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Mount Sterling, Illinois

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Mount Sterling, Illinois
City
Former train station in Mount Sterling
Former train station in Mount Sterling
Official logo of Mount Sterling, Illinois
Logo
Map
Interactive map of Mount Sterling, Illinois
Mount Sterling is located in Illinois
Mount Sterling
Mount Sterling
Location within Illinois
Mount Sterling is located in the United States
Mount Sterling
Mount Sterling
Location within the United States
Coordinates: 39°59′12″N 90°45′55″W / 39.98667°N 90.76528°W / 39.98667; -90.76528
Country United States
State Illinois
CountyBrown
TownshipMount Sterling
Government
 • MayorBillie Burge
Area
[1]
 • Total
1.11 sq mi (2.87 km2)
 • Land1.11 sq mi (2.87 km2)
 • Water0 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0%
Elevation
[2]
735 ft (224 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
2,006
 • Estimate 
(2024)[3]
2,031 Increase
 • Density1,810.0/sq mi (698.86/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)
62353
Area code217
FIPS code17-51154
GNIS feature ID2395125[2]
Wikimedia CommonsMount Sterling, Illinois
Websitebrowncountyil.org/mtsterling/

Mount Sterling is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,006 at the 2020 census.

Foodservice distributor Dot Foods is based in Mount Sterling.

History

[edit]

Mount Sterling was organized in 1854. It did not have a courthouse until 1868, although it was designated the county seat from when the county was organized.[4]

Mount Sterling was one of several Illinois towns that publicly competed for a new state prison in one of the state's prison sweepstakes competitions. During the 1987 competition, the town of Flora famously produced the "Is We Is or Is We Isn't/Gonna Get Ourselves A Prison" video. Ultimately, Mount Sterling won the 1987 competition and the state constructed the Western Illinois Correctional Center along State Highway 99 a mile south of town. In 1989 immediately prior to opening, the prison hosted a "Spend a night in prison" event for state and local dignitaries and prominent business-owners, an event that ultimately soured some of its participants on the economic value of prisons to small town economies.

Geography

[edit]

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Mount Sterling has a total area of 1.11 square miles (2.87 km2), all land.[5]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850556—
18701,352—
18801,4456.9%
18901,65514.5%
19001,96018.4%
19101,9861.3%
19201,932−2.7%
19301,724−10.8%
19402,14024.1%
19502,2465.0%
19602,2620.7%
19702,182−3.5%
19802,1860.2%
19901,922−12.1%
20002,0707.7%
20102,025−2.2%
20202,006−0.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]

Racial and ethnic composition

[edit]
Mount Sterling city, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[7] Pop 2010[8] Pop 2020[9] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 2,027 1,965 1,874 97.92% 97.04% 93.42%
Black or African American alone (NH) 3 9 25 0.14% 0.44% 1.25%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 0 2 2 0.00% 0.10% 0.10%
Asian alone (NH) 6 9 5 0.29% 0.44% 0.25%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) 3 1 0 0.14% 0.05% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 0 3 0 0.00% 0.15% 0.00%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 11 15 69 0.53% 0.74% 3.44%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20 21 31 0.97% 1.04% 1.55%
Total 2,070 2,025 2,006 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

[edit]

As of the 2020 census, Mount Sterling had a population of 2,006. The median age was 37.6 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 89.5 males age 18 and over.[10][11]

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[12]

There were 841 households in Mount Sterling, of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 37.6% were married-couple households, 23.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 43.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[10]

There were 989 housing units at an average density of 892.60 per square mile (344.63/km2), of which 15.0% were vacant. The population density was 1,810.47 inhabitants per square mile (699.03/km2). The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.2%.[13][10]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[11]
RaceNumberPercent
White1,87593.5%
Black or African American251.2%
American Indian and Alaska Native50.2%
Asian50.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander00.0%
Some other race60.3%
Two or more races904.5%

Income and poverty

[edit]

The median income for a household in the city was $45,536, and the median income for a family was $73,693. Males had a median income of $43,019 versus $31,469 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,433. About 6.4% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.6% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

[edit]

Mount Sterling is home to Brown County Community Unit School District 1, which contains an elementary school, middle school, and Brown County High School. The sports teams for the district are referred to as the "Hornets".[14]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mount Sterling, Illinois
  3. ↑ "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. U.S. Department of Commerce. March 2025. Retrieved August 31, 2025.
  4. ↑ History of Mount Sterling
  5. ↑ "Gazetteer Files". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 29, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Mount Sterling city, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  8. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mount Sterling city, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  9. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Mount Sterling city, Illinois". United States Census Bureau.
  10. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  11. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  12. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Brown County School District Home of the Hornets". www.bchornets.com.
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