Menard County, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Menard County
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Menard County Courthouse, Petersburg, Illinois
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Location within the U.S. state of Illinois
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 Illinois's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Illinois |
| Founded | 1839 |
| Named for | Pierre Menard |
| Seat | Petersburg |
| Largest city | Petersburg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 315 sq mi (820 km2) |
| • Land | 314 sq mi (810 km2) |
| • Water | 1.0 sq mi (3 km2) 0.3% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 12,297 |
| • Density | 39.04/sq mi (15.073/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 15th |
Menard County is a place in Illinois, a state in the United States. In 2020, about 12,297 people lived there. The main town, called the county seat, is Petersburg. Menard County is also part of the larger Springfield area.
Contents
History of Menard County
Menard County was created in 1839. It was formed from a part of Sangamon County. The county was named after Pierre Menard. He was the very first lieutenant governor of Illinois.
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Menard County when it was first created in 1839.
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Menard County in 1841, showing its current size.
Geography and Nature
The United States Census Bureau says that Menard County covers about 315 square miles. Most of this area, about 314 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 1 square mile, is water.
Weather in Menard County
| Weather chart for Petersburg, Illinois | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1.6
33
17
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1.8
39
22
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3.2
51
32
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3.4
63
42
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4.1
74
53
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3.8
83
62
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3.5
87
66
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3.4
85
64
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2.8
79
55
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2.6
67
44
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2.9
51
34
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2.5
38
23
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| temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches source: The Weather Channel |
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Metric conversion
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In Petersburg, the main town, temperatures change throughout the year. In January, the average low is about 17 degrees Fahrenheit. In July, the average high is about 87 degrees Fahrenheit.
The coldest temperature ever recorded was -24 degrees Fahrenheit in February 1905. The hottest was 112 degrees Fahrenheit in July 1954. The county gets the most rain in May, and the least in January.
Main Roads
These are the main roads that go through Menard County:
Illinois Route 29
Illinois Route 97
Illinois Route 123
Neighboring Counties
Menard County shares borders with these other counties:
- Mason County to the north
- Logan County to the east
- Sangamon County to the south
- Cass County to the west
People of Menard County
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 4,431 | — | |
| 1850 | 6,349 | 43.3% | |
| 1860 | 9,584 | 51.0% | |
| 1870 | 11,735 | 22.4% | |
| 1880 | 13,024 | 11.0% | |
| 1890 | 13,120 | 0.7% | |
| 1900 | 14,336 | 9.3% | |
| 1910 | 12,796 | −10.7% | |
| 1920 | 11,694 | −8.6% | |
| 1930 | 10,575 | −9.6% | |
| 1940 | 10,663 | 0.8% | |
| 1950 | 9,639 | −9.6% | |
| 1960 | 9,248 | −4.1% | |
| 1970 | 9,685 | 4.7% | |
| 1980 | 11,700 | 20.8% | |
| 1990 | 11,164 | −4.6% | |
| 2000 | 12,486 | 11.8% | |
| 2010 | 12,705 | 1.8% | |
| 2020 | 12,297 | −3.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 11,954 | −5.9% | |
| US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 |
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In 2010, there were 12,705 people living in Menard County. Most people, about 97.5%, were white. Small groups of other races also lived there. About 1% of the people were of Hispanic or Latino background.
Many families lived in the county. About 32.4% of homes had children under 18. The average age of people in the county was about 42.6 years old.
The average income for a family was about $65,882 per year. A small number of families, about 6.1%, lived below the poverty line. This means they had a very low income.
Towns and Villages
Menard County has several communities:
Cities
- Athens
- Petersburg (the county seat)
Villages
Special Places
- Lake Petersburg (a census-designated place)
Other Small Communities
Schools and Education
Several school districts serve Menard County, from kindergarten to 12th grade:
- A-C Central Community Unit School District 262
- Athens Community Unit School District 213
- Greenview Community Unit School District 200
- Mount Pulaski Community Unit District 23
- Porta Community Unit School District 202
- Pleasant Plains Community Unit School District 8
- Williamsville Community Unit School District 15
There are also specific districts for elementary and high schools:
- New Holland-Middletown Elementary School District 88 (for younger students)
- Lincoln Community High School District 404 (for older students)
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Menard (Illinois) para niños
