Lawrence County Profile

Lawrence County is located in rural southeast Illinois. The county is part of the Greater Wabash region, which is made up of seven counties: Crawford, Edwards, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, and White County.  name comes from Captain James Lawrence who died in the War of 1812. Lawrence County became the easternmost county when it was formed in 1821 and has a total area of 374 square miles. Lawrence County has five municipalities and nine townships. The county seat is Lawrenceville which is named after the county.

Elevation in the county is highest in the western and northern parts of the county, and lowest along the Wabash River and Embarras River in the eastern part of the county. At 631 feet, the Red Hills in Red Hill State Park are the highest point of land in Illinois between St. Louis and Cincinnati.

Wayne County is in two watersheds - the Skillet Watershed and the Little Wabash Watershed. A watershed, or drainage basin, is the land area that drains directly to a common stream, river, or lake. Several major streams flow through the county, including Skillet Fork and the Little Wabash River. Muddy Creek, Paul Creek, Indian Creek, and Raccoon Creek also flow through the county. Red Hills Lake and Chauncey Marsh are the two largest standing bodies of water in the county.

The climate of Illinois is continental with cold winters, warm and humid summers, and moderate spring and fall temperatures. Changes in temperature, humidity, cloudiness, and wind direction occur frequently. The southern Illinois climate region averages over 40 days above 90°F and 80 days below 32°F per year. Crawford County on average experiences its warmest temperatures in July and coldest temperatures in January. Rainfall peaks in the late spring, and the most snowfall occurs between December and February. Average annual rainfall is 46.60 inches; average annual snowfall is 15.5 inches.

Lawrence County has a current population of 14,914 and a population density of 40.1 inhabitants per square mile according to the 2022 U.S. Census population estimates. Between 2010 and 2020, Lawrence County’s population decreased by nearly 10%. Russellville is the only community which has experienced an increase in population since 2010. Sumner’s population increased by nearly 200% between 2000 and 2010 but declined in 2020. Sumner’s 2020 population still represents a 150% increase from their 2000 population. Overall, Lawrence County saw an increase of population from 2000 to 2010 but has since returned to the population it had in 2000.

Lawrence County’s population grew between 1830 and 1910 with the onset of the Industrial Revolution, bringing jobs and consequently people into the county. The county’s population reached its peak population of 22,661 in 1910 and declined unsteadily by 7,000 people into the 21st century.

A large portion of the county’s population is between the ages of 40-69 years. The median age of the county is 40.9 years old, which is older than the state’s median age of 39.1 years. The small bulge in the pyramid between the ages of 0 and 19 could indicate future population growth.

Golden Gate has the largest percentage of older residents; half of the village’s population is 65 years or older. Mill Shoals has the largest percentage of younger residents, which could indicate future population growth.

Lawrence County’s racial composition is predominantly white with 8.0% identifying as Black or African American and 4.3% identifying as two or more races.

The median household income in Lawrence County is $52,020, with an unemployment rate of 6.4%. Over 30% of Sumner’s population lives below the poverty line, the highest in the county. More than 10% of people in Bridgeport and Lawrenceville do not have health insurance coverage.

Approximately 85% of Lawrence County's residents have attained at least a high school graduate level education. Nearly 40% of Sumner’s adult population has not received a high school degree or equivalent. Over 30% of the population in Lawrenceville and St. Francisville have a graduate degree.

Lawrenceville has the largest proportion of housing units in the county. Over 30% of the housing stock in Bridgeport, Lawrenceville, and Russellville is renter occupied. Mobile home occupancy is above 20% in every incorporated area except for Lawrenceville. Lawrenceville. The median rent in Lawrence County is $731, which is below the Illinois median rent of $1,097. Vehicle access is relatively high across the county; at least 93% of households in each jurisdiction have vehicle access.

Industry in Lawernce County is dominated by educational services, healthcare, and manufacturing, accounting for 38% of employment in the county. No other industry employs more than 10% of the county, indicating a diverse employment landscape.

Toyota Boshoku is the largest employer in the county, employing 900 people. Of the top 11 employers in the county, nine of them are located in Lawrenceville.

Seven percent of Lawrence County residents work in agriculture. Lawrence County lies in the corn belt region and corn and soybeans dominate most of its land area. Approximately 94% of the total land in Lawrence County is used for farmland. Of this farmland, 91% is used for cropland, 4% for pastureland, 6% for woodland, and 3% for other. [INSERT IMAGE]

The number of farms, the area of farmland, and the average size of farms increased in Lawrence County between 2012 and 2017. Lawrence County is one of the few in the Greater Wabash region to see an increase in all three categories.