American aerial county history series : - Illinois Ancestors

plants in the Quality and other gardens of the city. These showplaces are sponsored
by the Garden Club of Freeport. The National Iris Society has twice held its
annual show in Freeport.
STEPHENSON COUNTY TODAY
On the basis of latest United State; census figures, a statistical profile may
be drawn of Stephenson County as ir was in 1950. This will show that it then had
a total population of 41,595— an increase of 2.3 per cent over its 1940 figure. Its
largest city and county seat, Freeprvrt. nad a population of 22,467.
With a land area of 568 square miles, the county's density of population was
73 inhabitants per square mile. Of the county's total population, 22,467 were
classified as urban (all of whom lived in Freeport), 10,055 as rural farm dwellers
and 9,073 as rural non-farm residents. There were 3,998 infants under five years
of age in the county in 1950, and 4,805 persons sixty-five years old and over. The
median age was given as 33-6 years. The number of potential voters then was
27,774.
Under the heading of vital statistics, Stephenson County in
births, 464 deaths (including 23 infants), and 393 marriages.
1950 had 850 live
There 'vere 11,120 tamiIies(two or more persons related by marriage or blood)
in the county then, and the median income of all of these families was given as
$3,231. Slightly more than 24 per cent of these families had incomes of less than
12,000, while 19.4 per cent had incomes of $5,000 or more.
In the field of education, the county had a total of 6,830 young persons between
the ages of seven and seventeen years (school age). There were 4,370 between
the ages of seven and thirteen years (primary school age), and 95-0 per cent
of these were enrolled in primary schools. The figures also showed there were
1,885 between the ages of fourteen and seventeen (high school age), and 84.5 per
cent of these were enrolled in high schools.
In 1950 the county had a total potential labor force of 31,810 (persons fourteen
years old and over). Actually employed, however, were 17,794, of which 83.1
per cent were males and 31.2 per cent females. The labor figures revealed further
that 4,292 were employed in manufacturing, 3,731 in agriculture, 2,960 in retail
and wholesale trade, 1,347 in professional and related services, 1,294 in transportation,
communication and other public utilities, 837 in business and personal
services, 787 in construction, 736 in finance, insurance and real estate, and 29 in
mining. The labor figures were concluded by showing that 25.0 per cent of the
total employed in Stephenson County during 1950 were engaged in manufacturing,
while 21.7 per cent were engaged in agriculture.
With reference to housing, the county had a total of 13,120 dwelling units in
1950 (in 1940 its total was 12,036). The median number of rooms per unit was
10