Saline County, Illinois

Saline County, Illinois
Saline County is a county in Southern Illinois. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 23,768. The largest city and county seat is Harrisburg. This area of Southern Illinois is known locally as "Little Egypt".
Three major towns in Saline County are connected by U.S. Route 45, and formerly by the now-abandoned Cairo and Vincennes/Big Four/New York Central Line, from north to south: Eldorado, Harrisburg, and Carrier Mills.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.8%) is water.
The Saline County area is mostly rolling hills throughout gradually rising to the Hills of the Shawnee National Forest. The Saline River flows through the central point of the county in three forks: North, Middle, and South. To the north of Eldorado there are flat lowlands.
Climate and weather
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Harrisburg have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in February 1951 and a record high of was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in September to in May.
Adjacent counties
Hamilton County (north)
White County (northeast)
Gallatin County (east)
Hardin County (southeast)
Pope County (south)
Johnson County (southwest)
Williamson County (west)
Franklin County (northwest)
National protected area
Shawnee National Forest (part)
State protected areas
Sahara Woods State Fish and Wildlife Area
Saline County State Fish and Wildlife Area
Transportation
Transit
Rides Mass Transit District
Major highways
U.S. Highway 45
Illinois Route 13
Illinois Route 34
Illinois Route 142
Illinois Route 145
Demographics
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 24,913 people, 10,379 households, and 6,631 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 11,697 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.0% white, 4.0% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 17.8% were Irish, 16.6% were German, 12.9% were American, and 11.1% were English.
Of the 10,379 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.1% were non-families, and 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 41.7 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,644 and the median income for a family was $46,314. Males had a median income of $41,108 versus $28,464 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,903. About 13.4% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Eldorado
Harrisburg
Villages
Carrier Mills (Morrilsville)
Galatia
Muddy
Raleigh
Stonefort (partly in Williamson County)
Unincorporated communities
Buena Vista
Cottage Grove
Delta
Derby
Eagle
Harco
Lakeview (Pond Settlement)
Ledford
Liberty
Mitchellsville
New Hope
Pankeyville
Rudement
Somerset
Texas City
Wasson
West End
Townships
Saline County is divided into thirteen townships:
Brushy
Carrier Mills
Cottage
East Eldorado
Galatia
Harrisburg
Independence
Long Branch
Mountain
Raleigh
Rector
Stone Fort
Tate
Politics
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Saline County
Ku Klux Klan in Southern Illinois
References
External links
Saline County Chamber of Commerce
Saline County Official Website (Under Development)
"Tails and Trails of Illinois", Stu Fliege, University of Illinois Press,2002.
"https://web.archive.org/web/20120206132243/http://www.iltrails.org/saline/towns_cities.html, © 2000-2001 by Debbie Woolard, Illinois Trails History and Genealogy.
Gillum Ferguson. 2007. The Perilous Infancy of Saline County, Journal of Illinois History, Vol. 10, p. 49.
Illinois counties
1847 establishments in Illinois
Saline County, Illinois
Saline County, Illinois
Populated places established in 1847