Lawrence County

Lawrence County is located in southeastern Illinois along the Indiana border, positioned on the eastern edge of the state’s Wabash Valley region. Established in 1821 and named for U.S. Navy officer James Lawrence, the county developed around early nineteenth-century settlement patterns tied to river corridors and agricultural land use. It is small in population by Illinois standards, with roughly 15,000–16,000 residents in recent decades. The county is predominantly rural, characterized by a mix of cropland, wooded areas, and river-influenced lowlands associated with the Wabash River system. Local employment and land use have historically centered on agriculture and related services, alongside small-scale manufacturing and public-sector jobs in its towns. Cultural life reflects the broader traditions of downstate Illinois, with communities oriented around schools, churches, and civic organizations. The county seat and largest city is Lawrenceville.

Lawrence County is located in southeastern Illinois along the Wabash River on the Indiana border, with its county seat in Lawrenceville. The county is part of the broader lower Wabash Valley region of eastern Illinois.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Lawrence County, Illinois, the county had a population of 15,280 (2020).

Age & Gender

County-level age distribution and sex breakdown are published by the U.S. Census Bureau. For Lawrence County’s age profile and sex composition (including median age and detailed age brackets), use the county’s profile in data.census.gov (search “Lawrence County, Illinois” and view tables in the ACS demographic profile subject area).

A single, official “gender ratio” value (e.g., males per 100 females) is not consistently presented as a standalone metric on QuickFacts; sex composition is available in Census tables via data.census.gov.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Lawrence County, Illinois, the county’s racial and ethnic composition is reported in standard Census categories, including:

• White alone
• Black or African American alone
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone
• Asian alone
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
• Two or more races
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race)

For the most detailed county-level breakdowns (including “alone or in combination” race tabulations and ACS-based race/ethnicity detail tables), use data.census.gov for Lawrence County, Illinois.

Household & Housing Data

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Lawrence County, Illinois, Lawrence County household and housing indicators are available from official Census sources, including:

• Number of households
• Average household size
• Owner-occupied housing rate
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units
• Median selected monthly owner costs
• Median gross rent
• Total housing units

For local government reference and planning resources, visit the Lawrence County, Illinois official website.

Lawrence County, Illinois is a largely rural county with low population density, which tends to increase per-household infrastructure costs and can limit last‑mile options; these factors shape how residents access digital communication such as email. Direct county-level email usage rates are generally not published, so broadband and device access are used as proxies for likely email adoption.

Digital access indicators for Lawrence County (e.g., household broadband subscription and computer availability) are available through the U.S. Census Bureau’s data portal (ACS), which is commonly used to assess readiness for routine online services, including email. Age structure is also a key proxy: older median age and a higher share of seniors, reported in ACS profiles for the county, typically correlate with lower adoption of some online communication tools compared with prime working-age populations.

Gender distribution is reported in ACS but is not a primary driver of email access compared with age, income, and connectivity.

Connectivity limitations are reflected in rural broadband coverage gaps and provider availability metrics tracked by the FCC National Broadband Map, indicating where service quality and competition may constrain consistent email access.

Lawrence County is in southeastern Illinois along the Wabash River corridor, with most land use and settlement patterns characteristic of a rural Midwestern county (small cities, unincorporated areas, and agricultural land). Rural road networks, greater distances between towers, and tree cover along river/creek corridors can affect signal strength and the economics of dense cell-site deployment. County-level population density and housing patterns are available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s geography and population products on Census.gov (county profiles and American Community Survey tables).

Key distinction: network availability vs. household adoption

• Network availability describes where mobile operators report coverage (for voice and data technologies such as LTE/4G and 5G).
• Household adoption describes whether residents subscribe to mobile service and the devices they use (smartphone vs. non-smartphone), and whether mobile is used as a primary internet connection.

These measures do not move in lockstep: reported coverage may exist in an area where adoption is limited by affordability, device availability, or preference for fixed broadband, and mobile subscription may be high in areas where in-building performance is uneven.

Network availability (coverage) in Lawrence County

FCC mobile coverage reporting (4G/5G)

The primary federal source for modeled, carrier-reported mobile coverage is the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC). The FCC publishes interactive maps and downloadable data that include:

• LTE/4G and 5G coverage footprints by provider
• Technology type and typical advertised performance tiers
• Location-based reporting that can be compared with local observations and challenges

Relevant sources:

• The FCC’s national broadband map on the FCC Broadband Map (coverage layers for LTE and 5G).
• FCC background on methodology and data collection on the FCC Broadband Data Collection page.

County-level limitation: FCC mobile availability data is fundamentally map-based. It is not published as a single “percent covered” metric for each county in a way that cleanly separates outdoor, in-vehicle, and indoor coverage. Coverage should be interpreted as modeled service availability rather than a guarantee of performance at every location.

4G vs. 5G availability patterns

• 4G/LTE is typically the most geographically extensive mobile broadband layer in rural counties and is generally the baseline for smartphone connectivity and mobile data use.
• 5G availability is often present along higher-traffic corridors and near population centers first, with more limited reach in sparsely populated areas compared with LTE. The FCC map is the authoritative public reference for the presence of 5G layers by provider at specific locations.

County-level limitation: Public datasets do not provide a standardized, countywide breakdown of “share of residents with 4G vs 5G access” that simultaneously accounts for indoor coverage and device compatibility; the most reliable public approach is location-by-location assessment via FCC coverage layers.

Household adoption and mobile penetration indicators (where available)

Mobile subscription access indicators

County-level adoption signals can be drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), which includes measures of:

• Households with a cellular data plan
• Households with a smartphone
• Households with broadband (including fixed and mobile-related measures)

These measures are typically published at the county level in ACS 1-year (for large populations) or 5-year estimates (more common for rural counties). Primary entry points include:

• data.census.gov (ACS tables searchable by county and topic such as “computer and internet use”).
• ACS program documentation on the American Community Survey site.

County-level limitation: The ACS measures household access and subscription characteristics, not continuous signal quality, speed, latency, or reliability. “Cellular data plan” and “smartphone” variables indicate adoption and device access, not whether service performs well everywhere in the county.

Mobile-only vs. mixed connectivity

ACS and other public survey products can indicate whether households rely on mobile as part of their internet access profile, but they do not fully capture:

• Data caps and throttling impacts
• In-building reception challenges
• Seasonal variability in network load
• Actual throughput distributions at fine geography

For a fixed vs. mobile broadband context in Illinois, statewide planning and assessment materials are commonly consolidated by the state broadband office:

• Illinois Office of Broadband (Connect Illinois) (state broadband planning, mapping references, and program materials).

Mobile internet usage patterns (usage vs. availability)

Public, county-specific data on how residents use mobile internet (streaming, telehealth, remote work, hotspot use, primary-home internet substitution) is limited. The most defensible county-level indicators typically available are:

• Household device access (smartphone)
• Household subscription (cellular data plan)
• Fixed broadband availability/adoption context (which often correlates with the degree of mobile substitution)

For network performance measurement beyond availability, consumer speed-test aggregators exist, but they are not official statistical series and may be biased by sample composition. For definitive public-sector sources, FCC availability data and ACS adoption data are the standard references.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

County-level device-type information is most consistently available through ACS indicators such as:

• Smartphone ownership/access (household-level)
• Other computing devices (desktop/laptop/tablet) in “computer and internet use” tables

These data support a practical distinction:

• Smartphones: primary endpoint for mobile broadband use and the most common device type associated with cellular data plans.
• Non-smartphone mobile devices (basic phones, dedicated hotspots): less consistently measured in public county tables; hotspots may appear indirectly through “cellular data plan” use rather than device counts.

County-level limitation: Public datasets generally do not provide a complete inventory of device models (e.g., 5G-capable handset share) at the county level. Device capability is a key mediator between network availability (5G present) and realized use (5G experienced).

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Lawrence County

Rural settlement pattern and tower economics

• Lower population density typically reduces the economic incentive for dense cell-site grids, which can lead to larger coverage cells and greater variability in speeds and in-building reception.
• Agricultural land and dispersed housing can increase “last mile” distance for both fixed and mobile infrastructure, affecting the relative attractiveness of mobile-only internet in some households.

County geography and rurality context can be referenced via:

• County geography and population products on Census.gov.
• Local government context through Lawrence County’s official website.

Income, age, and household composition

• ACS routinely shows strong associations between income, age, and internet/device adoption at sub-state geographies (including counties), especially for smartphone access and subscription type.
• In many rural counties, older age distributions and lower median incomes (relative to urban Illinois) can correspond with differences in smartphone adoption, reliance on fixed broadband, and mobile substitution patterns; these relationships can be described using county ACS demographic profiles rather than inferred.

Authoritative demographic baselines are available through:

• data.census.gov (county demographic and socioeconomic tables).

Terrain, vegetation, and corridor effects

• Southeastern Illinois is generally not mountainous, but tree cover, river/creek corridors, and building materials influence practical reception, especially at the margins of coverage.
• Major roads and population centers commonly receive earlier and denser upgrades (including 5G layers), while sparsely populated areas more often rely primarily on LTE coverage footprints.

County-level limitation: Public datasets do not quantify the impact of vegetation or building materials on coverage at the county level; these are engineering factors that explain why modeled availability may not match indoor experience.

Summary of what is measurable at county level

• Network availability (4G/5G): Best measured using the FCC’s location-based coverage layers on the FCC Broadband Map.
• Household adoption (cellular plan, smartphone access): Best measured using ACS tables via data.census.gov.
• Usage patterns (how mobile is used day-to-day): Limited in definitive county-level public statistics; indirect indicators come from ACS device and subscription variables and from statewide broadband assessments such as Illinois Office of Broadband (Connect Illinois).

Lawrence County is a small, predominantly rural county in southeastern Illinois along the Wabash River, with Lawrenceville as the county seat. Its local context is shaped by a dispersed settlement pattern, commuting ties to nearby regional labor markets, and a mix of agriculture, small manufacturing, and public-sector employment—factors that generally align social media use more closely with statewide and national rural patterns than with large-metro Illinois.

User statistics (penetration and active use)

• Overall adult social media use: Nationally, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults (≈69%) report using at least one social media site, based on Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.
• Rural vs. urban pattern: Rural adults consistently report lower social media adoption than urban/suburban adults in major U.S. surveys; Pew reports social media use is lowest among rural residents relative to suburban and urban peers (see the same Pew fact sheet for the latest breakout). Lawrence County’s rural profile indicates a penetration level more consistent with rural benchmarks than with the Chicago metro.
• Smartphone access (key enabler): Social access is tightly linked to smartphone ownership; Pew’s Mobile Fact Sheet provides current national smartphone adoption levels, which are typically lower in rural areas and among older adults, affecting platform activity rates in counties like Lawrence.

Age group trends

• Highest-use ages: Adults 18–29 have the highest social media usage across platforms, followed by 30–49; usage declines among 50–64 and is lowest among 65+, according to Pew Research Center.
• Platform-specific age skew (typical in rural counties):
  • Facebook tends to be relatively strong among 30–64 and remains common among 65+ compared with other platforms.
  • Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat skew younger, concentrated in 18–29 and 30–49 adult ranges (platform-by-platform splits are summarized in Pew’s fact sheet).

Gender breakdown

• Overall pattern: Gender differences vary by platform more than by overall “any social media” use. Pew’s platform demographic tables commonly show:
  • Women over-indexing on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest
  • Men more represented on platforms such as Reddit and some discussion-oriented or video-centric spaces (platform-dependent)
• In rural Midwestern counties, the gender profile typically mirrors these national platform skews, with Facebook remaining broadly balanced but slightly higher among women in many surveys.

Most-used platforms (share of U.S. adults; commonly used as local benchmark)

Reliable, regularly updated platform shares for a specific county are generally not published publicly; national survey shares are the standard benchmark used for rural-county approximations. Pew reports the following U.S. adult usage levels by platform (see the latest percentages in the Pew Social Media Fact Sheet):

• YouTube (highest reach among major platforms)
• Facebook (broad adult reach; typically the most pervasive “social network” in rural communities)
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• TikTok
• LinkedIn
• X (formerly Twitter)
• Snapchat
• WhatsApp
• Reddit

In Lawrence County’s rural context, Facebook and YouTube are generally the most ubiquitous due to wide age coverage and utility for local news, community groups, and entertainment.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns and preferences)

• Community information-seeking: Rural counties often use Facebook Pages and Groups for community announcements, school and sports updates, event promotion, local buy/sell activity, and informal news circulation—behaviors consistent with Facebook’s broad reach among adults reported by Pew Research Center.
• Video-first consumption: YouTube’s high penetration supports a consumption-heavy pattern (how-to content, music, local-interest video), with sharing frequently occurring through Facebook rather than within YouTube itself.
• Generational platform splitting:
  • Older adults (50+) tend to concentrate activity on Facebook and YouTube, with relatively lower adoption of fast-growth youth platforms.
  • Younger adults (18–29) show more multi-platform behavior (Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat alongside YouTube), reflecting the age gradients summarized by Pew.
• Engagement cadence: Rural users often show episodic but high-intent engagement (checking local posts, events, school/weather updates), while younger cohorts show higher frequency engagement on short-form video and messaging-centered platforms.
• Practical utility over brand-following: Following local institutions (schools, county agencies, churches, local businesses) and peer networks typically outweighs following national brands, aligning with rural community-network dynamics documented in broader rural internet and social research streams captured across Pew’s internet reporting, including its Internet & Technology research.

Lawrence County, Illinois maintains family and associate-related public records through county and state agencies. Vital records commonly include birth and death certificates held locally by the county clerk and statewide by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH); marriage records are also typically recorded by the county clerk. Adoption records are generally handled through Illinois courts and state systems and are not treated as open public records.

Public database access is limited for vital records. Most certified vital records are provided by request rather than through searchable online public indexes. Property-related and some court-related filings that can reflect family or associate ties (deeds, liens, civil and criminal case dockets, probate filings) are maintained by the Lawrence County Circuit Clerk and Recorder’s office functions, where applicable.

Residents access county-held records primarily in person or by written request through the courthouse offices, and access to statewide vital records is available through IDPH. Official starting points include the Lawrence County, Illinois official website and the Illinois Department of Public Health Vital Records page.

Privacy and restrictions: Illinois law restricts access to birth and death certificates to eligible requesters and limits disclosure of adoption records. Court case files may include sealed or confidential matters (including certain juvenile and family proceedings), and identification may be required for certified copies.

Types of records maintained

• Marriage records (licenses and certificates)
  Lawrence County maintains records created when a couple applies for and receives a marriage license in the county. These are commonly referred to as marriage licenses and recorded marriage certificates/returns.

• Divorce records (decrees/judgments and case files)
  Divorces are documented as civil court cases. The final outcome is recorded as a Judgment for Dissolution of Marriage (often called a divorce decree), along with associated pleadings and orders in the case file.

• Annulment records (declarations of invalidity)
  Annulments are handled by the circuit court as cases seeking a Declaration of Invalidity of Marriage. Final orders and the underlying case file are maintained with other civil case records.

Where records are filed and how they are accessed

• Lawrence County Clerk (Vital records at the county level)

  • Marriage licenses/recorded marriages are filed and recorded with the Lawrence County Clerk, which serves as the local registrar for marriage records created in the county.
  • Access is commonly provided through certified copies or certified statements/abstracts issued by the County Clerk, subject to office procedures, identification requirements, and applicable fees.

• Lawrence County Circuit Court Clerk (Court records)

  • Divorce (dissolution) and annulment (invalidity) case files and final judgments are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Lawrence County (Illinois First Judicial Circuit).
  • Access is commonly provided by case number/name search where available, and by requesting copies of specific documents from the Circuit Clerk, subject to court rules, redactions, and copying/certification fees.

• Illinois Department of Public Health (state-level indexes/verification)

  • Illinois maintains state-level vital records functions through the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Division of Vital Records. For marriages and divorces, IDPH typically provides verification (often in the form of a “certificate of verification”) and maintains statewide indexes for certain years rather than issuing full county marriage licenses or full divorce decrees.
  • Reference: Illinois Department of Public Health – Marriage and divorce records

Typical information included

• Marriage license / recorded marriage record

  • Full names of the parties (including prior names where reported)
  • Date and place of marriage (and county of license/recording)
  • Ages or dates of birth (varies by era and form used)
  • Residences/addresses at time of application (varies)
  • Marital status (single/divorced/widowed), sometimes number of prior marriages (varies)
  • Names of parents (often included historically; modern forms vary)
  • Officiant’s name and authority; date officiant returned the completed license
  • Witness information may appear depending on the form and time period

• Divorce (dissolution) judgment/decree and register of actions

  • Caption (party names), court, case number
  • Date filed and date of judgment
  • Type of action (dissolution of marriage; legal separation; allocation of parental responsibilities)
  • Orders on marital status, property division, maintenance (spousal support)
  • Orders regarding children (allocation of parental responsibilities/parenting time, child support)
  • Findings related to grounds/irretrievable breakdown under Illinois law
  • Subsequent orders (modifications, enforcement, fees, name change, etc.) reflected in the docket/register

• Annulment (declaration of invalidity) orders and case file

  • Caption (party names), court, case number
  • Date filed and date of final order
  • Legal basis for invalidity under Illinois statutes
  • Orders addressing status, property, support, and parenting issues where applicable

Privacy and legal restrictions

• Marriage records

  • Marriage records are generally treated as public records, but access to certified copies is controlled by the custodian office’s procedures. Certain information may be redacted on copies provided to the public consistent with privacy laws and administrative practice.

• Divorce and annulment court records

  • Court records are generally public, but sealed files, impounded exhibits, and protected personal identifiers (such as Social Security numbers and certain financial account information) are restricted from public disclosure.
  • Records involving minors, sensitive allegations, and certain family-law filings may be subject to confidentiality protections, redaction requirements, or court-ordered sealing under Illinois Supreme Court rules and applicable statutes.

• State-level “verification” vs. full documents

  • IDPH typically issues verification of the fact of marriage or divorce for indexed periods rather than the full county marriage record or the full divorce decree. Full divorce decrees and case files are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk, and full marriage records are maintained by the County Clerk.

Lawrence County is in far southeastern Illinois along the Wabash River on the Indiana border. The county is largely rural, with population concentrated in the county seat (Lawrenceville) and small towns (including Bridgeport and Sumner). Community context is characterized by a small-town service economy, agriculture and light manufacturing, and regional commuting to larger employment centers in adjacent counties and across the state line.

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

Public K–12 education in Lawrence County is provided primarily through four districts serving Lawrenceville, Bridgeport, Sumner, and rural areas. School counts and names vary with grade configurations and consolidations; the most consistently listed campuses include:

• Lawrence County Community Unit School District 20 (Lawrenceville): Lawrenceville Elementary School and Lawrenceville High School
• Bridgeport School District 2 / Red Hill CUSD 10 (Bridgeport area): commonly listed campuses include Bridgeport Grade School and the Red Hill junior/senior high campus (district configuration reported through district listings)
• Sumner School District 17 / Red Hill CUSD 10 (Sumner area): commonly listed campuses include Sumner Attendance Center plus the Red Hill junior/senior high campus
• Lawrence County CUSD 10 (rural areas): reported through district listings for countywide service areas

For authoritative, current campus lists and grade spans, use the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) District and School Report Card directory for the county and districts (publicly maintained): Illinois Report Card (ISBE).

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratios: Countywide ratios are not typically published as a single figure; ratios are reported by district/school on the ISBE report cards. Rural Illinois districts commonly fall in the low-to-mid teens (students per teacher) as a practical proxy, but the definitive ratios are district-specific and should be taken from the latest district report cards on the Illinois Report Card.
• High school graduation rates: Reported by the high school(s) serving the county (not as a single countywide statistic in many cases). The most recent 4-year cohort graduation rate is published per high school on the Illinois Report Card.

Adult education levels (attainment)

Adult educational attainment is available from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). For Lawrence County, Illinois (ACS 5-year estimates, most recent release):

• High school diploma or higher (age 25+): county-level share reported in ACS table profiles (commonly below the Illinois statewide average in many rural downstate counties).
• Bachelor’s degree or higher (age 25+): county-level share reported in ACS (typically well below the Illinois statewide average in many rural downstate counties).

Definitive county percentages are published in ACS tables and can be retrieved through data.census.gov (search “Lawrence County, Illinois educational attainment”).

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, AP)

• Career and technical education (CTE)/vocational programming in rural Illinois counties is commonly delivered through district CTE offerings and regional career centers; specific program inventories (e.g., welding, health occupations, ag mechanics, business/IT pathways) are reported at the district level in board materials and state reporting.
• Advanced Placement (AP) and dual credit opportunities are typically offered at the high school level where staffing and course demand support them; availability and participation are school-specific and reported on the Illinois Report Card (including course participation and readiness indicators where reported).

Because countywide program catalogs are not consistently centralized, the most recent definitive program indicators are best represented by the ISBE report cards for each high school serving Lawrence County.

School safety measures and counseling resources

• Illinois public schools operate under state requirements for emergency operations planning, safety drills, and threat assessment practices, with district policies generally covering controlled access procedures, visitor management, and coordination with local law enforcement. District-specific safety plans are typically summarized in board policies and annual notices.
• Student support services generally include access to school counselors and, in many districts, contracted or cooperative school social work/psychological services through regional cooperatives. Staffing levels and service models are reported by district and building in state staffing and report card documentation; the most reliable single source is the Illinois Report Card for each district.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

The most recent annual unemployment rate is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). Lawrence County’s unemployment rate varies year to year and is reported as:

• Annual average unemployment rate (county): available in BLS LAUS county series and Illinois Department of Employment Security releases.

Definitive current-year and prior-year annual averages are available via BLS LAUS (county data) and Illinois labor market publications.

Major industries and employment sectors

Industry employment in Lawrence County follows typical patterns for rural southeastern Illinois:

• Educational services and health care/social assistance
• Retail trade
• Manufacturing (often small to mid-sized plants relative to metropolitan areas)
• Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (important in land use and seasonal employment; smaller share of wage-and-salary jobs than total economic footprint)
• Public administration
• Transportation/warehousing and construction (often tied to regional project cycles)

The definitive sector breakdown (share of employed residents by NAICS industry) is published in ACS “industry by occupation” tables for the county via data.census.gov.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Common occupational groups in similar rural counties include:

• Management, business, science, and arts occupations
• Service occupations (healthcare support, protective service, food service)
• Sales and office occupations
• Natural resources, construction, and maintenance
• Production, transportation, and material moving

County shares by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) major group are reported in ACS occupation tables at data.census.gov.

Commuting patterns and mean commute times

• Commuting mode: Most workers in Lawrence County commute by driving alone, with smaller shares carpooling; remote work shares are reported in ACS and increased relative to pre-2020 levels.
• Mean travel time to work: Reported by ACS for the county (typical rural county commute times often fall in the mid‑20-minute range as a proxy, but the definitive mean is county-specific in the latest ACS release).

The definitive county mean commute time and mode split are available in ACS commuting tables on data.census.gov.

Local employment versus out-of-county work

Lawrence County exhibits a common rural pattern in which:

• A material share of residents work outside the county (including cross-county and cross-state commuting into Indiana), while local employment is concentrated in public sector services, education, health care, retail, and smaller industrial employers. Definitive “worked in county of residence vs. outside” and workplace geography are reported in ACS journey-to-work tables accessible on data.census.gov.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Housing tenure (owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied) is reported by the ACS for Lawrence County:

• Homeownership rate: typically higher than large-metro averages in rural Illinois counties, reflecting single-family housing dominance.
• Rental share: concentrated in Lawrenceville and other town centers with smaller multifamily inventory.

Definitive county tenure percentages are available through ACS housing tenure tables on data.census.gov.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median value of owner-occupied housing units is published in ACS. In rural downstate Illinois, median values are typically substantially below the Illinois statewide median, with recent years showing modest appreciation relative to metropolitan markets.
• Recent trend data are best represented by comparing successive ACS 5-year releases (median value) and/or third-party transaction-based indices; ACS remains the standard public reference for countywide medians.

County median value is available on data.census.gov (search “Lawrence County IL median home value”).

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent is published in ACS and provides the best countywide reference point. Rural counties generally report lower median rents than metro Illinois, with limited newer multifamily supply influencing the distribution.

Definitive median gross rent is available on data.census.gov (search “Lawrence County IL median gross rent”).

Types of housing

• Single-family detached homes: dominant in towns and rural areas.
• Manufactured housing: present in rural settings and smaller communities.
• Apartments/multifamily: limited inventory, primarily in Lawrenceville and other small towns.
• Rural lots and farm-adjacent housing: common outside incorporated areas, with larger parcels and greater reliance on septic systems and well water in some locations.

Housing unit type shares (single-family, multifamily, mobile home) are reported in ACS “units in structure” tables on data.census.gov.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

• Town-center neighborhoods in Lawrenceville typically provide closer proximity to schools, civic services, and retail corridors, with walkability higher than unincorporated areas.
• Outlying areas feature lower-density rural residential patterns, longer driving distances to schools and health services, and a greater reliance on regional hubs for specialized retail and medical care.

Because neighborhood-level metrics are not consistently published for unincorporated areas, the county profile is best characterized using municipality-based location patterns and ACS tract data where available.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

• Illinois property taxes are assessed locally and can be comparatively high relative to home values in many downstate counties. Countywide “average rate” varies by township, school district, and taxing bodies; effective tax rates are more meaningful than statutory rates.
• Typical homeowner cost is most reliably represented by median real estate taxes paid from ACS and by parcel-level bills from the county treasurer.

Definitive local tax bill information is available through the Lawrence County Treasurer and assessment records (county sources), while median taxes paid can be retrieved through ACS housing cost tables on data.census.gov.