Stephenson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 United States census, it had a population of 44,630. Its county seat is Freeport. Stephenson County is included in the Freeport, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Rockford-Freeport-Rochelle, IL Combined Statistical Area.
History
The land that became Stephenson County was first settled by William Waddams in 1832, who founded Waddams Grove. By 1837, population was sufficient to form Stephenson County, taking land from Jo Daviess and Winnebago counties. The county was named for Colonel Benjamin Stephenson, an official of the Illinois Territory.
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File:Waddams hill.jpg|Marker marking Waddams' first settlement in Stephenson County
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Geography
According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.09%) is water.
In recent years the average temperatures in the county seat of Freeport, have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 2009 and a record high of was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in January to in June.
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|footnote=US Decennial Census<br/>1790–1960 1900–1990<br/>1990–2000 2010–2013
The racial makeup of the county was 80.5% White, 10.0% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 6.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.1% of the population.
54.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 45.9% lived in rural areas.
There were 19,184 households in the county, of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 45.2% were married-couple households, 19.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
!Pop 1990
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020
!% 1980
!% 1990
!% 2000
!% 2010
!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020
|-
|White alone (NH)
|46,344
|44,320
|43,404
|40,612
|style='background: #ffffe6; |35,405
|93.56%
|92.23%
|88.62%
|85.12%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |79.33%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|2,699
|3,069
|3,732
|4,226
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,374
|5.45%
|6.39%
|7.62%
|8.86%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9.80%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|40
|52
|63
|68
|style='background: #ffffe6; |80
|0.08%
|0.11%
|0.13%
|0.14%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.18%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|138
|303
|332
|295
|style='background: #ffffe6; |306
|0.28%
|0.63%
|0.68%
|0.62%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.69%
|-
|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|x
|x
|14
|13
|style='background: #ffffe6; |11
|x
|x
|0.03%
|0.03%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|70
|25
|35
|44
|style='background: #ffffe6; |155
|0.14%
|0.05%
|0.07%
|0.09%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.35%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|x
|x
|652
|1,047
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,045
|x
|x
|1.33%
|2.19%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.58%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|245
|283
|747
|1,406
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,254
|0.49%
|0.59%
|1.53%
|2.95%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5.05%
|-
|Total
|49,536
|48,052
|48,979
|47,711
|style='background: #ffffe6; |44,630
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2010 census
Of the 19,845 households, 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.4% were non-families, and 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.90. The median age was 43.1 years.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 47,711 people, 19,845 households, and 13,015 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 22,081 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 86.5% white, 9.0% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.2% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.9% of the population.
Education
School districts include, no matter how much or little territory they have in the county, even if their schools are in other counties:
- Dakota Community Unit School District 201
- Durand Community Unit School District 322
- Eastland Community Unit School District 308
- Forrestville Valley Community Unit School District 221
- Freeport School District 145
- Lena-Winslow Community Unit School District 202
- Orangeville Community Unit School District 203
- Pearl City Community Unit School District 200
- Pecatonica Community Unit School District 321
- Warren Community Unit School District 205
- Winnebago Community Unit School District 323
There are five public high schools and one private high school in the county: (approximate enrollment included)
Public high schools
- Freeport High 1,254
- Lena-Winslow High 299
- Dakota High 254
- Pearl City High 150
- Orangeville High 142
Private high school
- Aquin Catholic High 93
Communities
thumb|right|A northerly look across Stephenson County's western edge from an overlook near Kent
City
- Freeport
Villages
- Cedarville
- Dakota
- Davis
- German Valley
- Lena
- Orangeville
- Pearl City
- Ridott
- Rock City
- Winslow
Census-designated places
- Baileyville (part)
- Lake Summerset
- Willow Lake
Unincorporated communities
- Afolkey
- Bolton
- Buckhorn Corners
- Buena Vista
- Damascus
- Eleroy
- Evarts
- Florence
- Kent
- Loran
- McConnell
- Oneco
- Red Oak
- Rock Grove
- Scioto Mills
- Waddams Grove
- Winneshiek
- Yellow Creek
Townships
- Buckeye
- Dakota
- Erin
- Florence
- Freeport
- Harlem
- Jefferson
- Kent
- Lancaster
- Loran
- Oneco
- Ridott
- Rock Grove
- Rock Run
- Silver Creek
- Waddams
- West Point
- Winslow
Historic Sites
- Kellogg's Grove
Politics
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See also
- List of counties in Illinois
- List of Illinois county name etymologies
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Stephenson County, Illinois
References
External links
- Stephenson County
- Stephenson County Historical Society & Museum
- Genealogy Trails for Stephenson County
- Illinois High School Association – School Enrollments