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Mount Sterling, Illinois facts for kids

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Mount Sterling, Illinois
Former train station in Mount Sterling
Former train station in Mount Sterling
Official logo of Mount Sterling, Illinois
Logo
Location of Illinois in the United States
Location of Illinois in the United States
Country  United States
State  Illinois
County Brown
Township Mount Sterling
Area
 • Total 1.11 sq mi (2.87 km2)
 • Land 1.11 sq mi (2.87 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation
735 ft (224 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,006
 • Density 1,810.47/sq mi (698.86/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)
62353
Area code(s) 217
FIPS code 17-51154
GNIS feature ID 2395125
Wikimedia Commons Mount Sterling, Illinois

Mount Sterling is a city in Illinois, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Brown County. In 2020, about 2,006 people lived there.

A big company called Dot Foods, which delivers food, has its main office in Mount Sterling.

History of Mount Sterling

Mount Sterling was officially started in 1854. Even though it was named the county seat when the county began, it didn't have a courthouse until 1868.

The Prison Competition

Mount Sterling was one of many towns in Illinois that wanted a new state prison. Towns would compete to show why they would be the best place for it. In 1987, Mount Sterling won this competition.

The state then built the Western Illinois Correctional Center about a mile south of town. Right before it opened in 1989, the prison held a special event. Important people from the state and local businesses got to "spend a night in prison." This event made some people think differently about how much prisons help small towns.

Geography of Mount Sterling

Mount Sterling covers an area of about 1.11 square miles (2.87 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

People and Population

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 556
1870 1,352
1880 1,445 6.9%
1890 1,655 14.5%
1900 1,960 18.4%
1910 1,986 1.3%
1920 1,932 −2.7%
1930 1,724 −10.8%
1940 2,140 24.1%
1950 2,246 5.0%
1960 2,262 0.7%
1970 2,182 −3.5%
1980 2,186 0.2%
1990 1,922 −12.1%
2000 2,070 7.7%
2010 2,025 −2.2%
2020 2,006 −0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, there were 2,006 people living in Mount Sterling. The city had 956 households. Most people (about 93.47%) were White. About 1.25% were African American. A small number of people were Native American or Asian. About 1.55% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 27.8% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age in the city was 35 years.

Education in Mount Sterling

Mount Sterling is home to the Brown County School District #1. This district includes an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The sports teams for the district are known as the "Hornets."

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Mount Sterling (Illinois) para niños

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