Christian County, Illinois

Christian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois.  As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,800.  Its county seat is Taylorville. 

Christian County comprises the Taylorville, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Springfield-Jacksonville-Lincoln, IL Combined Statistical Area. 

History

Christian County was formed February 15, 1839 out of Sangamon, Montgomery and Shelby counties.  It was named for Christian County, Kentucky.  It was originally named Dane.  It was called Dane County for a period of one year. 

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which  is land and  (0.9%) is water. 
The county is bounded on the north by Sangamon River, and intersected by the south fork of that stream. 

Adjacent counties
Macon County (northeast)
Shelby County (southeast)
Montgomery County (southwest)
Sangamon County (northwest)

Major highways
  US Route 51
  Illinois Route 16
  Illinois Route 29
  Illinois Route 48
  Illinois Route 104

Climate and weather 

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Taylorville have ranged from a low of  in January to a high of  in July, although a record low of  was recorded in January 1994 and a record high of  was recorded in August 1988.   Average monthly precipitation ranged from  in January to  in May.

Demographics

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 34,800 people, 14,055 households, and 9,211 families residing in the county.  The population density was .  There were 15,563 housing units at an average density of .  The racial makeup of the county was 96.6% white, 1.4% black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.1% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races.  Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population.  In terms of ancestry, 21.9% were German, 12.7% were Irish, 10.6% were American, and 9.9% were English. 

Of the 14,055 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 34.5% were non-families, and 29.9% 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 41.6 years. 

The median income for a household in the county was $41,712 and the median income for a family was $52,680.  Males had a median income of $42,897 versus $30,027 for females.  The per capita income for the county was $21,519.  About 12.7% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over. 

Communities

Cities
Assumption
Pana
Taylorville

Villages

Bulpitt
Edinburg
Harvel
Jeisyville
Kincaid
Morrisonville
Mount Auburn
Moweaqua
Owaneco
Palmer
Stonington
Tovey

Census-designated places
Langleyville

Other unincorporated places

Bolivia
Clarksdale
Dunkel
Grove City
Hewittsville
Midway
Millersville
Old Stonington
Osbernville
Radford
Roby
Rosamond
Sharpsburg
Sicily
Vanderville
Velma
Willey Station

Townships
Christian County is divided into these seventeen townships:

 Assumption
 Bear Creek
 Buckhart
 Greenwood
 Johnson
 King
 Locust
 May
 Mosquito
 Mount Auburn
 Pana
 Prairieton
 Ricks
 Rosamond
 South Fork
 Stonington
 Taylorville

Notable people
 Jon Corzine, Former governor of New Jersey, former resident of Willey Station. 
 Roy A. Corzine (1882-1957), Illinois state representative and farmer, was born in Stonington. 
 Harry Forrester, member of the Illinois Basketball Hall of Fame and Quincy University Hall of Fame. 
 Frank P. Sadler (1872–1931), Illinois state senator and lawyer, lived on a farm near Grove City. 

Politics
Like most of German-settled Central Illinois, Christian County was solidly Democratic until Woodrow Wilson’s response to German defeat in World War I turned the county over to the Republican Party in its 1920, 1924 and 1928 landslides.  The county remained Democratic-leaning through the rest of the twentieth century, only voting Republican in landslide wins.  However, since 2000 Christian County has become reliably Republican due to opposition in this rural county to the Democratic Party’s liberal position on social issues. 

See also
 National Register of Historic Places listings in Christian County, Illinois

References
Specific

General
 United States Census Bureau 2007 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
 United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)
 United States National Atlas

 
Category:1839 establishments in Illinois
Category:Illinois counties
Category:Populated places established in 1839