A small downstate hub where rural voting patterns hold firm
Effingham anchors a predominantly agricultural corridor in south-central Illinois, where Republican margins in federal races have consistently exceeded 40 points over the past decade, reflecting the region's deep rural conservative lean.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Effingham | 35K | R+60.3 | 3,617 | 15,124 | 19,084 | 19.2% |
| Effingham | 34K | R+60.3 | 3,617 | 15,124 | 19,084 | 19.2% |
| Effingham | 34K | R+60.3 | 3,617 | 15,124 | 19,084 | 19.2% |
| Effingham | 34K | R+60.3 | 3,617 | 15,124 | 19,084 | 19.2% |
| Cumberland | 11K | R+61.9 | 1,059 | 4,627 | 5,769 | 5.8% |
| Cumberland | 11K | R+61.9 | 1,059 | 4,627 | 5,769 | 5.8% |
| Cumberland | 11K | R+61.9 | 1,059 | 4,627 | 5,769 | 5.8% |
| Cumberland | 10K | R+61.9 | 1,059 | 4,627 | 5,769 | 5.8% |
| Group | Effingham, IL | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 96.5% | 57.4% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(9) | 1.5% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.2% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(3) | 0.5% | 6.0% |
▶Black / African American(1) | 0.2% | 12.2% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(4) | 0.2% | 0.9% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(1) | 0.1% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -17.9pp (vs national 4.5pp). A strongly Evangelical-leaning religious profile, which nationally correlates with Republican-leaning rural and exurban communities.
| Tradition | % Pop | % Adherents | US Pop | US Adherents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25.5% | 49.7% | — | — | |
| 18.6% | 36.3% | — | — | |
| 6.0% | 11.6% | — | — | |
| 1.2% | 2.4% | — | — | |
LDS (Mormon) | 0.7% | 1.5% | — | — |
Non-religiousPopulation | 48.6% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Effingham, IL metro area? 180,750 residents across 8 counties.
19% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 14pp below the national average. Places with similar education levels vote R+15 on average nationally.
Scale, voting-age share, and this geography's footprint inside the national electorate.
Income, attainment, and ownership indicators that often shape coalition structure and turnout behavior.
Age structure, language use, and nativity signals that explain how this geography differs from state and nation.
| Offices | Margin A | Margin B | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senate vs Governor | R+57.0 | R+64.5 | 7.6pp |