HarrisDemocratic39.4%8,278TrumpRepublican58.8%12,347KennedyIndependent1.6%340
R+19.4- Lead
- 4,069
- Total
- 20,995
- vs nation
- R+17.9
- Turnout
- 62.5%
Akashiccounty
Stephenson County, IL
Office (updates table and map)
President margin by year
Place winner margin
Boundary by 2024 margin · Precinct returns · VEST · MIT Election Lab
President results by year
2024 turnout 62.5% of 33,950 citizens 18+
BidenDemocratic41.0%9,055TrumpRepublican56.6%12,521JorgensenLibertarian1.5%328
R+15.7- Lead
- 3,466
- Total
- 22,111
- vs nation
- R+20.1
- Turnout
- 63.6%
ClintonDemocratic38.2%7,768TrumpRepublican54.5%11,083JohnsonLibertarian4.6%936
R+16.3- Lead
- 3,315
- Total
- 20,343
- vs nation
- R+18.4
- Turnout
- 56.8%
ObamaDemocratic48.1%10,165RomneyRepublican49.8%10,512JOHNSONLibertarian1.3%283
R+1.6- Lead
- 347
- Total
- 21,128
- vs nation
- R+5.5
- Turnout
- —
ObamaDemocratic52.5%11,349McCainRepublican45.9%9,909OtherAll other candidates1.6%347
D+6.7- Lead
- 1,440
- Total
- 21,605
- vs nation
- R+0.6
- Turnout
- —
KerryDemocratic41.8%8,913BushRepublican57.3%12,212OtherAll other candidates0.9%195
R+15.5- Lead
- 3,299
- Total
- 21,320
- vs nation
- R+13.0
- Turnout
- —
GoreDemocratic41.6%8,062BushRepublican55.3%10,715NaderGreen2.5%476
R+13.7- Lead
- 2,653
- Total
- 19,378
- vs nation
- R+14.2
- Turnout
- —
ClintonDemocratic39.4%7,145DoleRepublican48.9%8,871PerotReform10.7%1,940
R+9.5- Lead
- 1,726
- Total
- 18,125
- vs nation
- R+18.0
- Turnout
- —
Key facts
- 2024 presidential margin
- R+19.4MIT Election Lab
- Population
- 43,7682024 5-year
- Median household income
- $64,0432024 5-year
- White (non-Hispanic)
- 78.9%2024 5-year
- Black
- 8.5%2024 5-year
- Hispanic / Latino
- 5.6%2024 5-year
- Peak Democratic margin
- D+27.4 in 1912MIT Election Lab
- Peak Republican margin
- R+53.0 in 1920MIT Election Lab
- Most similar
- Lee County, IL · twin score 79.7
Midterm durability
Total general-election participants divided by same-year citizen voting-age population. These are total ballots or participating voters—not presidential candidate votes.
- 2024 total turnout
- 62.5%21,227 participants ÷ 33,950 CVAP
- 2020→2022 drop-off
- +14.4 ptsVolatile
- Drop-off versus state
- -7.7 ptsPositive means a larger decline than the statewide pattern
- Mechanical 2026 scenario
- 48.1%–50.7%Recent-cycle and two-cycle persistence scenarios; not a forecast
| Election | Participants | CVAP | Turnout | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 · Presidential | 20,343 | 35,830 | 56.8% | C/A |
| 2018 · Midterm | 16,734 | 35,158 | 47.6% | A/A |
| 2020 · Presidential | 22,111 | 34,751 | 63.6% | C/A |
| 2022 · Midterm | 17,013 | 34,545 | 49.2% | C/A |
| 2024 · Presidential | 21,227 | 33,950 | 62.5% | A/A |
Sources and methods
- 2016: numerator source 159, denominator source 157; top ticket votes; canonical-complete-contest-floor-v1; allocation share 0.0%; series 148/111.
- 2018: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 297/138.
- 2020: numerator source 159, denominator source 157; top ticket votes; canonical-complete-contest-floor-v1; allocation share 0.0%; series 152/2.
- 2022: numerator source 159, denominator source 157; top ticket votes; canonical-complete-contest-floor-v1; allocation share 0.0%; series 154/183.
- 2024: numerator source 158, denominator source 157; total voters participating; eavs-f1a-v1:observed:native; allocation share 0.0%; series 311/228.
Precinct data
Results by precinct
82 precincts · 21,227 votes
Precinct boundaries and identifiers are cycle-specific. This table does not join rows across years without a validated crosswalk.
| Precinct -FREEPORT 16FREEPORT 16 | 507 | 443 | 35 | 985 | 51.5% | 45.0% | D+6.5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Precinct -WEST POINT 1WEST POINT 1 | 238 | 673 | 39 | 950 | 25.1% | 70.8% | R+45.8 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 08FREEPORT 08 | 403 | 466 | 27 | 896 | 45.0% | 52.0% | R+7.0 |
| Precinct -ROCK GROVEROCK GROVE | 251 | 603 | 11 | 865 | 29.0% | 69.7% | R+40.7 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 14FREEPORT 14 | 449 | 347 | 33 | 829 | 54.2% | 41.9% | D+12.3 |
| Precinct -WEST POINT 2WEST POINT 2 | 255 | 555 | 13 | 823 | 31.0% | 67.4% | R+36.5 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 12FREEPORT 12 | 393 | 377 | 21 | 791 | 49.7% | 47.7% | D+2.0 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 13FREEPORT 13 | 449 | 313 | 20 | 782 | 57.4% | 40.0% | D+17.4 |
| Precinct -FLORENCEFLORENCE | 285 | 477 | 16 | 778 | 36.6% | 61.3% | R+24.7 |
| Precinct -LANCASTERLANCASTER | 229 | 526 | 15 | 770 | 29.7% | 68.3% | R+38.6 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 09FREEPORT 09 | 355 | 369 | 28 | 752 | 47.2% | 49.1% | R+1.9 |
| Precinct -RIDOTTRIDOTT | 211 | 512 | 23 | 746 | 28.3% | 68.6% | R+40.3 |
| Precinct -LORANLORAN | 173 | 539 | 16 | 728 | 23.8% | 74.0% | R+50.3 |
| Precinct -BUCKEYEBUCKEYE | 193 | 488 | 25 | 706 | 27.3% | 69.1% | R+41.8 |
| Precinct -ROCK RUN 2ROCK RUN 2 | 214 | 462 | 25 | 701 | 30.5% | 65.9% | R+35.4 |
| Precinct -HARLEM 1HARLEM 1 | 251 | 406 | 28 | 685 | 36.6% | 59.3% | R+22.6 |
| Precinct -ONECOONECO | 196 | 439 | 14 | 649 | 30.2% | 67.6% | R+37.4 |
| Precinct -HARLEM 2HARLEM 2 | 248 | 371 | 13 | 632 | 39.2% | 58.7% | R+19.5 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 07FREEPORT 07 | 291 | 313 | 15 | 619 | 47.0% | 50.6% | R+3.6 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 15FREEPORT 15 | 317 | 260 | 9 | 586 | 54.1% | 44.4% | D+9.7 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 10FREEPORT 10 | 287 | 262 | 20 | 569 | 50.4% | 46.0% | D+4.4 |
| Precinct -ROCK RUN 1ROCK RUN 1 | 133 | 412 | 16 | 561 | 23.7% | 73.4% | R+49.7 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 11FREEPORT 11 | 223 | 275 | 18 | 516 | 43.2% | 53.3% | R+10.1 |
| Precinct -WADDAMSWADDAMS | 92 | 352 | 10 | 454 | 20.3% | 77.5% | R+57.3 |
| Precinct -DAKOTADAKOTA | 79 | 299 | 12 | 390 | 20.3% | 76.7% | R+56.4 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 05FREEPORT 05 | 205 | 170 | 11 | 386 | 53.1% | 44.0% | D+9.1 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 03FREEPORT 03 | 203 | 169 | 13 | 385 | 52.7% | 43.9% | D+8.8 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 06FREEPORT 06 | 212 | 148 | 12 | 372 | 57.0% | 39.8% | D+17.2 |
| Precinct -SILVER CREEKSILVER CREEK | 97 | 258 | 11 | 366 | 26.5% | 70.5% | R+44.0 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 02FREEPORT 02 | 207 | 137 | 12 | 356 | 58.1% | 38.5% | D+19.7 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 04FREEPORT 04 | 186 | 153 | 5 | 344 | 54.1% | 44.5% | D+9.6 |
| Precinct -KENTKENT | 109 | 214 | 11 | 334 | 32.6% | 64.1% | R+31.4 |
| Precinct -WINSLOWWINSLOW | 52 | 217 | 9 | 278 | 18.7% | 78.1% | R+59.4 |
| Precinct -FREEPORT 01FREEPORT 01 | 182 | 74 | 8 | 264 | 68.9% | 28.0% | D+40.9 |
| Precinct -ERINERIN | 69 | 166 | 6 | 241 | 28.6% | 68.9% | R+40.2 |
| Precinct -JEFFERSONJEFFERSON | 34 | 102 | 2 | 138 | 24.6% | 73.9% | R+49.3 |
| BUCKEYE 1 Voting District17_1717701301 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| BUCKEYE 2 Voting District17_1717701302 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| DAKOTA Voting District17_1717701401 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ERIN Voting District17_1717700901 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FLORENCE 1 Voting District17_1717700301 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FLORENCE 2 Voting District17_1717700302 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 1 Voting District17_1717701801 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 10 Voting District17_1717701810 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 11 Voting District17_1717701811 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 12 Voting District17_1717701812 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 13 Voting District17_1717701813 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 14 Voting District17_1717701814 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 15 Voting District17_1717701815 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 16 Voting District17_1717701816 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 17 Voting District17_1717701817 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 18 Voting District17_1717701818 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 19 Voting District17_1717701819 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 2 Voting District17_1717701802 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 20 Voting District17_1717701820 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 21 Voting District17_1717701821 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 3 Voting District17_1717701803 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 4 Voting District17_1717701804 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 5 Voting District17_1717701805 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 6 Voting District17_1717701806 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 7 Voting District17_1717701807 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 8 Voting District17_1717701808 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| FREEPORT 9 Voting District17_1717701809 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| HARLEM 1 Voting District17_1717700801 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| HARLEM 2 Voting District17_1717700802 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| JEFFERSON Voting District17_1717700101 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| KENT Voting District17_1717701001 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| LANCASTER 1 Voting District17_1717700701 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| LANCASTER 2 Voting District17_1717700702 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| LORAN Voting District17_1717700201 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ONECO Voting District17_1717701601 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| RIDOTT 1 Voting District17_1717700501 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| RIDOTT 2 Voting District17_1717700502 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ROCK GROVE Voting District17_1717701501 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ROCK RUN 1 Voting District17_1717700601 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| ROCK RUN 2 Voting District17_1717700602 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| SILVER CREEK Voting District17_1717700401 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WADDAMS Voting District17_1717701201 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WEST POINT 1 Voting District17_1717701101 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WEST POINT 2 Voting District17_1717701102 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WEST POINT 3 Voting District17_1717701103 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
| WINSLOW Voting District17_1717701701 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | No votes |
presidential history
Presidential margin, 1892–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
| Year | Margin (D minus R) |
|---|---|
| 1892 | +1.9% |
| 1896 | −10.9% |
| 1900 | −7.8% |
| 1904 | −18.6% |
| 1908 | −5.9% |
| 1912 | +27.4% |
| 1916 | −21.4% |
| 1920 | −53.0% |
| 1924 | −38.1% |
| 1928 | −36.3% |
| 1932 | +8.7% |
| 1936 | +2.9% |
| 1940 | −22.3% |
| 1944 | −21.2% |
| 1948 | −17.4% |
| 1952 | −37.2% |
| 1956 | −38.3% |
| 1960 | −26.4% |
| 1964 | +8.0% |
| 1968 | −24.0% |
| 1972 | −35.9% |
| 1976 | −23.4% |
| 1980 | −22.5% |
| 1984 | −35.6% |
| 1988 | −20.5% |
| 1992 | −5.1% |
| 1996 | −9.5% |
| 2000 | −13.7% |
| 2004 | −15.5% |
| 2008 | +6.7% |
| 2012 | −1.6% |
| 2016 | −16.3% |
| 2020 | −15.7% |
| 2024 | −19.4% |
DemocraticRepublican
Federal and statewide elections · 3 House · 37 Senate · 3 Senate special · 13 governor
U.S. House
Each row shows U.S. House votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
U.S. Senate
Each row shows U.S. Senate votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
U.S. Senate special elections
Each row shows U.S. Senate special votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
Governor
Each row shows Governor votes counted inside this Place. “Vote lead” is the local lead here, not necessarily the winner of the full contest.
voter registration
Registered voters
Total registered voters, over time
Registered voters
| Year | Total registered |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 34,641 |
| 2018 | 34,853 |
| 2020 | 33,476 |
| 2022 | 28,385 |
| 2024 | 29,105 |
domestic migration
Who moves in and out
Net migration over time, and who arrivals are — where they came from and what those places vote
−17 net domestic migration · 2025
20112025
Net −3,655 over 2011–2025 · gain loss
Arrivals reported $45,908 in average income, against $68,914 for residents who stayed — 33% lower. (IRS SOI, 2022–23)
The places arrivals came from lean D+3.1 on average — 22 points more Democratic-leaning than Stephenson County, IL itself (R+19.4).
Where arrivals came from lean of each source
- Winnebago County, IL161D+0.6
- Ogle County, IL58R+29.3
- Cook County, IL57D+41.6
- Green County, WI45D+0.3
- Dane County, WI37D+51.5
- Carroll County, IL33R+31.7
Where departures went households, 2022–23
- Winnebago County, IL142
- Cook County, IL50
- Ogle County, IL47
- Green County, WI44
- Carroll County, IL43
- Jo Daviess County, IL34
Migration is one input to a place’s political change, not its cause — a shift can also come from residents changing their minds, generational turnover, or turnout. These figures describe the places people moved between; they do not measure how any mover voted.
| Year | Net domestic migration |
|---|---|
| 2011 | −252 |
| 2012 | −451 |
| 2013 | −191 |
| 2014 | −404 |
| 2015 | −612 |
| 2016 | −144 |
| 2017 | −461 |
| 2018 | −146 |
| 2019 | −252 |
| 2021 | −220 |
| 2022 | −246 |
| 2023 | −181 |
| 2024 | −78 |
| 2025 | −17 |
Stephenson County sits in Illinois's northwestern corner, anchored by Freeport, and has voted Republican in every presidential race since 2000 by double-digit margins, reflecting broader rural consolidation across the Driftless-adjacent Midwest.
Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 27.4 points in 1912 and a Republican high of 53.0 points in 1920. Between 2020 and 2024 the county moved 3.7 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 19.4 points.
A population of 43,768, a 79% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $64,043 describe the county. The county's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Lee County and Whiteside County.
Political twins — counties
The counties whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.
Lee County
Illinois
79.7twin score
% Catholicelasticity2012–2024 trajectory
Whiteside County
Illinois
79.6twin score
elasticity2008–2024 trajectory≠ 12-yr trend
Lincoln County
Wisconsin
77.6twin score
elasticity2008–2016 trajectory≠ Polish ancestry
Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.
Browse places by community — income, education, race & ethnicity, language — all community cuts →
Compare two places, side by side
Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →
Cite this page
All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
Stephenson County, Illinois. Akashic. https://akashic.app/county/17177/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Cities & towns in Stephenson County
Illinois at the ballot boxAll elections →
Frequently asked questions
How did Stephenson County, Illinois vote in 2024?
In 2024, Stephenson County, Illinois voted Republican by 19.4 points (R+19.4), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 20,995 votes cast, 8,278 went Democratic and 12,347 went Republican.
When did Stephenson County, Illinois last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Stephenson County, Illinois voted Democratic was 2008.
How many people live in Stephenson County, Illinois?
Stephenson County, Illinois has a population of 43,768 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Stephenson County, Illinois?
Median household income in Stephenson County, Illinois is $64,043 — below the national median of $80,734. The Illinois state median is $83,390.
What is the political history of Stephenson County, Illinois?
Akashic tracks 38 presidential elections in Stephenson County, Illinois from 1876 to 2024. Of those, 6 went Democratic and 28 went Republican.