Henry County, Illinois

County in Illinois, United States

Not to be confused with Henry, Illinois or McHenry County, Illinois.

County in Illinois

Henry County

County

Henry County Courthouse

Location within the U.S. state of Illinois

Illinois's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 41°21′N 90°08′W﻿ / ﻿41.35°N 90.14°W﻿ / 41.35; -90.14
Country|  United States
State|  Illinois
Founded| January 13, 1825
Named after| Patrick Henry
Seat| Cambridge
Largest city| Kewanee
Area

• Total

| 826 sq mi (2,140 km2)
• Land| 823 sq mi (2,130 km2)
• Water| 2.7 sq mi (7 km2)  0.3%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 49,284

• Estimate

(2023)

| 48,448
• Density| 60/sq mi (23/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts| 16th, 17th
Website| www.henrycty.com

Henry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. The 2020 United States census, listed its population at 49,284.[1] Its county seat is Cambridge.[2] Henry County is included in the Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.[3]

## History

[edit]

Henry County was formed on January 13, 1825, out of Fulton County, Illinois. It is named for Revolutionary War figure Patrick Henry.[4] The county was settled by people from New England and western New York, descendants of English Puritans who settled New England in the colonial era. The New England settlers founded the five towns of Andover, Wethersfield, Geneseo, Morristown and La Grange.[5]

The settlement of Cambridge came about in 1843, when the owner of the land in that area (Rev. Ithamar Pillsbury) dedicated a section of his properties to a town council; lots were sold to incoming settlers, and construction of the town proper began on June 9, 1843. The incoming "Yankee" settlers made Henry County culturally similar to early New England culture.[6][7]

* Henry County from the time of its creation to 1827

* The county between 1827 and 1831

* Henry between 1831 and 1836

* Henry in 1836, after Whiteside County was created

## Geography

[edit]

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 826 square miles (2,140 km2), of which 823 square miles (2,130 km2) is land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km2) (0.3%) is water.[8] It is the 29th largest of Illinois' 102 counties. The area is fairly flat, with elevations ranging from 650 feet above sea level in the northwest to 850 in the southeast. About 456,596 acres (1,847.78 km2) or 86.7% of the county's land area, is used for agriculture.[9]

### Climate and weather

[edit]

Cambridge, Illinois

Climate chart (explanation)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1.5

1.6

2.7

3.7

4.2

4.2

3.9

4.3

3.3

2.8

2.2

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[10]
| Metric conversion

−11

107

107

110

█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Cambridge have ranged from a low of 13 °F (−11 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −24 °F (−31 °C) was recorded in February 1996 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in July 1983. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.52 inches (39 mm) in January to 4.32 inches (110 mm) in August.[10]

### Major highways

[edit]

* Interstate 74
* Interstate 80
* Interstate 280
* U.S. Highway 6
* U.S. Highway 34
* U.S. Highway 150
* Illinois Route 17
* Illinois Route 78
* Illinois Route 81
* Illinois Route 82
* Illinois Route 84
* Illinois Route 91
* Illinois Route 92

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Rock Island County \- northwest
* Whiteside County \- northeast
* Bureau County \- east
* Stark County \- southeast
* Knox County \- south
* Mercer County \- west

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1830| 41| | —
1840| 1,260| | 2,973.2%
1850| 3,807| | 202.1%
1860| 20,660| | 442.7%
1870| 35,506| | 71.9%
1880| 36,597| | 3.1%
1890| 33,338| | −8.9%
1900| 40,049| | 20.1%
1910| 41,736| | 4.2%
1920| 45,162| | 8.2%
1930| 43,851| | −2.9%
1940| 43,798| | −0.1%
1950| 46,492| | 6.2%
1960| 49,317| | 6.1%
1970| 53,217| | 7.9%
1980| 57,968| | 8.9%
1990| 51,159| | −11.7%
2000| 51,020| | −0.3%
2010| 50,486| | −1.0%
2020| 49,284| | −2.4%
2023 (est.)| 48,448| [11]| −1.7%
US Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010[16]

2000 census age pyramid for Henry County

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 50,486 people, 20,373 households, and 14,149 families residing in the county.[17] The population density was 61.3 inhabitants per square mile (23.7/km2). There were 22,161 housing units at an average density of 26.9 per square mile (10.4/km2).[8] The racial makeup of the county was 94.8% white, 1.6% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.6% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.8% of the population.[17] In terms of ancestry, 30.0% were German, 14.6% were Irish, 12.3% were Swedish, 11.5% were English, and 7.2% were American.[18]

Of the 20,373 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.6% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.92. The median age was 41.8 years.[17]

The median income for a household in the county was $49,164 and the median income for a family was $61,467. Males had a median income of $44,589 versus $30,992 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,915. About 6.8% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.9% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.[19]

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Colona
* Galva
* Geneseo
* Kewanee

### Towns

[edit]

* Annawan
* Atkinson

### Villages

[edit]

* Alpha
* Andover
* Bishop Hill
* Cambridge
* Cleveland
* Coal Valley (partial)
* Hooppole
* Orion
* Woodhull

### Census-designated places

[edit]

* Lynn Center
* Nekoma
* Opheim
* Osco

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Aliceville
* Briar Bluff
* Brook Lawn
* Dayton
* German Corner
* Green River
* Green Rock
* Hickory Hills
* Level Acres
* Morristown
* Shady Beach
* Sunny Hill
* Sunny Hill Estates
* Timber Ridge
* Ulah
* Warner
* Woodcrest

### Former communities

[edit]

* Kedron
* Oxford
* Saxon

### Townships

[edit]

* Alba
* Andover
* Annawan
* Atkinson
* Burns
* Cambridge
* Clover
* Colona
* Cornwall
* Edford
* Galva
* Geneseo
* Hanna
* Kewanee
* Loraine
* Lynn
* Munson
* Osco
* Oxford
* Phenix
* Weller
* Western
* Wethersfield
* Yorktown

## Politics

[edit]

This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

Henry County's political history is fairly typical of many Yankee-settled rural counties in Illinois. After being largely Democratic in its first few elections, the county turned powerfully Republican for the 110 years following the formation of that party. The only time it did not vote Republican between 1856 and 1960 was in 1912 when the GOP was mortally divided and Progressive Theodore Roosevelt won a majority of the county's ballots. In 1964, when the Republican Party nominated the Southern-oriented Barry Goldwater, Henry County voted Democratic for the first time since 1852, but as was typical for Yankee counties it returned to the Republicans with the selection of the more moderate Richard Nixon.

In the 1980s, the transition of the Republican Party into a party largely based around Southern Evangelicals severely alienated its historic Yankee base: Henry County turned to Democrat Michael Dukakis in 1988, and voted Democratic in every election between 1988 and 2012 except that of 2004 when George W. Bush carried the county by 5.1 percent. However, concern with unemployment and trade deals in the “Rust Belt” resulted in a powerful swing to Republican Donald Trump in 2016 – the worst Democratic result in the county since Jimmy Carter in 1980. In 2020, Trump built on his win in 2016, capturing 60% of the vote - the highest Republican percentage in 40 years.

United States presidential election results for Henry County, Illinois[20] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 15,359  | 60.99% | 9,226  | 36.64%  | 596  | 2.37%
2020 | 15,300  | 59.53% | 9,797  | 38.12%  | 604  | 2.35%
2016 | 13,985  | 56.75% | 8,871  | 36.00%  | 1,787  | 7.25%
2012 | 11,583  | 47.46%  | 12,332  | 50.53% | 490  | 2.01%
2008 | 11,263  | 45.33%  | 13,181  | 53.04% | 405  | 1.63%
2004 | 13,212  | 52.34% | 11,877  | 47.05%  | 152  | 0.60%
2000 | 10,896  | 46.43%  | 11,921  | 50.79% | 653  | 2.78%
1996 | 8,393  | 38.33%  | 11,201  | 51.15% | 2,303  | 10.52%
1992 | 8,989  | 36.88%  | 11,077  | 45.45% | 4,305  | 17.66%
1988 | 11,358  | 49.28%  | 11,594  | 50.30% | 96  | 0.42%
1984 | 14,504  | 57.41% | 10,679  | 42.27%  | 79  | 0.31%
1980 | 14,506  | 59.93% | 7,977  | 32.95%  | 1,723  | 7.12%
1976 | 12,849  | 56.03% | 9,822  | 42.83%  | 263  | 1.15%
1972 | 14,796  | 63.82% | 8,368  | 36.09%  | 21  | 0.09%
1968 | 12,524  | 55.10% | 8,455  | 37.20%  | 1,752  | 7.71%
1964 | 10,644  | 46.83%  | 12,085  | 53.17% | 0  | 0.00%
1960 | 14,297  | 57.91% | 10,372  | 42.01%  | 21  | 0.09%
1956 | 15,896  | 65.46% | 8,349  | 34.38%  | 39  | 0.16%
1952 | 16,301  | 65.49% | 8,558  | 34.38%  | 33  | 0.13%
1948 | 12,363  | 58.84% | 8,489  | 40.40%  | 159  | 0.76%
1944 | 13,539  | 59.48% | 9,130  | 40.11%  | 92  | 0.40%
1940 | 14,971  | 58.37% | 10,481  | 40.86%  | 196  | 0.76%
1936 | 11,953  | 49.61% | 11,490  | 47.69%  | 651  | 2.70%
1932 | 11,376  | 51.25% | 10,122  | 45.60%  | 701  | 3.16%
1928 | 14,666  | 70.83% | 5,858  | 28.29%  | 183  | 0.88%
1924 | 13,159  | 72.39% | 1,944  | 10.69%  | 3,076  | 16.92%
1920 | 12,379  | 78.96% | 2,530  | 16.14%  | 768  | 4.90%
1916 | 11,406  | 65.42% | 5,220  | 29.94%  | 808  | 4.63%
1912 | 1,859  | 20.29%  | 2,219  | 24.22%  | 5,085  | 55.49%
1908 | 6,387  | 64.53% | 2,499  | 25.25%  | 1,011  | 10.22%
1904 | 7,331  | 74.52% | 1,390  | 14.13%  | 1,117  | 11.35%
1900 | 6,892  | 68.54% | 2,809  | 27.94%  | 354  | 3.52%
1896 | 6,177  | 66.03% | 2,971  | 31.76%  | 207  | 2.21%
1892 | 4,265  | 55.82% | 2,670  | 34.95%  | 705  | 9.23%

## Education

[edit]

K-12 school districts include:[21]

* Alwood Community Unit School District 225
* Annawan Community Unit School District 226
* Cambridge Community Unit School District 227
* Erie Community Unit School District 1
* Galva Community Unit School District 224
* Geneseo Community Unit School District 228
* Kewanee Community Unit School District 229
* ROWVA Community Unit School District 208
* Orion Community Unit School District 223
* Prophetstown-Lyndon-Tampico Community Unit School District 3
* Stark County Community Unit School District 100
* Wethersfield Community Unit School District 230

There is also an elementary school district, Colona School District 190, and a secondary school district, United Township High School District 30, that have portions of the county.[21]

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Henry County, Illinois

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Henry County, Illinois". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ United States Office of Management and Budget. "Update of Statistical Area Definitions and Guidance on Their Uses" (PDF). pp. 5, 36. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 14, 2006. Retrieved July 21, 2006.
4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 155.
5. ^ The expansion of New England: the spread of New England settlement and institutions to the Mississippi River, 1620-1865, pp. 215-216
6. ^ History Henry County, Illinois H.F. Kett & Company (1877) pp. 177-178
7. ^ The expansion of New England: the spread of New England settlement and institutions to the Mississippi River, 1620-1865 by Louis Kimball Matthews, pp. 215-216
8. ^ a b "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
9. ^ Henry County website
10. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Cambridge IL". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
11. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
12. ^ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
14. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 18, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
16. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2014.
17. ^ a b c "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
18. ^ "Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
19. ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
20. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
21. ^ a b Geography Division (December 22, 2020). 2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Henry County, IL (PDF) (Map). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 16, 2025. \- Text list

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Henry County, Illinois
* Henry County Tourism Bureau[usurped]
* Illinois Ancestors Henry County
* Henry County Historical Society

Places adjacent to Henry County, Illinois

| Rock Island County |
| Whiteside County

|
|

|  |
Mercer County |

Henry County, Illinois

| Bureau County
|  |
| Knox County | Stark County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Henry County, Illinois, United States

County seat: Cambridge

Cities|

* Colona
* Galva
* Geneseo
* Kewanee

Map of Illinois highlighting Henry County

Towns|

* Annawan
* Atkinson

Villages|

* Alpha
* Andover
* Bishop Hill
* Cambridge
* Cleveland
* Coal Valley‡
* Hooppole
* Orion
* Woodhull

Townships|

* Alba
* Andover
* Annawan
* Atkinson
* Burns
* Cambridge
* Clover
* Colona
* Cornwall
* Edford
* Galva
* Geneseo
* Hanna
* Kewanee
* Loraine
* Lynn
* Munson
* Osco
* Oxford
* Phenix
* Weller
* Western
* Wethersfield
* Yorktown

CDPs|

* Lynn Center
* Nekoma
* Opheim
* Osco

Other
communities|

* Dayton
* Green River

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Illinois portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

Quad Cities and surrounding metropolitan area of Iowa and Illinois

Iowa|

* Scott County
* Muscatine County
* Clinton County
* Davenport
* Bettendorf
* Blue Grass
* Buffalo
* Dixon
* Donahue
* Eldridge
* Le Claire
* Long Grove
* Maysville
* McCausland
* New Liberty
* Panorama Park
* Park View
* Pleasant Valley Township
* Princeton
* Riverdale

Illinois|

* Henry County
* Mercer County
* Rock Island County
* Moline
* Rock Island
* East Moline
* Aledo
* Andalusia
* Annawan
* Barstow
* Bishop Hill
* Buffalo Prairie
* Cambridge
* Carbon Cliff
* Cleveland
* Coal Valley
* Colona
* Coyne Center
* Dayton
* Edgington
* Galva
* Geneseo
* Green River
* Hampton
* Hillsdale
* Hooppole
* Kewanee
* Illinois City
* Matherville
* Milan
* North Henderson
* Nekoma
* Oak Grove
* Ophiem
* Orion
* Osco
* Port Byron
* Reynolds
* Sherrard
* Silvis
* Swedona
* Woodhull

Attractions|

* American Pickers
* Ballet Quad Cities
* Bally's Quad Cities
* Bix 7 Road Race
* Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival
* Common Chord
* Credit Island
* Downtown Davenport
* Festival of Trees
* Figge Art Museum
* Iowa 80
* Rhythm City Casino Resort
* John Deere World Headquarters
* John Deere Classic
* Mississippi River
* Modern Woodmen Park
* Niabi Zoo
* NorthPark Mall
* Putnam Museum
* Quad Cities Waterfront Convention Center
* Quad City Air Show
* Quad City Botanical Center
* Quad City Downs
* Quad City-style pizza
* Quad City Symphony Orchestra
* RiverCenter
* Rock Island Arsenal
* SouthPark Mall
* Vibrant Arena at The MARK
* The Freight House
* TPC at Deere Run
* Village of East Davenport
* Walnut Grove Pioneer Village

Colleges|

* Augustana College
* Black Hawk College
* Kaplan University
* Palmer College of Chiropractic
* St. Ambrose University
* Scott Community College
* Western Illinois University-Quad Cities

Historical Places|

Illinois
Henry County
Mercer County
Rock Island County
Iowa
Scott County

Davenport

Infrastructure|

* Bettendorf Transit
* Davenport Citibus
* Davenport Skybridge
* Lock and Dam No. 14
* Lock and Dam No. 15
* Moline station
* Quad Cities International Airport
* Quad Cities MetroLINK

* v
* t
* e

State of Illinois

Springfield (capital)

Topics|

* Index
* Abortion
* African Americans
* Buildings and structures
* Census areas
* Climate change
* Crime
* Communications
* Culture
* Delegations
* Earthquakes
* Economy
* Education
* Energy
* Environment
* Geography
* Government
* Health
* History
* Homelessness
* Languages
* Law
* Military
* Music
* People
* Politics
* Portal
* Protected areas
* Science and technology
* Sister cities
* Society
* Sports
* Symbols
* Tourism
* Transportation
* Windmills

Regions|

* American Bottom
* Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area
* Central Illinois
* Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area
* Chicago metropolitan area
* Collar counties
* Corn Belt
* Driftless Area
* Forgottonia
* Fox Valley
* Illinois–Indiana–Kentucky tri-state area
* Metro East
* Metro Lakeland
* Mississippi Alluvial Plain
* North Shore
* Northern Illinois
* Northwestern Illinois
* Peoria metropolitan area
* Quad Cities
* River Bend
* Rockford metropolitan area
* Southern Illinois
* Wabash Valley

Municipalities|

* Alton/Granite City/Edwardsville
* Arlington Heights/Palatine
* Aurora/Naperville/Oswego/Plainfield
* Bartlett/Hanover Park/Streamwood
* Belleville/East St. Louis/Collinsville/O'Fallon
* Berwyn/Cicero
* Bloomington/Normal
* Bolingbrook/Romeoville
* Buffalo Grove/Wheeling
* Calumet City
* Canton
* Carbondale
* Carol Stream/Glendale Heights
* Centralia
* Champaign/Urbana
* Charleston/Mattoon
* Chicago
* Chicago Heights
* Crystal Lake/Algonquin
* Danville
* Decatur
* DeKalb/Sycamore
* Des Plaines/Mount Prospect/Park Ridge
* Dixon
* Downers Grove/Woodridge
* Effingham
* Elgin/Carpentersville
* Elmhurst/Lombard/Addison
* Evanston/Skokie
* Freeport
* Galesburg
* Glenview/Northbrook
* Harrisburg
* Jacksonville
* Joliet
* Kankakee/Bradley/Bourbonnais
* Lincoln
* Macomb
* Marion/Herrin
* Moline/East Moline/Rock Island
* Mount Vernon
* Mundelein
* Oak Lawn
* Oak Park
* Orland Park/Tinley Park
* Ottawa/Streator/LaSalle/Peru
* Peoria/Pekin/East Peoria/Morton/Washington
* Pontiac
* Quincy
* Rochelle
* Rockford/Belvidere/Machesney Park/Loves Park
* St. Charles
* Schaumburg/Hoffman Estates/Elk Grove Village
* Springfield
* Sterling/Rock Falls
* Taylorville
* Waukegan/North Chicago/Gurnee
* Wheaton

Counties|

* Adams
* Alexander
* Bond
* Boone
* Brown
* Bureau
* Calhoun
* Carroll
* Cass
* Champaign
* Christian
* Clark
* Clay
* Clinton
* Coles
* Cook
* Crawford
* Cumberland
* DeKalb
* DeWitt
* Douglas
* DuPage
* Edgar
* Edwards
* Effingham
* Fayette
* Ford
* Franklin
* Fulton
* Gallatin
* Greene
* Grundy
* Hamilton
* Hancock
* Hardin
* Henderson
* Henry
* Iroquois
* Jackson
* Jasper
* Jefferson
* Jersey
* Jo Daviess
* Johnson
* Kane
* Kankakee
* Kendall
* Knox
* Lake
* LaSalle
* Lawrence
* Lee
* Livingston
* Logan
* Macon
* Macoupin
* Madison
* Marion
* Marshall
* Mason
* Massac
* McDonough
* McHenry
* McLean
* Menard
* Mercer
* Monroe
* Montgomery
* Morgan
* Moultrie
* Ogle
* Peoria
* Perry
* Piatt
* Pike
* Pope
* Pulaski
* Putnam
* Randolph
* Richland
* Rock Island
* Saline
* Sangamon
* Schuyler
* Scott
* Shelby
* St. Clair
* Stark
* Stephenson
* Tazewell
* Union
* Vermilion
* Wabash
* Warren
* Washington
* Wayne
* White
* Whiteside
* Will
* Williamson
* Winnebago
* Woodford

Illinois portal

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Other|

* NARA

41°21′11″N 90°07′53″W﻿ / ﻿41.35306°N 90.13139°W﻿ / 41.35306; -90.13139
*[Pop.]: Population
*[%±]: Percent change
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template