McLean County is a county in the
U.S. stateA 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
IllinoisIllinois 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,...
. McLean County is included in the
BloomingtonBloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
–
NormalNormal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
,
IllinoisIllinois 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,...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 169,572, which is an increase of 12.7% from 150,433 in 2000. Its
county seatA 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
BloomingtonBloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
.
Government
McLean County has a 20 member board representing 10 districts within the County. District 1, District 2, and District 3 encompass all of the County save for the Bloomington/Normal metropolitan area.
Districts 4, 5, and 6 are within Normal limits while 7, 8, 9, and 10 are within Bloomington City Limits.
Pronunciation
McLean is pronounced "mih-KLAIN" or "muh-KLAIN" (as with native son
McLean StevensonEdgar McLean Stevenson, Jr. , better known as McLean Stevenson, was an American actor most recognized for his role as Lt. Colonel Henry Blake on the TV series M*A*S*H...
), not "mih-KLEEN" as some non-natives say.
History
McLean County was formed late in 1830 out of
Tazewell CountyTazewell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 135,394, which is an increase of 5.4% from 128,485 in 2000. Its county seat and largest city is Pekin. The majority of the population live in the suburbs and bedroom communities...
. It was named for
John McLeanJohn McLean was a United States Representative and a Senator from Illinois.Born near Guilford Court House , Guilford County, North Carolina, February 4, 1791, McLean moved with his parents to Logan County, Kentucky in 1795. He moved to Illinois Territory in 1815...
, United States Senator for Illinois, who died in 1830.
Demographics
As of the
censusA 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 150,433 people, 56,746 households, and 35,466 families residing in the county. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 127 people per square mile (49/km²). There were 59,972 housing units at an average density of 51 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.19%
WhiteRace 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...
, 6.19%
BlackRace 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 AmericanRace 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...
, 0.16%
Native AmericanRace 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...
, 2.05%
AsianRace 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...
, 0.03%
Pacific IslanderRace 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...
, 1.01% from
other racesRace 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 1.36% from two or more races. 2.55% of the population were
HispanicRace 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
LatinoRace 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. 30.6% were of
GermanThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
, 11.5%
IrishThe 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...
, 9.1%
EnglishThe 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 9.0%
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.5% spoke
EnglishEnglish 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 2.5%
SpanishSpanish , 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 56,746 households out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.90% were
married couplesMarriage 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, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.50% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the county the population was spread out with 23.50% under the age of 18, 18.60% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 19.00% from 45 to 64, and 9.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 93.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,021, and the median income for a family was $61,073. Males had a median income of $41,290 versus $28,435 for females. The
per capita incomePer 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 $22,227. About 4.10% of families and 9.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.00% of those under age 18 and 5.00% of those age 65 or over.
Geography
According to the 2010 census, the county has a total area of 1186.27 square miles (3,072.4 km²), of which 1183.38 square miles (3,064.9 km²) (or 99.76%) is land and 2.89 square miles (7.5 km²) (or 0.24%) is water.
Townships
McLean County is divided into these
townshipsA township in the United States is a small geographic area. Townships range in size from 6 to 54 square miles , with being the norm.The term is used in three ways....
:
- Allin
Allin Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,047 at the 2000 census. Allin Township was originally named Mosquito Grove Township, but changed its name on March 4, 1867.- External links :***...
- Anchor
Anchor Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 376 at the 2000 census. Anchor Township formed from Cropsey Township in 1877.- External links :***...
- Arrowsmith
Arrowsmith Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 569 at the 2000 census. Arrowsmith Township is named for Ezekiel Arrowsmith , the first supervisor of the township...
- Bellflower
Bellflower Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 682 at the 2000 census. Bellflower Township changed its name from Prairie Township on May 17, 1858.- External links :***...
- Bloomington
Bloomington Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 3,176 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
- Blue Mound
Blue Mound Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 473 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
- Cheney's Grove
Cheney's Grove Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,069 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
- Chenoa
Chenoa Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 2,305 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
- Cropsey
Cropsey Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 256 at the 2000 census. It was named after Col. A.J. Cropsey, the owner of a large farm in the area. In 1860 there were 25 families living in the township, by the 2000 census the total population was reported at 256.-...
- Dale
Dale Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,276 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
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Danvers Danvers Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,953 at the 2000 census.-External links:* * * *...
DawsonDawson Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 668 at the 2000 census. Dawson Township was originally named Lee Township, but changed to Padua Township on May 17, 1858, and then to Dawson on an unknown date....
DownsDowns Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,079 at the 2000 census. Downs Township was originally named Savanna Township, but it was changed on May 17, 1858.- External links :***...
Dry GroveDry Grove Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,649 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
EmpireEmpire Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 3,845 at the 2000 census. Empire Township changed its name from Le Roy Township on May 17, 1858.- External links :***...
Funk's GroveFunk's Grove Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 293 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
GridleyGridley Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,914 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
HudsonHudson Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 2,318 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
LawndaleLawndale Township is located in McLean County, Illinois east of Lexington, northwest of Colfax, and southeast of Chenoa. The population was 227 at the 2000 census. Lawndale cemetery is located on 2550 North Road. At least part of the township is within the area of the proposed "Lexington Chenoa...
LexingtonLexington Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 2,331 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
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Martin Martin Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,229 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
Money CreekMoney Creek Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,084 at the 2000 census.The American frontiersman and preserver of the buffalo, Charles "Buffalo" Jones, was reared at Money Creek during the 1850s.- External links :***...
Mount HopeMount Hope Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,172 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
NormalNormal Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 45,637 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
Old TownOld Town Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 2,692 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
RandolphRandolph Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 3,856 at the 2000 census.Randolph Township was named for Gardner Randolph, who settled in the area around 1832, near a thick grove of trees later referred to as Randolph's Grove....
TowandaTowanda Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 1,024 at the 2000 census. It contains the town of Towanda, Illinois.- External links :***...
WestWest Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 278 at the 2000 census. West Township changed its name from Kickapoo Township on May 17, 1858.-External links:***...
White OakWhite Oak Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 807 at the 2000 census.- External links :***...
YatesYates Township is located in McLean County, Illinois. The population was 340 at the 2000 census. Yates Township formed as Union Township from Chenoa Township on June 5, 1862. Union was changed to Yates sometime prior to 1920.- External links :***...
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Cities and towns
- Anchor
Anchor is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 146 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Anchor is located at ....
- Arrowsmith
Arrowsmith is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 294 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Arrowsmith is located at ....
- Bellflower
Bellflower is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 357 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Bellflower is located at ....
- Bloomington
Bloomington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States and the county seat. It is adjacent to Normal, Illinois, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
- Carlock
Carlock is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 552 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Carlock is located at ....
- Chenoa
Chenoa is a city in McLean County, Illinois, USA. The population was 1,785 at the 2010 census. Located at the intersections of Interstate 55, Historic Route 66, and U.S. Route 24.Founded in 1854 by Mathew T. Scott, Chenoa was created to provide a retail and trade center for his farm tenants as well...
- Colfax
Colfax is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,061 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area....
- Cooksville
Cooksville is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 182 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Cooksville is located at ....
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Danvers Danvers is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,154 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Danvers is located at ....
DownsDowns is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,005 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Downs is located at ....
EllsworthEllsworth is a village in Dawson Township, McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 195 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
GridleyGridley is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,432 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area....
HeyworthHeyworth is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1856. As of 2010, Heyworth has a population of 2,841. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
HudsonHudson is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,838 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Hudson is located at ....
Le RoyLe Roy is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,560 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Le Roy is located at ....
LexingtonLexington is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,060 at the 2010 census. There are two theories of its name. One says it was named for the Battle of Lexington, where General Gridley's father fought...
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Merna Merna is an unincorporated community in McLean County, Illinois, United States. Merna is east-northeast of downtown Bloomington. Merna has a post office with ZIP code 61758....
McLeanMcLean is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 830 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:McLean is located at ....
NormalNormal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
SaybrookSaybrook is a village in southeast McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 693 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area....
ShirleyShirley is a small unincorporated municipality located in southwestern McLean County. It sits right off Interstate 55. It was founded in 1854 and currently has a population of 378. Shirley is home to the Funk Prairie Home & Rock Museum.-History:...
StanfordStanford is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 596 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Stanford is located at ....
TowandaTowanda is a village in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 480 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Bloomington–Normal Metropolitan Statistical Area....
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Ghost towns
- Benjaminville
The village of Benjaminville, Illinois, was founded in McLean County, Illinois, United States during the 1850s by Quaker farmers, who, like many others who came to Illinois, were looking to take advantage of the rich prairie soil. The town's settlement centered around the Society of Friends and the...
- Kumler
Kumler is a ghost town in West Township, McLean County, Illinois, USA.-External links:*...
- Allin, named for early pioneer James Allin, father of Dr. Lee Allin.
Adjacent counties
- Woodford County, 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,...
to the northwest
- Livingston County
Livingston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 38,950, which is a decrease of 1.8% from 39,678 in 2000. Its county seat is Pontiac....
, IllinoisIllinois 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,...
to the northeast
- Ford County, 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,...
to the east
- Champaign County
Champaign County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 201,081, which is an increase of 11.9% from 179,669 in 2000.. It is the 10th most populous county in Illinois...
, IllinoisIllinois 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,...
to the southeast
- Piatt County
Piatt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 16,729, which is an increase of 2.2% from 16,365 in 2000...
, IllinoisIllinois 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,...
to the south
- DeWitt County, 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,...
to the south
- Logan County
Logan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 30,305, which is a decrease of 2.8% from 31,183 in 2000...
, IllinoisIllinois 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,...
to the southwest
- Tazewell County
Tazewell County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 135,394, which is an increase of 5.4% from 128,485 in 2000. Its county seat and largest city is Pekin. The majority of the population live in the suburbs and bedroom communities...
, IllinoisIllinois 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,...
to the west
Major highways
Interstate 39Interstate 39 is a highway in the midwestern United States. I-39 runs from Normal, Illinois at Interstate 55 to Highway 29 in Rothschild, Wisconsin, approximately six miles south of Wausau. I-39 was designed to replace US Highway 51, which in the early 1980s was one of the busiest two-lane...
Interstate 55Interstate 55 is an Interstate Highway in the central United States. Its odd number indicates that it is a north–south Interstate Highway. I-55 goes from LaPlace, Louisiana at Interstate 10 to Chicago at U.S. Route 41 , at McCormick Place. A common nickname for the highway is "double...
Interstate 74Interstate 74 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an intersection with Interstate 80 in Davenport, Iowa; the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an intersection with Interstate 75 in Cincinnati, Ohio...
U.S. Highway 24
U.S. Highway 51
U.S. Highway 66
U.S. Highway 136
U.S. Highway 150
Illinois Route 9Illinois Route 9 is a cross-state, east–west rural state highway in central Illinois. It runs from the Fort Madison Toll Bridge over the Mississippi River to Iowa in Niota east to State Road 26 at the Indiana border. This is a distance of ....
Illinois Route 54Illinois Route 54 is an east–west highway in east-central Illinois. It passes through the cities of Clinton , Gibson City, and Onarga. Its western terminus is at Interstate 55 in Springfield. Its eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 45 at Onarga, one mile east of Interstate 57...
Illinois Route 122Illinois Route 122 is an east–west highway in the U.S. state of Illinois. Its western terminus is at a junction with Illinois Route 29 west of Delavan. It runs east to a junction with Illinois Route 9 in McLean County west of Bloomington. Illinois 122 is long.-Route Description:Illinois...
Illinois Route 165Illinois Route 165 is a east–west state route in east-central Illinois. It runs from Illinois Route 9 east of Bloomington to Illinois Route 47 in Sibley. The route was established in 1924 along its current alignment...
Illinois Route 251Illinois Route 251 is a north–south state road that runs on the former alignment of U.S. Route 51 before Interstate 39 was built in central Illinois. It runs from U.S. 51 at the border with Wisconsin to I-39 and U.S. 51 south of Kappa. Illinois 251 is long.- Route description :Illinois 251...
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Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Bloomington have ranged from a low of 14 °F (-10 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of -23 °F was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 103 °F (39.4 °C) was recorded in June 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.71 inches (4.3 cm) in February to 4.52 inches (11.5 cm) in May.
External links