Ford County, Illinois
Ford County is a small rural community in east-central Illinois, where agriculture plays an important role in everyday life. Paxton serves as the county seat, while wide fields of corn and soybeans stretch across much of the landscape.
With only about 13,000 residents, Ford County offers a peaceful small-town lifestyle where summer evenings are made for relaxing outdoors. The county is named after Thomas Ford, who served as Governor of Illinois during the 1840s.
Life here moves at a slower pace, with local diners, homemade pie, and high school sports adding to the community spirit. The county’s flat landscape creates wide-open views and beautiful sunsets, giving rural Illinois plenty of quiet charm.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| County Name | Ford County |
| County Seat | Paxton |
| Etymology | Named after Thomas Ford, the Governor of Illinois from 1842 to 1846 |
| Cities, Towns, and Communities | Paxton, Gibson City, Piper City, Roberts, Sibley, Elliott, Melvin, Cabery (part), Kempton, Loda, and various other unincorporated communities. |
| Interstates and Highways | Interstate 57, U.S. Highway 45, Illinois Route 9, Illinois Route 47, Illinois Route 54 |
| FIPS Code | 17-053 |
| Total Area (Land and Water) | 486 square miles (land: 485 sq mi, water: 1 sq mi) |
| Adjacent Counties (and Direction) | Kankakee County (North), Iroquois County (East), Vermilion County (Southeast), Champaign County (South), McLean County (Southwest), Livingston County (West) |
| Time Zone | Central Time Zone (CT) |
| State | Illinois |
| Coordinates | 40.6092° N, 88.2071° W |
| Major Landmarks | Chanute Air Museum (nearby in Rantoul), Railside Golf Club, Historic Paxton Carnegie Library |
| Population | Approximately 13,500 |
