A southern Illinois coal-country corridor where margins run wide
Williamson County anchors this small metro, a historically union-Democrat stronghold that shifted sharply Republican over the past two decades as coal employment declined and cultural realignment reshaped working-class voting patterns.
| County | Pop. | Margin | Dem | Rep | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williamson | 67K | R+38.7 | 9,890 | 22,686 | 33,068 | 25.0% |
| Williamson | 67K | R+38.7 | 9,890 | 22,686 | 33,068 | 25.0% |
| Williamson | 64K | R+38.7 | 9,890 | 22,686 | 33,068 | 25.0% |
| Williamson | 61K | R+38.7 | 9,890 | 22,686 | 33,068 | 25.0% |
| Group | Marion-Herrin, IL | National |
|---|---|---|
▶White (Non-Hispanic)(13) | 91.5% | 57.4% |
▶Black / African American(6) | 3.7% | 12.2% |
▶Hispanic / Latino(11) | 2.0% | 19.3% |
Multiracial / Other | 1.6% | 4.0% |
▶Asian(6) | 0.9% | 6.0% |
▶Native American / Alaska Native(3) | 0.3% | 0.9% |
▶Middle Eastern / North African(3) | 0.1% | 0.9% |
Catholic-Evangelical edge: -51.4pp (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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23.8% | 64.8% | — | — | |
| 6.6% | 17.9% | — | — | |
| 5.2% | 14.2% | — | — | |
| 0.6% | 1.6% | — | — | |
| 0.5% | 1.5% | — | — | |
Non-religiousPopulation | 63.3% | — | — | — |
Who lives in the Marion-Herrin, IL metro area? 259,720 residents across 4 counties.
22% of adults hold a bachelor's degree — 11pp 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+34.2 | R+43.3 | 9.1pp |