Woodford County is a county in Illinois, United States, in the Peoria metropolitan area of the central part of the state. It had a population of 38,467 at the 2020 census and covers 543 square miles (1,410 km2), of which 528 square miles (1,370 km2) is land, centred near 40°47′N 89°13′W.
Eureka is the county seat, and its postal code is 61530. The county has 3 cities, several villages, and 17 townships. Woodford County observes Central time and carries FIPS code 17203.
Towns & Villages in Woodford County
Most of the county’s population lives in a handful of cities and villages spread across its 17 townships, from Eureka in the south to Minonk in the north.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eureka | City · seat | Olio | 5,227 | 61530 |
| Metamora | City | Metamora | 3,904 | 61548 |
| El Paso | City | El Paso | 2,756 | 61738 |
| Minonk | City | Minonk | 1,928 | 61760 |
| Roanoke | Village | Roanoke | — | — |
| Congerville | Village | Worth | — | — |
| Germantown Hills | Village | Metamora | — | — |
| Goodfield | Village | Palestine | — | — |
| Spring Bay | Village | Spring Bay | — | — |
| Washburn | Village | Kansas | — | — |
| Benson | Village | Greene | — | — |
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Cazenovia | — | Cazenovia |
| Clayton | — | rural |
| Cruger | — | Cruger |
| El Paso | — | El Paso |
| Greene | — | Benson |
| Kansas | — | Washburn |
| Linn | — | rural |
| Metamora | — | Metamora, Germantown Hills |
| Minonk | — | Minonk |
| Montgomery | — | rural |
| Olio | — | Eureka |
| Palestine | — | Goodfield |
| Panola | — | Panola |
| Partridge | — | rural |
| Roanoke | — | Roanoke |
| Spring Bay | — | Spring Bay |
| Worth | — | Congerville |
ZIP Codes
- 61530 — Eureka
- 61548 — Metamora
- 61738 — El Paso
- 61760 — Minonk
Smaller villages such as Roanoke, Congerville, Goodfield, Spring Bay, Washburn, and Benson typically share a rural-route ZIP with a neighboring town rather than carrying one of their own.
Geography
Woodford County sits on the prairie of central Illinois, split by the Illinois River along its western edge, with some wooded bluffs above the river near Spring Bay and Mackinaw Dells. Most of the interior is flat, cultivated farmland drained by Panther Creek and the Mackinaw River. The county borders Marshall County to the north, LaSalle County to the northeast, Livingston County to the east, McLean County to the southeast, Tazewell County to the southwest, and Peoria County to the west. Internal links: Marshall County, LaSalle County, Livingston County, McLean County, Tazewell County, and Peoria County.
Demographics
Woodford County counted 38,467 residents at the 2020 census. Eureka and Metamora are the two largest communities, together holding roughly a quarter of the county’s population. The Illinois median household income was $80,306 in the 2023 American Community Survey; Woodford County, a mostly rural farming county without a major city, typically runs close to that state figure. Population density is modest given the large land area given over to row-crop agriculture.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture anchors the county’s economy, with corn and soybean farms covering most of the townships outside the cities. Eureka is also home to Eureka College, a small liberal arts college and the alma mater of President Ronald Reagan, which is a significant local employer alongside county government and area school districts. Metamora and El Paso host light manufacturing and grain-handling businesses tied to the surrounding farmland. The county fair, held each summer at the Woodford County Fairgrounds in Eureka, is the county’s biggest annual gathering.
History
Woodford County was organized in February 1841, carved from parts of Tazewell, McLean, and La Salle counties. It takes its name from Woodford County, Kentucky, itself named for General William Woodford, an American Revolutionary War officer who served at the encampment at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Metamora served as the original county seat; after a series of contested elections, the seat moved to Eureka in 1894, and the old Metamora courthouse survives today as a state historic site.
Getting There
Interstate 39 and Interstate 74 both cross Woodford County, along with US routes 24, 51, and 150 and several state highways.
- Peoria — 15 miles west
- Bloomington — 25 miles southeast
- LaSalle-Peru — 30 miles north
- Pontiac — 25 miles east
General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport, in neighboring Peoria County, is the nearest commercial airport. Amtrak’s Chicago-to-Quincy Carl Sandburg/Illinois Zephyr line stops in Galesburg, and the Chicago-to-St. Louis Lincoln Service stops in Bloomington-Normal and Pontiac, both roughly 30 miles from Eureka.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Eureka postcode?
Eureka’s ZIP code is 61530.
What is the county seat of Woodford County?
Eureka is the county seat.
How big is Woodford County, Illinois?
It covers 543 square miles (1,410 km2), including 15 square miles of water.
What was the county’s earlier seat?
Metamora was the original county seat until the courts moved to Eureka in 1894.
What is Woodford County’s population?
The county had 38,467 residents at the 2020 census.
Where does the county’s name come from?
It is named after Woodford County, Kentucky, which itself honors Revolutionary War General William Woodford.
What college is located in Woodford County?
Eureka College, in Eureka, is a small liberal arts college and Ronald Reagan’s alma mater.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Illinois.