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Sangamon County, Illinois

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Sangamon County is a county located near the center of the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2020 census, it had a population of 196,343.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat and largest city is Springfield,<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> the state capital.

Sangamon County is included in the Springfield, IL Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

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File:Abraham Lincoln Tomb Springfield Illiois.jpg
Lincoln Tomb

Sangamon County was formed in 1821 out of Madison and Bond counties. The county was named for the Sangamon River, which runs through it. The origin of the name of the river is unknown; among several explanations is the theory that it comes from the Potawatomi word Sain-guee-mon (pronounced "sang gä mun"), meaning "where there is plenty to eat."<ref>Callary, Edward. 2009. Place Names of Illinois. Champaign: University of Illinois Press, p. 310.</ref> Published histories of neighboring Menard County (formed from Sangamon County) suggest that the name was first given to the river by the French explorers of the late 17th century as they passed through the region. The river was named to honor "St. Gamo", or Saint Gamo, an 8th-century French Benedictine monk. The French pronunciation "San-Gamo" is the legacy.

Prior to being elected President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln represented Sangamon County in the Illinois Legislature. Lincoln, along with several other legislators, was instrumental in securing Springfield, the Sangamon County seat, as the state's capital. Sangamon County was also within the congressional district represented by Lincoln when he served in the US House of Representatives. Another legislator who represented Sangamon County was Colonel Edmund Dick Taylor, also known as "Father of the Greenback". The prominent financiers and industrialists Jacob Bunn and John Whitfield Bunn were based in Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois, as well as in Chicago, during the nineteenth century and the early twentieth century. The careers of these men and the people with whom they collaborated helped to shape much of the history and development of Sangamon County, Illinois.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (1.0%) is water.<ref name="census-density"/>

Climate and weather

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Template:Climate chart In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Springfield have ranged from a low of Template:Convert in January to a high of Template:Convert in July, although a record low of Template:Convert was recorded in February 1905 and a record high of Template:Convert was recorded in July 1954. Average monthly precipitation ranged from Template:Convert in January to Template:Convert in May.<ref name="weather"/>

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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National protected areas

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State protected areas

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Demographics

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As of the 2010 census, there were 197,465 people, 82,986 households, and 51,376 families residing in the county.<ref name="census-dp1">Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 89,901 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert.<ref name="census-density">Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup of the county was 83.6% white, 11.8% black or African American, 1.6% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.5% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.8% of the population.<ref name="census-dp1"/> In terms of ancestry, 29.4% were German, 14.8% were Irish, 12.1% were English, 9.5% were American, and 6.3% were Italian.<ref name="census-dp2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 82,986 households, 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.4% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 38.1% were non-families, and 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age was 39.2 years.<ref name="census-dp1"/>

The median income for a household in the county was $52,232 and the median income for a family was $66,917. Males had a median income of $48,324 versus $36,691 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,394. About 9.9% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.7% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="census-dp3">Template:Cite web</ref>

Government

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Sangamon County is governed by a 29-member board. Each member of the board is elected from a separate district.<ref name="Sangamon County Illinois - History and Overview">Template:Cite web</ref>

Other elected officials include:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Office Representative Party Residence Took Office
Auditor Andy Goleman Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican Divernon 2015 (appointed)
Clerk of the Circuit Court Paul Palazzolo Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican Springfield 2015 (appointed)
Coroner James Allmon Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican Springfield 2020 (appointed)
County Clerk Don Gray Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican Springfield 2015 (appointed)
Recorder Josh Langfelder Template:Party shading/Democratic | Democratic Springfield 2008 (elected)
Regional Superintendent of Schools Shannon Fehrholz Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican Springfield 2010 (appointed)
Sheriff Jack Campbell Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican Illiopolis 2018 (elected)
State's Attorney John Milhiser Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican Springfield 2023 (appointed)
Treasurer Joe Aiello Template:Party shading/Republican | Republican Springfield 2018 (elected)

Politics

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Sangamon County has been a Republican stronghold for decades, consistently supporting GOP candidates in local, state, and national elections. Despite its relatively large population and the presence of Springfield, the state's capital and a significant urban center, the county has remained reliably conservative. In recent years, however, the county has shown signs of shifting toward the Democratic Party, reflecting changing demographics and political attitudes, although Democrats have remained unable to carry the county in most races.

Sheriff department

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In 2024, sheriff deputy Sean Grayson was fired after killing Sonya Massey, an unarmed woman, within her home located in Woodside Township near Springfield, Illinois following her call for assistance.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Massey's father, community members, and elected officials raised strong concerns about the department, after it was revealed prior to Grayson's hiring in 2023. He had been kicked out of the U.S. Army in 2016 after being convicted of 2 DUI's, and worked at 5 different Illinois police departments between 2020 and 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sheriff Jack Campbell who hired Grayson, after receiving calls to resign, including from Governor J.B Pritzker announced he would step down effective August 31, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresFoot

Communities

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Cities

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Villages

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Unincorporated communities

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Townships

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Sangamon County is divided into these townships:

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Education

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Here is a listing of school districts (all are full K–12) with any territory in this county, no matter how small, even if the administrative headquarters and/or schools are in other counties:<ref>Template:Cite web Text list</ref> Template:Div col

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Forts

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See also

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References

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