/sq mi (7.9/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	15th
Website	https://www.browncoil.org

History

Brown County was formed out of Schuyler County in 1839. It is named in honor of U.S. General Jacob Brown, who defeated the British at the Battle of Sackett's Harbor in 1813.

• 
  Brown County at the time of its creation in 1839

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 307 square miles (800 km²), of which 306 square miles (790 km²) is land and 1.6 square miles (4.1 km²) (0.5%) is water.^[3] The Illinois River flows along part of the county's eastern border.

Adjacent counties

• Schuyler County - north
• Cass County - east
• Morgan County - southeast
• Pike County - south
• Adams County - west

Major highways

• US Route 24
• Illinois Route 99
• Illinois Route 107

Climate and weather

Mount Sterling, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     1.6     32 15     1.9     38 20     3.1     50 30     3.9     63 41     5.1     73 51     3.9     82 61     3.9     87 65     3.5     84 63     3.6     78 54     3.3     66 43     3.2     50 31     2.4     37 20 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches Source: The Weather Channel[4]
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     39     0 −9     48     3 −7     77     10 −1     99     17 5     131     23 11     100     28 16     98     31 18     90     29 17     92     26 12     83     19 6     80     10 −1     62     3 −7 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mount Sterling have ranged from a low of 15 °F (−9 °C) in January to a high of 87 °F (31 °C) in July, although a record low of −26 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of 113 °F (45 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.55 inches (39 mm) in January to 5.14 inches (131 mm) in May.^[4]

Demographics

2000 census age pyramid for Brown County

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	4,183		—
1850	7,198		72.1%
1860	9,938		38.1%
1870	12,205		22.8%
1880	13,041		6.8%
1890	11,951		−8.4%
1900	11,557		−3.3%
1910	10,397		−10.0%
1920	9,336		−10.2%
1930	7,892		−15.5%
1940	8,053		2.0%
1950	7,132		−11.4%
1960	6,210		−12.9%
1970	5,586		−10.0%
1980	5,411		−3.1%
1990	5,836		7.9%
2000	6,950		19.1%
2010	6,937		−0.2%
2020	6,244		−10.0%
2023 (est.)	6,294	[5]	0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8] 1990-2000[9] 2010[10]

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 6,937 people, 2,099 households, and 1,346 families living in the county.^[11] The population density was 22.7 inhabitants per square mile (8.8/km²). There were 2,462 housing units at an average density of 8.1 per square mile (3.1/km²).^[3] The racial makeup of the county was 76.1% white, 18.5% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 4.4% from other races, and 0.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 5.8% of the population.^[11] In terms of ancestry, 25.5% were German, 15.6% were American, 12.7% were Irish, and 6.1% were English.^[12]

Of the 2,099 households, 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.9% were non-families, and 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.88. The median age was 37.3 years.^[11]

The median income for a household in the county was $38,696 and the median income for a family was $50,341. Males had a median income of $34,648 versus $27,288 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,133. About 9.9% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.^[13]

The Western Illinois Correctional Center, a state prison located south east of Mount Sterling, has an average daily population of 2,066. The all-male population and racial makeup of the prison is so large compared to the rest of the county, that it skews the census demographic data. This is evidenced by the lopsided age pyramid.^[14]

Communities

Community	Community type	Population	Total Area	Water Area	Land Area	Pop. Density
Mound Station	village	117	0.52	0.00	0.52	225.43
Mount Sterling (seat)	city	2,006	1.11	0.00	1.11	1,810.47
Ripley	village	53	0.38	0.00	0.38	139.84
Versailles	village	446	0.94	0.01	0.93	470
Brown County	county	6,244	307	1.6	306	20

Townships

Brown County is divided into these nine townships:

• Buckhorn
• Cooperstown
• Elkhorn
• Lee
• Missouri
• Mount Sterling
• Pea Ridge
• Ripley
• Versailles

Unincorporated Communities

• Benville
• Buckhorn
• Cooperstown
• Damon
• Fargo
• Gilbirds
• Hersman
• Jaques
• La Grange
• Morrelville
• Siloam

Politics

Brown County is located in Illinois's 15th Congressional District and is currently represented by Republican Mary Miller. For the Illinois House of Representatives, the county is located in the 93rd district and is currently represented by Republican Norine Hammond. The county is located in the 47th district of the Illinois Senate, and is currently represented by Republican Jil Tracy.

Brown County is part of the German-settled area of western Central Illinois and the Missouri Rhineland centred on the St. Louis metropolitan area. This region was opposed both to southern plantation owners and to anti-slavery Yankees and consequently voted against the majority of people in their state. Brown County voted for the Democratic candidate in every presidential election from at least 1840 through 1948, with the sole exception of the 1928 election when the county voted for the Republican candidate Herbert Hoover. From 1952 to 2024, Democrats have carried Brown County only three times (1964, 1976, and 1992) and have won a majority of the vote only once (1964).

United States presidential election results for Brown County, Illinois^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,938	78.62%	467	18.95%	60	2.43%
2020	1,931	76.48%	486	19.25%	108	4.28%
2016	1,796	75.49%	476	20.01%	107	4.50%
2012	1,513	64.00%	787	33.29%	64	2.71%
2008	1,544	59.91%	986	38.26%	47	1.82%
2004	1,679	64.95%	895	34.62%	11	0.43%
2000	1,529	57.48%	1,077	40.49%	54	2.03%
1996	1,053	45.84%	997	43.40%	247	10.75%
1992	1,029	38.27%	1,146	42.62%	514	19.11%
1988	1,373	51.89%	1,267	47.88%	6	0.23%
1984	1,478	60.43%	959	39.21%	9	0.37%
1980	1,660	61.66%	950	35.29%	82	3.05%
1976	1,519	48.95%	1,533	49.40%	51	1.64%
1972	1,780	58.90%	1,203	39.81%	39	1.29%
1968	1,629	51.50%	1,265	39.99%	269	8.50%
1964	1,355	39.41%	2,083	60.59%	0	0.00%
1960	1,889	50.51%	1,849	49.44%	2	0.05%
1956	2,026	53.67%	1,748	46.30%	1	0.03%
1952	2,137	57.77%	1,557	42.09%	5	0.14%
1948	1,562	46.09%	1,805	53.26%	22	0.65%
1944	1,738	48.18%	1,849	51.26%	20	0.55%
1940	2,101	45.20%	2,478	53.31%	69	1.48%
1936	1,591	34.97%	2,873	63.16%	85	1.87%
1932	1,148	28.75%	2,822	70.67%	23	0.58%
1928	2,289	54.96%	1,867	44.83%	9	0.22%
1924	1,637	41.49%	2,149	54.46%	160	4.05%
1920	1,590	45.08%	1,866	52.91%	71	2.01%
1916	1,579	34.54%	2,856	62.47%	137	3.00%
1912	381	16.48%	1,358	58.74%	573	24.78%
1908	947	35.83%	1,609	60.88%	87	3.29%
1904	934	38.09%	1,341	54.69%	177	7.22%
1900	988	32.88%	1,968	65.49%	49	1.63%
1896	1,024	32.85%	2,063	66.19%	30	0.96%
1892	879	30.89%	1,567	55.06%	400	14.05%

Education

• Brown County Community Unit School District 1
• Meredosia-Chambersburg Community Unit School District 11
• Southeastern Community Unit School District 337

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Brown County, Illinois

References

Specific

1. "Brown County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
4. "Monthly Averages for Mount Sterling, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
5. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
10. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
11. "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
12. "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
13. "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
14. "Illinois Department of Corrections - Correctional Facilities". Archived from the original on September 23, 2006.
15. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved October 29, 2018.

General

• United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
• United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)
• United States National Atlas

External links

• Media related to Brown County, Illinois at Wikimedia Commons

39.95°N 90.75°W / 39.95; -90.75