Wamac, Illinois facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wamac, Illinois
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Location in Clinton County, Illinois
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 Wamac, Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| Counties | Washington, Marion, Clinton |
| Townships | Irvington, Centralia, Brookside |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.43 sq mi (3.69 km2) |
| • Land | 1.42 sq mi (3.66 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 502 ft (153 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 985 |
| • Density | 696.11/sq mi (268.77/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
62801 (Centralia)
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| Area code(s) | 618 |
| FIPS code | 17-78721 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2397187 |
| Public Transit | South Central Transit |
| Wikimedia Commons | Wamac, Illinois |
Wamac is a city located in the state of Illinois, United States. It is unique because it spreads across three different counties: Washington, Marion, and Clinton. The city's name, Wamac, actually comes from the first letters of these three counties!
In 2020, the city had a population of 985 people. This was a decrease from 1,185 people counted in 2010. Wamac officially became a city on July 25, 1916.
Contents
Exploring Wamac's Location
Wamac is mostly found in the northeast part of Washington County and the southwest part of Marion County. A small piece of the city also extends into the southeast corner of Clinton County.
Nearby Cities and Roads
The city of Centralia borders Wamac to its north and east. A major road, U.S. Route 51, runs just east of Wamac. This route goes north into the center of Centralia and south about 38 miles to Du Quoin.
Land and Water Features
Wamac covers a total area of about 1.43 square miles. Most of this area, about 1.42 square miles, is land. A small part, about 0.01 square miles, is water. A stream called Fulton Branch flows through the southern part of the city. This stream eventually leads to Sewer Creek, which is part of the Crooked Creek system. Crooked Creek then flows west into the Kaskaskia River.
Wamac's Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 1,180 | — | |
| 1930 | 1,232 | 4.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,432 | 16.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,429 | −0.2% | |
| 1960 | 1,394 | −2.4% | |
| 1970 | 1,347 | −3.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,665 | 23.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,501 | −9.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,378 | −8.2% | |
| 2010 | 1,185 | −14.0% | |
| 2020 | 985 | −16.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Wamac has changed over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived there during different census years:
- 1920: 1,180 people
- 1930: 1,232 people
- 1940: 1,432 people
- 1950: 1,429 people
- 1960: 1,394 people
- 1970: 1,347 people
- 1980: 1,665 people
- 1990: 1,501 people
- 2000: 1,378 people
- 2010: 1,185 people
- 2020: 985 people
Who Lives in Wamac?
Based on the 2020 census, there were 985 people living in Wamac. These people lived in 503 households, and 338 of these were families. The city had about 690 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Wamac were White (86.09%). Other groups included African American (4.16%), Native American (0.30%), and Asian (0.30%). About 7.61% of the population identified as being from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 3.55% of the population.
Households and Families
Out of the 503 households in Wamac:
- 30.8% had children under 18 living with them.
- 29.42% were married couples living together.
- 19.09% had a female head of household with no husband present.
- 32.80% were not families (meaning individuals living alone or unrelated people living together).
About 26.84% of all households had someone living alone. Of these, 6.96% were people aged 65 or older living by themselves. The average household had about 2.91 people, and the average family had about 2.43 people.
Age Distribution
The ages of people in Wamac varied:
- 27.1% were under 18 years old.
- 9.3% were between 18 and 24 years old.
- 26.7% were between 25 and 44 years old.
- 28% were between 45 and 64 years old.
- 8.9% were 65 years old or older.
The average age in the city was 33.9 years. For every 100 females, there were about 106.8 males.
Income Information
The median income for a household in Wamac was $32,625. For families, the median income was $34,286. The average income per person in the city was $20,581.
About 20.7% of families and 27.7% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 39.9% of those under 18 years old and 5.5% of those aged 65 or older.
