Effingham County, Illinois
Founding: 1831 Parent counties: Crawford and Fayette Namesake: Unclear—perhaps Thomas Howard, Earl of Effingham Seat: Ewington (1835–1859); Effingham (1859–) Land area: 479 square miles Population (2020): 34,668 Population (historic): 1,675 (1840); 7,816 (1860); 18,920 (1880); 20,465 (1900); 19,013 (1930) Periods of population growth: pre-1840–1900; 1930s; 1950–2000; 2010s Subdivisions: Two cities; one town; seven villages; 15 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,180 (14.7%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 36.2% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 4.9% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 10.7% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 6.8% Average farmhouse value (1930): $875 Average outbuilding value (1930): $749 Average farmhouse size (1940): 5.5 rooms Number of farms (1920): 2,223 Average farm size (1920): 101.9 acres Sources of settlement: ...