Saline County is a county in Illinois, United States, part of the Southern Illinois region locals call “Little Egypt.” It had a population of 23,768 at the 2020 census and covers 380 square miles (980 km2) of land plus 7.0 square miles (18 km2) of water, centred near 37°45′N 88°32′W.
Harrisburg is the county seat, and its postal code is 62946. The county has 2 cities and 5 incorporated villages, plus more than two dozen unincorporated communities, grouped into 13 townships. Saline County sits in the Central time zone and includes part of the Shawnee National Forest.
Towns & Villages in Saline County
Saline County has 7 incorporated places — 2 cities and 5 villages — and roughly 30 unincorporated communities scattered across its 13 townships. The table below marks incorporated cities and villages by type; everything else is listed as Unincorp.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg | City · seat | Harrisburg | 8,219 | 62946 |
| Eldorado | City | East Eldorado | 3,743 | 62930 |
| Carrier Mills | Village | Carrier Mills | — | 62917 |
| Galatia | Village | Galatia | — | 62935 |
| Muddy | Village | Long Branch | — | 62965 |
| Raleigh | Village | Raleigh | — | 62977 |
| Stonefort | Village | Stone Fort | — | 62987 |
| Beulah Heights | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Buena Vista | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Cottage Grove | Unincorp. | Cottage | — | — |
| Delta | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Derby | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Dorris Heights | Unincorp. | Harrisburg | — | 62946 |
| Dorrisville | Unincorp. | Harrisburg | — | 62946 |
| Eagle | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Francis | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Garden Heights | Unincorp. | Harrisburg | — | 62946 |
| Gaskins City | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Harco | Unincorp. | — | — | 62930 |
| Horseshoe | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Ledford | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Liberty | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Long Branch | Unincorp. | Long Branch | — | — |
| Mitchellsville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| New Hope | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Newcastle | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Oldtown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Pankeyville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Rudement | Unincorp. | Rector | — | — |
| Saline | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Saline City | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Somerset | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Texas City | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Tison | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Wasson | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| West End | Unincorp. | Harrisburg | — | 62946 |
Stonefort is partly in neighboring Williamson County, so its full population is not counted under Saline County alone. Several small communities listed above — Dorris Heights, Dorrisville, Garden Heights, and West End — are close-in unincorporated neighborhoods of Harrisburg rather than separate settlements with their own centers.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Harrisburg | — | Harrisburg, Dorrisville, Garden Heights, West End |
| East Eldorado | — | Eldorado, Harco |
| Carrier Mills | — | Carrier Mills |
| Galatia | — | Galatia |
| Cottage | — | Cottage Grove |
| Raleigh | — | Raleigh |
| Stone Fort | — | Stonefort |
| Long Branch | — | Long Branch, Muddy |
| Rector | — | Rudement |
| Brushy | — | — |
| Independence | — | — |
| Mountain | — | — |
| Tate | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 62946 — Harrisburg (also serves Dorris Heights, Dorrisville, Garden Heights, West End)
- 62930 — Eldorado (also serves Harco)
- 62917 — Carrier Mills
- 62935 — Galatia
- 62977 — Raleigh
- 62987 — Stonefort
- 62965 — Muddy (PO Box delivery only)
The county’s smaller unincorporated communities without a post office of their own use the ZIP code of the nearest town on this list.
Geography
Saline County lies in the Illinois Ozarks foothills of Southern Illinois, where flatter farmland in the north gives way to the wooded ridges of the Shawnee National Forest toward the south. The Saline River, which gave the county its name, drains much of the area, and Saline County once produced salt from natural brine springs along the river — the industry that put the county on the map in the early 1800s. Harrisburg Lake and Eldorado’s Lake of Egypt provide the county’s main recreational water.
Saline County borders Hamilton County to the north, White County to the northeast, Gallatin County to the east, Hardin County to the southeast, Pope County to the south, Johnson County to the southwest, Williamson County to the west, and Franklin County to the northwest.
Demographics
Saline County had 23,768 residents at the 2020 census. Harrisburg, with 8,219 people, and Eldorado, with 3,743, are by far the county’s two largest communities, together accounting for more than half the county’s population. Median household income in Saline County runs well below the Illinois median of $80,306, reflecting the area’s post-coal-mining economy. Population density works out to roughly 62 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Saline County’s economy grew up around coal mining and salt production, and coal mining remains part of the local economy alongside healthcare, retail, and agriculture. Harrisburg Medical Center is the county’s largest healthcare employer and hospital. Southeastern Illinois College, a community college based in Harrisburg, serves the surrounding counties. Downtown Harrisburg holds an annual Christmas parade and seasonal festivals tied to the historic courthouse square.
History
Saline County was organized in 1847, carved from Gallatin County, and named for the Saline River, itself named for the salt springs early settlers and, before them, Native Americans used to produce salt. Salt production along the river was one of the earliest industries in this part of Illinois, predating large-scale coal mining by decades. Coal mining became the county’s economic backbone through the 20th century, and Harrisburg and Eldorado grew as mining and rail towns along the historic Cairo and Vincennes Railroad corridor.
Getting There
U.S. Route 45 runs north–south through the county connecting Eldorado, Harrisburg, and Carrier Mills, while Illinois Routes 13, 34, 142, and 145 serve the rest of the county.
- Carbondale, Illinois — 30 miles southwest
- Marion, Illinois — 20 miles west
- Evansville, Indiana — 60 miles east
- Mount Vernon, Illinois — 35 miles north
Williamson County Regional Airport near Marion is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Saline County, Illinois?
It’s in Southern Illinois, part of the region known locally as “Little Egypt,” bordered by Hamilton, White, Gallatin, Hardin, Pope, Johnson, Williamson, and Franklin counties.
What is the population of Saline County?
23,768 people, according to the 2020 census.
How big is Saline County?
380 square miles (980 km2) of land plus 7.0 square miles (18 km2) of water, for 387 square miles total.
What is the county seat of Saline County?
Harrisburg is the county seat.
How many towns are in Saline County?
2 cities, 5 incorporated villages, and roughly 30 unincorporated communities across 13 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Saline County?
62946 (Harrisburg), 62930 (Eldorado), 62917 (Carrier Mills), 62935 (Galatia), 62977 (Raleigh), 62987 (Stonefort), and 62965 (Muddy).
Why is Southern Illinois around Saline County called “Little Egypt”?
Local tradition ties the nickname to the region’s fertile bottomlands and to towns named for Egyptian cities like Cairo and Thebes further south, plus its history as a food-supply region during 19th-century hard times in northern Illinois.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Illinois.