Edwards County is a county in Illinois, United States, on the state’s southeastern edge along the Bonpas Creek. It had a population of 6,245 at the 2020 census and covers 223 square miles (578 km2), centred near 38°25′N 88°04′W.
Albion is the county seat and its postal code is 62806. The county has two cities, three villages and several unincorporated communities, no organized civil townships (it was settled before the federal survey that created them, and is divided into road districts instead), and sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Edwards County
Edwards County has ten named settlements. Albion is the seat and largest place; Grayville is a city that straddles the White County line. Bone Gap, Browns and West Salem are incorporated villages. The rest are unincorporated communities without their own municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albion | City · seat | 3,436 | 62806 |
| Grayville | City | 1,747 | 62844 |
| Bone Gap | Village | 190 | 62815 |
| Browns | Village | 168 | 62818 |
| West Salem | Village | 577 | 62476 |
| Bennington | Unincorp. | — | 62806 |
| Black | Unincorp. | — | 62806 |
| Ellery | Unincorp. | — | 62833 |
| Maple Grove | Unincorp. | — | 62806 |
| Samsville | Unincorp. | — | 62806 |
Grayville’s population is split between Edwards and White counties; the figure above is the city total, not the Edwards County share alone. Marion, listed on some older maps, is not a distinct settlement and is not carried over here.
ZIP Codes
- 62806 — Albion (also serves Bennington, Black, Maple Grove and Samsville)
- 62815 — Bone Gap
- 62818 — Browns
- 62833 — Ellery
- 62476 — West Salem
Grayville uses ZIP 62844, shared with its White County neighbors, since the post office serves both sides of the city.
Geography
Edwards County lies in the Illinois till plains, mostly flat farmland drained toward the Wabash and Bonpas Creek watersheds. Bonpas Creek forms much of the eastern county line, separating it from Wabash County. Land makes up 222 square miles of the county’s 223 square miles, with the remaining 0.3 square miles in water. It is one of Illinois’s smallest counties by land area.
It borders Wayne County to the west, White County to the south, Wabash County to the east and Richland County to the north.
Demographics
Edwards County had 6,245 residents at the 2020 census, a small decline from prior counts typical of rural southeastern Illinois. Albion (3,436) and Grayville (1,747, county share smaller) are the two largest communities and together hold well over half the county’s population. The median household income runs below the Illinois median of $80,306, consistent with the county’s farm-based economy. Population density is about 28 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — corn, soybeans and livestock — anchors Edwards County’s economy, alongside small manufacturing and services based in Albion, the county’s commercial and government center. Albion is home to Edwards County Hospital and the county courthouse, both major local employers. Grayville, on the Wabash River, has historically drawn on river commerce and nearby oil production shared with White County.
History
Edwards County was organized in 1814, named for Ninian Edwards, then governor of the Illinois Territory and later Illinois’s third governor. At its creation it covered more than half of present-day Illinois; it was steadily reduced as new counties were carved from it, reaching its current boundaries in 1824 with the formation of Wabash County. Albion was founded the same decade by English settlers as part of the English Settlement, a colony of emigrants from Surrey and Sussex who farmed the surrounding prairie.
Getting There
Illinois Route 130 and Illinois Route 15 cross the county, linking Albion to its neighbors.
- Fairfield, Illinois — 20 miles west
- Mount Carmel, Illinois — 20 miles east
- Carmi, Illinois — 20 miles south
- Evansville, Indiana — 55 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Evansville Regional Airport in Indiana.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Edwards County?
It is in southeastern Illinois, bordered by Wayne, White, Wabash and Richland counties.
What is the population of Edwards County?
6,245 at the 2020 census.
How big is Edwards County?
223 square miles (578 km2), one of the smallest counties in Illinois by land area.
What is the county seat of Edwards County?
Albion is the county seat.
How many towns are in Edwards County?
Two cities (Albion and Grayville) and three villages (Bone Gap, Browns and West Salem), plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Edwards County?
62806 (Albion), 62815 (Bone Gap), 62818 (Browns), 62833 (Ellery) and 62476 (West Salem); Grayville uses 62844.
Does Edwards County have townships?
No. It predates the federal township survey and is divided into road districts instead.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Illinois.