Edgar County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 16,866. Its county seat is Paris.

History Edgar County was formed out of Clark County in 1823. It was named for John Edgar, an Irish-born officer in the Royal Navy who resigned rather than fight against the Americans in the Revolutionary War. Edgar moved to Kaskaskia, Illinois, in 1784, becoming a miller and merchant in that town.

Bloomfield started as a watering point for livestock, but during the 1840s, it became a thriving town along the highway between Vincennes, Indiana, and Chicago. In 1872, the Chicago, Danville and Vincennes Railroad bypassed the town by a mile to the west. As a result, the town's businesses moved to Edgar, beginning Bloomfield's decline.

Geography According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.1%) is water.

There is one recreational area in the county, on the north edge of Paris. Twin Lakes Park and Reservoir began in 1895 upon completion of the dam compounding the Twin Lakes Reservoir.Parks - City of Paris IL (accessed 30 December 2018)

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Paris have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1930 and a record high of was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in January to in July.

Adjacent counties

Vermilion County – north Vermillion County, Indiana – northeast Vigo County, Indiana – southeast Clark County – south Coles County – southwest Douglas County – west Champaign County – northwest

Transportation Major highways

US Route 36 US Route 150 Illinois Route 1 Illinois Route 16 Illinois Route 49 Illinois Route 133

Rail Three railroad lines run through the county. Two are operated by CSX Transportation and the third by the Eastern Illinois Railroad Company.

Transit Rides Mass Transit District

Airport The county contains one public-use airport: Edgar County Airport (PRG), six miles (10 km) north of Paris.Public and Private Airports, Edgar County IL

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 16,866 and a median age of 45.5 years. 20.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.3 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 95.3% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.6% from some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.3% of the population.

49.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 50.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 7,246 households in the county, of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.6% were married-couple households, 19.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 8,236 housing units, of which 12.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.2% were owner-occupied and 27.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 11.1%.

Racial and ethnic composition +Edgar County, Illinois – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)21,50619,42719,05218,14216,00598.99%99.14%96.69%97.66%94.90%Black or African American alone (NH)546836263820.25%0.35%1.84%0.34%0.49%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)16242623170.07%0.12%0.13%0.12%0.10%Asian alone (NH)37243433510.17%0.12%0.17%0.18%0.30%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census230xx0.01%0.02%0.00%Other race alone (NH)7032330.03%0.00%0.02%0.01%0.20%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census71123453xx0.36%0.66%2.69%Hispanic or Latino (any race)105521541872250.48%0.27%0.78%1.01%1.33%Total21,72519,59519,70418,57616,866 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census As of the 2010 United States census, there were 18,576 people, 7,839 households, and 5,148 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 8,803 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 98.3% white, 0.3% black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.3% from other races, and 0.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.6% were German, 15.3% were Irish, 13.0% were English, and 12.3% were American.

Of the 7,839 households, 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.3% were non-families, and 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.84. The median age was 43.2 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,904 and the median income for a family was $51,588. Males had a median income of $38,945 versus $29,951 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,175. About 9.7% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities Chrisman Paris (seat)

Villages

Brocton Hume Kansas Metcalf Redmon Vermilion

Unincorporated communities

Borton Edgar Isabel Logan Nevins Oliver Raven Scottland Woodyard

Former communities

Bell RidgeBell Ridge, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) BloomfieldBloomfield, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) Catfish Cherry PointCherry Point, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) Clays PrairieClays Prairie, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) ConlogueConlogue, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) DudleyDudley, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) FerrelFerrel, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) GarlandGarland, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) Grandview HarrisHarris, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) HildrethHildreth, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) HoraceHorace, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) HuffmanvilleHuffmanville, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) HughesHughes, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) Illiana KentuckyKentucky, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) KidleyKidley, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) LoganLogan, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) MabelMabel, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) MarleyMarley, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) MaysMays, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) McCownMcCown, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) MelwoodMelwood, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) MortimerMortimer, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) New Athens PalermoPalermo, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) Quaker ScottsScotts, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018 WarringtonWarrington, Edgar County IL Google Maps (accessed 30 December 2018) West Sandford Wetzel

Townships

Brouilletts Creek Buck Edgar Elbridge Embarrass Grandview Hunter Kansas Paris Prairie Ross Shiloh Stratton Symmes Young America

Notable people

Basil Bennett, Bronze Medalist in the Hammer Throw at the 1920 Olympics Carlos C. Ogden, Medal of Honor Recipient in World War II. Offa Neal, professional baseball player with the New York Giants Edward Adelbert Doisy, biochemist and Nobel Prize winner Frank Fletcher (baseball), professional baseball player with the Philadelphia Phillies Anastasie Brown, Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and President of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College

Politics A swing county in the first eight decades after the Civil War, Edgar County has since become powerfully Republican. It has been carried by only two Democrats since 1940 – Lyndon Johnson in 1964 by just 139 votes, and Bill Clinton in 1992 by a 41.1 percent plurality. Hillary Clinton’s 22.7 percent vote share in 2016 was by 9.3 percent the worst ever by a Democrat in the county.

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in Edgar County, Illinois

References US Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles US Board on Geographic Names (GNIS) US National Atlas

External links Edgar County Fact Sheet, Illinois State Archives Edgar County, Illinois History and Genealogy