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Pulaski County, Illinois

Coordinates: 37°14′N 89°08′W / 37.23°N 89.13°W / 37.23; -89.13
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pulaski County
Pulaski County Courthouse in Mound City
Map of Illinois highlighting Pulaski County
Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
Map of the United States highlighting Illinois
Illinois's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°14′N 89°08′W / 37.23°N 89.13°W / 37.23; -89.13
Country United States
State Illinois
Founded1843
Named afterCasimir Pulaski
SeatMound City
Largest cityMounds
Area
 • Total
203 sq mi (530 km2)
 • Land199 sq mi (520 km2)
 • Water4.0 sq mi (10 km2)  2.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
5,193
 • Estimate 
(2024)
4,879 Decrease[1]
 • Density26.1/sq mi (10.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district12th
Websitewww.pulaskicountyil.net

Pulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 5,193.[2] Its county seat is Mound City.[3] Its largest city is Mounds. It is located along the Ohio River in the southwestern portion of the state, known locally as "Little Egypt".

History

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Pulaski County was formed on March 3, 1843, out of parts of Alexander and Johnson counties. It was named in honor of Casimir Pułaski who was killed at the siege of Savannah in the Revolutionary War.[4]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 203 square miles (530 km2), of which 199 square miles (520 km2) is land and 4.0 square miles (10 km2) (2.0%) is water.[5] It is the third-smallest county in Illinois by area.

Climate and weather

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Mound City, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
3.2
 
 
41
26
 
 
3.6
 
 
48
30
 
 
4.4
 
 
58
39
 
 
4.7
 
 
69
50
 
 
4.8
 
 
78
59
 
 
4.2
 
 
86
67
 
 
4.4
 
 
90
71
 
 
3.6
 
 
87
69
 
 
3
 
 
81
61
 
 
3.4
 
 
71
49
 
 
4.4
 
 
57
39
 
 
4.2
 
 
46
30
Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[6]
Metric conversion
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
82
 
 
5
−3
 
 
90
 
 
9
−1
 
 
112
 
 
14
4
 
 
120
 
 
21
10
 
 
121
 
 
26
15
 
 
105
 
 
30
19
 
 
111
 
 
32
22
 
 
92
 
 
31
21
 
 
77
 
 
27
16
 
 
87
 
 
22
9
 
 
112
 
 
14
4
 
 
106
 
 
8
−1
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Mound City have ranged from a low of 26 °F (−3 °C) in January to a high of 90 °F (32 °C) in July, although a record low of −12 °F (−24 °C) was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in June 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.04 inches (77 mm) in September to 4.76 inches (121 mm) in May.[6]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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National protected area

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18502,265
18603,94374.1%
18708,752122.0%
18809,5078.6%
189011,35519.4%
190014,55428.2%
191015,6507.5%
192014,629−6.5%
193014,8341.4%
194015,8757.0%
195013,639−14.1%
196010,490−23.1%
19708,741−16.7%
19808,8401.1%
19907,523−14.9%
20007,348−2.3%
20106,161−16.2%
20205,193−15.7%
2023 (est.)4,911[8]−5.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[13] 2020[2]

2020 census

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Pulaski County, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[14] Pop 1990[15] Pop 2000[16] Pop 2010[17] Pop 2020[18] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 5,865 5,020 4,841 3,937 3,245 66.35% 66.73% 65.88% 63.90% 62.49%
Black or African American alone (NH) 2,900 2,459 2,249 1,976 1,462 32.81% 32.69% 30.61% 32.07% 28.15%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 19 8 10 25 36 0.21% 0.11% 0.14% 0.41% 0.69%
Asian alone (NH) 11 6 68 13 13 0.12% 0.08% 0.93% 0.21% 0.25%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [19] x [20] 0 3 0 x x 0.00% 0.05% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 4 1 6 14 14 0.05% 0.01% 0.08% 0.23% 0.27%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [21] x [22] 67 96 219 x x 0.91% 1.56% 4.22%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 41 29 107 97 204 0.46% 0.39% 1.46% 1.57% 3.93%
Total 8,840 7,523 7,348 6,161 5,193 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 6,161 people, 2,642 households, and 1,658 families living in the county.[23] The population density was 30.9 inhabitants per square mile (11.9/km2). There were 3,155 housing units at an average density of 15.8 per square mile (6.1/km2).[5] The racial makeup of the county was 64.4% white, 32.4% black or African American, 0.4% American Indian, 0.2% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.6% of the population.[23] In terms of ancestry, 15.1% were German, 6.8% were Irish, 6.6% were English, and 6.6% were American.[24]

Of the 2,642 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 37.2% were non-families, and 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age was 43.2 years.[23]

The median income for a household in the county was $31,173 and the median income for a family was $39,699. Males had a median income of $36,915 versus $29,007 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,444. About 16.7% of families and 22.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.0% of those under age 18 and 18.0% of those age 65 or over.[25]

Communities

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Cities

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Villages

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Unincorporated communities

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Politics

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Pulaski County was often a swing county at the presidential level, but has voted for the Republican candidates for U.S. president since 2012.

This trend in Pulaski County has begun to affect down-ballot races as well. In the 2020 Senate election, longtime Democratic Senator Dick Durbin lost the county for the first time in his career, after winning it in his four prior elections.[26]

United States presidential election results for Pulaski County, Illinois[27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1892 1,662 63.22% 897 34.12% 70 2.66%
1896 2,081 63.97% 1,152 35.41% 20 0.61%
1900 2,039 64.79% 1,077 34.22% 31 0.99%
1904 2,180 70.71% 792 25.69% 111 3.60%
1908 2,185 65.24% 1,080 32.25% 84 2.51%
1912 1,632 51.27% 978 30.73% 573 18.00%
1916 3,863 62.72% 2,159 35.05% 137 2.22%
1920 4,002 62.85% 2,276 35.74% 90 1.41%
1924 3,355 61.57% 1,700 31.20% 394 7.23%
1928 3,319 65.18% 1,726 33.90% 47 0.92%
1932 3,225 47.95% 3,446 51.23% 55 0.82%
1936 3,774 49.37% 3,804 49.76% 67 0.88%
1940 4,589 56.76% 3,456 42.75% 40 0.49%
1944 3,248 58.02% 2,311 41.28% 39 0.70%
1948 2,658 52.81% 2,344 46.57% 31 0.62%
1952 3,447 58.88% 2,397 40.95% 10 0.17%
1956 2,966 56.74% 2,246 42.97% 15 0.29%
1960 2,621 52.83% 2,322 46.81% 18 0.36%
1964 1,716 33.99% 3,332 66.01% 0 0.00%
1968 1,741 37.59% 2,076 44.82% 815 17.59%
1972 2,485 59.27% 1,683 40.14% 25 0.60%
1976 1,836 42.26% 2,489 57.28% 20 0.46%
1980 2,083 50.82% 1,955 47.69% 61 1.49%
1984 1,923 52.48% 1,724 47.05% 17 0.46%
1988 1,666 47.90% 1,793 51.55% 19 0.55%
1992 1,169 32.94% 1,987 55.99% 393 11.07%
1996 1,036 36.82% 1,524 54.16% 254 9.03%
2000 1,430 47.41% 1,518 50.33% 68 2.25%
2004 1,720 55.34% 1,372 44.14% 16 0.51%
2008 1,593 48.72% 1,638 50.09% 39 1.19%
2012 1,564 51.93% 1,389 46.12% 59 1.96%
2016 1,675 61.24% 962 35.17% 98 3.58%
2020 1,699 64.58% 891 33.87% 41 1.56%
2024 1,583 66.35% 769 32.23% 34 1.42%

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020–2024". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. March 2025. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "2020 Census Data". data.census.gov.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ Callary, Edward (2009). Place Names of Illinois. Urbana and Chicago, Illinois: University of Illinois Press. p. 287.
  5. ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Mound City, Illinois". The Weather Channel. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  7. ^ "I-57 Pulaski County Illinois Speed Traps | The National Speed Trap Exchange". www.speedtrap.org. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012.
  8. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  11. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  13. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2014.
  14. ^ "1980 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois- Table 14 - Persons by Race and Table 16 (p. 18-28) - Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race (p. 29-39)" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  15. ^ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Illinois - Table 6 - Race and Hispanic Orogin" (PDF). United States Census Bureau.
  16. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Pulaski County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  17. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Pulaski County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  18. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Pulaski County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  19. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  20. ^ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  21. ^ not an option in the 1980 Census
  22. ^ not an option in the 1990 Census
  23. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  24. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  25. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
  26. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  27. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 12, 2018.

References

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37°14′N 89°08′W / 37.23°N 89.13°W / 37.23; -89.13