Scott County is a county in Illinois, United States, on the east bank of the Illinois River in the west-central part of the state. It had a population of 4,949 at the 2020 census and covers 253 square miles (660 km2) — making it the fourth-least populous county in Illinois — centred near 39°39′N 90°29′W.
Winchester is the county seat, and its postal code is 62694. The county has one city, three villages, several unincorporated communities and census-designated places, and no organised township government. Scott County lies in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 17171.
Towns & Villages in Scott County
Scott County has one incorporated city (the county seat) and three incorporated villages; the rest of its settlements are unincorporated communities or census-designated places (CDPs) with no municipal government of their own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winchester | City · seat | 1,574 | 62694 |
| Bluffs | Village | 618 | 62621 |
| Manchester | Village | 265 | 62663 |
| Alsey | Village | 195 | — |
| Naples | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Exeter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glasgow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bloomfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Merritt | CDP | — | — |
| Oxville | CDP | — | — |
| Riggston | CDP | — | — |
Scott County is not organised into civil townships — it uses election precincts (Alsey, Bloomfield, Exeter-Bluffs, Glasgow, Manchester, Merritt, Naples-Bluffs and three Winchester precincts) for county-board representation instead. Several precinct names double as the settlement names above, which can read like townships on older maps.
ZIP Codes
- 62694 — Winchester (also serves Alsey, Naples, Glasgow and Bloomfield)
- 62621 — Bluffs
- 62663 — Manchester
Exeter, Merritt, Oxville and Riggston share ZIP codes with a nearby post-office town rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Scott County sits on rolling farmland between the Illinois River, which forms its entire western boundary, and the low bluffs that separate the river valley from the till plains to the east. The county has no lakes or reservoirs of note; drainage runs west to the Illinois River through small creeks. Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 36 and 67 cross the county, along with Illinois Routes 100 and 106.
Scott County borders Morgan County to the east, Greene County to the south, and Pike County across the Illinois River to the west; Cass County lies to the north.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 4,949 residents, with Winchester (1,574) and Bluffs (618) the two largest communities. Median household income in Scott County runs below the Illinois median of $80,306, typical of the state’s rural west-central counties. Population density is roughly 20 people per square mile, among the lowest of any Illinois county.
Economy & Local Life
Corn and soybean farming anchor the county’s economy, supplemented by livestock operations and small-scale manufacturing and trades based in Winchester. Winchester serves as the county’s retail, school and government center; Scott County shares its county fair and much of its labor market with neighboring Morgan County, and the county is grouped with Jacksonville in the federal Jacksonville, IL Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Scott County was organised in 1839 out of the western part of Morgan County. It was named for Scott County, Kentucky, the former home of a number of the area’s early settlers. Winchester was platted as the seat at the county’s founding and has held that role ever since; the county’s population peaked in the 19th century and has declined gradually as farms consolidated and rural population shifted toward larger towns.
Getting There
Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 36 and 67 provide the main road access to Scott County.
- Jacksonville, Illinois — about 15 miles east
- Springfield, Illinois — about 40 miles east
- Quincy, Illinois — about 50 miles west
- Alton / St. Louis metro area — about 60 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Scott County, Illinois?
It is in west-central Illinois, on the east bank of the Illinois River, between Jacksonville and the river.
What is the population of Scott County?
4,949 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-least populous county in Illinois.
How big is Scott County?
253 square miles (660 km2), of which about 251 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Scott County?
Winchester is the county seat.
How many towns and villages are in Scott County?
One city (Winchester), three villages (Bluffs, Manchester, Alsey) and several smaller unincorporated communities and census-designated places.
What ZIP codes are in Scott County?
The main ZIP codes are 62694 (Winchester), 62621 (Bluffs) and 62663 (Manchester).
Does Scott County have civil townships?
No — it uses election precincts instead of township government for county-board representation.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Illinois.