Wabash County, Illinois
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wabash County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of 2000, the population is 12,937. Its county seat is Mt. Carmel6.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 590 km² (228 mi²). 579 km² (223 mi²) of it is land and 11 km² (4 mi²) of it (1.88%) is water.
[edit] Adjacent Counties
- Lawrence County (north)
- Knox County, Indiana (northeast)
- Gibson County, Indiana (east)
- White County (southwest)
- Edwards County (west)
- Richland County (northwest)
[edit] History
Wabash County was formed in 1824 out of Edwards County, after an armed confrontation between the militias of Albion and Mt. Carmel.
The County is named for the Wabash River, which forms its eastern border. The name "Wabash" is an English spelling of the French name for the river, "Ouabache." French traders named the river after the Miami Indian word for the river, "Wabashike," (Prounounced "Wah-bah-she-keh"), the word for "pure white." Much of the river bottom is white limestone, now obscured by mud.
A 329-acre (1.3 km²) remnant of the county's original Eastern Woodlands ecosystem can be found in the Forest of the Wabash located within the county's Beall Woods State Park.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 12,937 people, 5,192 households, and 3,587 families residing in the county. The population density was 22/km² (58/mi²). There were 5,758 housing units at an average density of 10/km² (26/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.86% White, 0.39% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 5,192 households out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.20% under the age of 18, 9.10% from 18 to 24, 26.40% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,473, and the median income for a family was $42,142. Males had a median income of $31,142 versus $18,091 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,747. About 9.50% of families and 14.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.70% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.
