Clay County, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Illinois
. In 1950, the U.S. Census Bureau
placed the mean center of U.S. population
in Clay County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 13,815, which is a decrease of 5.1% from 14,560 in 2000. Its county seat
is Louisville
.
counties. Its name is in honor of Henry Clay
, famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate
from Kentucky
and United States Secretary of State
in the 19th century. Clay was an unsuccessful candidate for President in the year the County was named.
:
As of the census
of 2000, there were 14,560 people, 5,839 households, and 4,005 families residing in the county. The population density
was 31 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 6,394 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.52% White
, 0.11% Black
or African American
, 0.23% Native American
, 0.52% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 0.21% from other races
, and 0.40% from two or more races. 0.60% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 38.5% were of American
, 23.0% German, 10.5% English
and 9.5% Irish
ancestry according to Census 2000. 98.8% spoke English
and 1.0% Spanish
as their first language.
There were 5,839 households out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couples
living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.90% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,599, and the median income for a family was $36,675. Males had a median income of $27,813 versus $20,616 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $15,771. About 9.00% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 12.30% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. In 1950, the U.S. Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
placed the mean center of U.S. population
Mean center of U.S. population
The mean center of U.S. population is determined by the United States Census Bureau from the results of each census. The Bureau defines it to be:...
in Clay County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 13,815, which is a decrease of 5.1% from 14,560 in 2000. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Louisville
Louisville, Illinois
Louisville is a village in Clay County, Illinois, along the Little Wabash River. The population was 1,242 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County.-Geography:Louisville is located at ....
.
History
Clay County was formed in 1824 out of portions of Wayne, Crawford, and FayetteFayette County, Illinois
Fayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 22,140, which is an increase of 1.6% from 21,802 in 2000. Its county seat is Vandalia...
counties. Its name is in honor of Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
, famous American statesman, member of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
in the 19th century. Clay was an unsuccessful candidate for President in the year the County was named.
Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 469.59 square miles (1,216.2 km²), of which 468.32 square miles (1,212.9 km²) (or 99.73%) is land and 1.28 square miles (3.3 km²) (or 0.27%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Jasper CountyJasper County, Illinoishjsdgcbi76dft...
- northeast - Richland County - east
- Wayne County - south
- Marion County - west
- Fayette CountyFayette County, IllinoisFayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 22,140, which is an increase of 1.6% from 21,802 in 2000. Its county seat is Vandalia...
- northwest - Effingham County - north
Major highways
-
Interstate 57Interstate 57Interstate 57 is an Interstate Highway in Missouri and Illinois that parallels the old Illinois Central rail line for much of its route. It goes from Miner, Missouri, at Interstate 55 to Chicago, Illinois, at Interstate 94. I-57 essentially serves as a shortcut route for travelers headed between... -
US Route 45 -
US Route 50
Villages
- Clay CityClay City, IllinoisClay City is a village in Clay County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,000 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Clay City is located at ....
- IolaIola, IllinoisIola is a village in Clay County, Illinois, United States. The population was 171 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Iola is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
- LouisvilleLouisville, IllinoisLouisville is a village in Clay County, Illinois, along the Little Wabash River. The population was 1,242 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clay County.-Geography:Louisville is located at ....
- Sailor SpringsSailor Springs, IllinoisSailor Springs is a village in Clay County, Illinois, United States. The population was 128 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sailor Springs is located at ....
- XeniaXenia, IllinoisXenia is a village in Clay County, Illinois, United States. The population was 407 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Xenia is located at ....
Townships
Clay County is divided into these twelve townshipsCivil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
:
|
Louisville Township, Clay County, Illinois Louisville Township is one of twelve townships in Clay County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 1,865.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Louisville Township covers an area of ; of this, or 0.13 percent is water.... Oskaloosa Township, Clay County, Illinois Oskaloosa Township is one of twelve townships in Clay County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 307.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Oskaloosa Township covers an area of ; of this, or 0.05 percent is water.... Pixley Township, Clay County, Illinois Pixley Township is one of twelve townships in Clay County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 765.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Pixley Township covers an area of ; of this, or 0.04 percent is water.... Songer Township, Clay County, Illinois Songer Township is one of twelve townships in Clay County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 369.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Songer Township covers an area of ; of this, or 0.24 percent is water.... Stanford Township, Clay County, Illinois Stanford Township is one of twelve townships in Clay County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 654.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Stanford Township covers an area of ; of this, or 0.07 percent is water.... Xenia Township, Clay County, Illinois Xenia Township is one of twelve townships in Clay County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 705.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, Xenia Township covers an area of ; of this, or 0.04 percent is water.... |
Education
North Clay High SchoolNorth Clay High School
North Clay High School, also called Louisville-North Clay or just Louisville, is a public high school serving students in grades 9-12 in northern Clay County, Illinois, USA...
- Clay City Community Unit District 10
- Dieterich Community Unit School District 30
- Effingham Community Unit School District 40
- Flora Community Unit School District 35
- Jasper County Community Unit School District 1
- North Clay Community Unit School District 25
- South Central Community Unit School District 401
- West Richland Community Unit School District 2
Political districts
- Illinois' 19th congressional districtIllinois' 19th congressional districtThe 19th Congressional District of Illinois encompasses a large stretch of rural Southern Illinois, part of Springfield and a portion of the "Metro-East" area . It has been represented by Republican John Shimkus since 2003.The district voted 61%–39% for George W. Bush in 2004...
- State House District 108
- State Senate District 54
Demographics
As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,560 people, 5,839 households, and 4,005 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 31 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 6,394 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.52% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.11% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.23% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.52% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.21% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.40% from two or more races. 0.60% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 38.5% were of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 23.0% German, 10.5% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
and 9.5% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 98.8% spoke English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and 1.0% Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
as their first language.
There were 5,839 households out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.40% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.90% under the age of 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 23.00% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,599, and the median income for a family was $36,675. Males had a median income of $27,813 versus $20,616 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $15,771. About 9.00% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 12.30% of those age 65 or over.
Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Louisville have ranged from a low of 21 °F (-6.1 °C) in January to a high of 89 °F (31.7 °C) in July, although a record low of -25 °F was recorded in January 1904 and a record high of 111 °F (43.9 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.49 inches (6.3 cm) in February to 4.34 inches (11 cm) in June.See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Clay County, Illinois