Hamilton is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,753 at the 2020 census, a decline from 2,951 in 2010. The city is located directly across the Mississippi River from Keokuk, Iowa. Hamilton is the largest city in Hancock County.
History
Hamilton was laid out in 1852 by several men in the area, including Samuel Gordon and Bryant Bartlett. Hamilton was officially incorporated as a town in 1854, and then re-incorporated as a city in 1859. Artois Hamilton, for whom the town was named, was also active in the early history of the town.
Geography
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Hamilton has a total area of , of which (or 66.50%) is land and (or 33.50%) is water.
Hamilton is located across the Mississippi River from Keokuk, Iowa, near Lock and Dam No. 19. The lock has a maximum lift of 38.2 feet, the second highest on the Mississippi River. The dam and Keokuk Energy Center have long been associated with hydroelectric power generation on the river.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Hamilton had a population of 2,753. The median age was 43.0 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.5 males age 18 and over.
98.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 1.9% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,174 households in Hamilton, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.0% were married-couple households, 19.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.