| County: | Saline County |
| State: | Illinois |
| Seal: | Seal of Saline County, Illinois.svg |
| Founded: | 1847 |
| Seat Wl: | Harrisburg |
| Largest City Wl: | Harrisburg |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 387 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 380 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 7.0 |
| Area Percentage: | 1.8 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 23768 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Time Zone: | Central |
| Web: | http://www.salinecounty.illinois.gov/ |
| Ex Image: | Harrisburg, IL 1917 Saline County Courthouse.jpg |
| Ex Image Cap: | Former Saline County Courthouse in Harrisburg |
| District: | 12th |
| Named For: | Saline River |
Saline County is a county in Southern Illinois. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 23,768.[1] The largest city and county seat is Harrisburg.[2] This area of Southern Illinois is known locally as "Little Egypt".
Three major towns in Saline County are connected by U.S. Route 45, and formerly by the now-abandoned Cairo and Vincennes/Big Four/New York Central Line, from north to south: Eldorado, Harrisburg, and Carrier Mills.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (1.8%) is water.
The Saline County area is mostly rolling hills throughout gradually rising to the Hills of the Shawnee National Forest. The Saline River flows through the central point of the county in three forks: North, Middle, and South. To the north of Eldorado there are flat lowlands.[3]
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Harrisburg have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in February 1951 and a record high of was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in September to in May.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 24,913 people, 10,379 households, and 6,631 families residing in the county.[4] The population density was . There were 11,697 housing units at an average density of .[5] The racial makeup of the county was 93.0% white, 4.0% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.4% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population.[4] In terms of ancestry, 17.8% were Irish, 16.6% were German, 12.9% were American, and 11.1% were English.[6]
Of the 10,379 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.1% were non-families, and 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age was 41.7 years.[4]
The median income for a household in the county was $35,644 and the median income for a family was $46,314. Males had a median income of $41,108 versus $28,464 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,903. About 13.4% of families and 18.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.[7]
Saline County is divided into thirteen townships: