Named for the Illinois Indians, this state is known as the "Land of Lincoln," because it's where the 16th president was raised. Illinois became the 21st state in 1818, and its capital is Springfield. At the northern edge of the state on Lake Michigan is Chicago, the nation's third largest city. The state flower is the native violet.
State Flower: Violet
State Motto: State sovereignty, national union
State Nickname: Prairie State
State Bird: Cardinal
Land area, 2000 (square miles): 55,584
Length: 390 miles
Width: 210 miles
10 largest cities, 2010:
- Chicago: 2,695,598
- Aurora: 197,899
- Rockford: 152,871
- Joliet: 147,433
- Naperville: 141,853
- Springfield: 116,250
- Peoria: 115,007
- Elgin: 108,188
- Waukegan (Lake County): 89,078
- Cicero: 83,891
- Champaign: 81,055
Geographic Center: village of Chestnut, located between Lincoln and Decatur
about 28 miles northeast of Springfield
Geographic Center County: Logan
Highest Point: 1,235 ft. — Charles Mound
Lowest Point: 279 ft. — Mississippi River
Number of counties: 102
State parks: 187 public use areas
Persons per square mile, 2010: 230.8
Population, 2010: 12,830,632
Population, percent change, 2000 to 2010: 3.30%
Population, 2000: 12,419,658
Persons under 5 years old, percent, 2009: 6.90%
Persons under 18 years old, percent, 2009: 24.60%
Persons 65 years old and over, percent, 2009: 12.40%
Female persons, percent, 2009: 50.70%
White persons, percent, 2010 (a): 71.50%
Black persons, percent, 2010 (a): 14.50%
American Indian and Alaska Native persons, percent, 2010 (a): 0.30%
Asian persons, percent, 2010 (a): 4.60%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, percent, 2010 (a): 0.00%
Persons reporting two or more races, percent, 2010: 2.30%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin, percent, 2010 (b): 15.80%
White persons not Hispanic, persons, 2010: 63.70%
Living in same house 1 year ago, pct 1 yr old & over, 2005-2009: 85.50%
Foreign born persons, percent, 2005-2009: 13.40%
Language other than English spoken at home, pct age 5+, 2005-2009: 21.30%
High school graduates, percent of persons age 25+, 2005-2009: 85.70%
Bachelor's degree or higher, pct of persons age 25+, 2005-2009: 29.80%
Veterans, 2005-2009: 811,879
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16+, 2005-2009: 28.1
Housing units, 2009: 5,292,016
Homeownership rate, 2005-2009: 69.30%
Housing units in multi-unit structures, percent, 2005-2009: 33.20%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2005-2009: $200,400
Households, 2005-2009: 4,749,388
Persons per household, 2005-2009: 2.62
Per capita money income in past 12 months (2009 dollars) 2005-2009: $28,469
Median household income, 2009: $53,974
Persons below poverty level, percent, 2009: 13.30%
(a) Includes persons reporting only one race.
(b) Hispanics may be of any race, so also are included in applicable race categories.
D: Suppressed to avoid disclosure of confidential information
F: Fewer than 100 firms
FN: Footnote on this item for this area in place of data
NA: Not available
S: Suppressed; does not meet publication standards
X: Not applicable
Z: Value greater than zero but less than half unit of measure shown
GDP Data — Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
Population and Economic Data — US Census Bureau
Government Data — Congress.Org
