Stark County, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stark County
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Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Depot (Wyoming, 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 | John Stark |
| Seat | Toulon |
| Largest city | Wyoming |
| Area | |
| • Total | 288 sq mi (750 km2) |
| • Land | 288 sq mi (750 km2) |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2) 0.1% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,400 |
| • Density | 18.75/sq mi (7.24/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 16th |
Stark County is a county located in Illinois, United States. In 2020, about 5,400 people lived there. The main town, or county seat, is Toulon. Stark County is also part of the larger Peoria Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History of Stark County
Stark County was created in 1839. It was formed from parts of Knox and Putnam counties. The county was named after General John Stark. He was a famous soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War. General Stark was known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his brave actions in the Battle of Bennington in 1777.
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Stark County when it was first created in 1839.
The first non-Native American settlers arrived in Stark County in 1829. A man named Isaac B. Essex came with his wife and baby. He traveled in a wagon with friends who helped him. They came from places like LaSalle Prairie, Chillicothe, and Peoria.
Mr. Essex had already chosen a spot for his home in 1828. He had also cut logs for his cabin. His friends helped him build the cabin quickly. They finished it in just two days. This cabin was the very first home for settlers in what is now Stark County.
Geography of Stark County
Stark County covers a total area of about 288 square miles. Almost all of this area is land. Only a tiny part, about 0.3 square miles, is water.
Climate and Weather
| Weather chart for Toulon, Illinois | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1.6
28
10
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1.4
34
16
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2.5
46
26
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3.5
60
37
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3.5
71
48
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4.5
80
59
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4
84
62
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4.1
82
60
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3
75
51
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2.6
63
39
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2.7
47
29
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2.4
33
17
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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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The weather in Stark County changes with the seasons. In Toulon, the county seat, temperatures in January usually range from 10°F to 28°F. In July, they are warmer, from 62°F to 84°F.
The coldest temperature ever recorded was -26°F in January 1999. The hottest was 104°F in July 1983. The county gets the most rain in June, with about 4.46 inches. February is usually the driest month.
Major Highways
Several important roads pass through Stark County:
Illinois Route 17
Illinois Route 18
Illinois Route 40
Illinois Route 78
Illinois Route 91
Illinois Route 93
Neighboring Counties
Stark County shares its borders with these other counties:
- Henry County (to the northwest)
- Bureau County (to the north)
- Marshall County (to the east)
- Peoria County (to the south)
- Knox County (to the west)
Population and People (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 1,573 | — | |
| 1850 | 3,710 | 135.9% | |
| 1860 | 9,004 | 142.7% | |
| 1870 | 10,751 | 19.4% | |
| 1880 | 11,207 | 4.2% | |
| 1890 | 9,982 | −10.9% | |
| 1900 | 10,186 | 2.0% | |
| 1910 | 10,098 | −0.9% | |
| 1920 | 9,693 | −4.0% | |
| 1930 | 9,184 | −5.3% | |
| 1940 | 8,881 | −3.3% | |
| 1950 | 8,721 | −1.8% | |
| 1960 | 8,152 | −6.5% | |
| 1970 | 7,510 | −7.9% | |
| 1980 | 7,389 | −1.6% | |
| 1990 | 6,534 | −11.6% | |
| 2000 | 6,332 | −3.1% | |
| 2010 | 5,994 | −5.3% | |
| 2020 | 5,400 | −9.9% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 5,218 | −12.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 |
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In 2010, there were 5,994 people living in Stark County. These people lived in 2,425 households. Most of the people (97.7%) were white. A small number were Black, Asian, or American Indian. About 1% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino origin.
Many people in Stark County have German (33.5%), Irish (15.5%), or English (13.8%) backgrounds. The average age of people in the county was about 43.8 years old.
The average income for a household in the county was about $49,195 per year. For families, the average income was higher, around $62,681. About 11.2% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line. This included 17.0% of children under 18.
Communities in Stark County
Stark County has several towns and villages.
Cities
Villages
Unincorporated Communities
Townships
Stark County is divided into these smaller areas called townships:
- Elmira
- Essex
- Goshen
- Osceola
- Penn
- Toulon
- Valley
- West Jersey
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Stark (Illinois) para niños
