City Town Info

Charleston, IL


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Charleston, Illinois

Introduction to Charleston, Illinois

Charleston, Illinois, in Coles county, is 40 miles W of Terre Haute, Indiana (center to center) and 109 miles W of Indianapolis, Indiana. About 21,039 people live in Charleston.

Charleston History

The area now known as Charleston was originally inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years. Europeans settled in this area during the first half of the 19th century. Benjamin Parker was its first permanent settler. The city of Charleston was incorporated in 1865 and named after its first postmaster, Charles Morton. The Eastern Illinois State Normal School was established in 1895 in Charleston. The school later was named Eastern Illinois University. Charleston is also the site of one of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates.

Charleston and nearby Attractions

  • Fox Ridge State Park
  • Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site
  • Walnut Point State Park
  • Raggedy Ann & Andy Museum
  • Kaskaskia River State Fish & Wildlife Area
  • Hidden Springs State Forest

Things To Do In Charleston

While staying in Charleston, you can visit the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum and Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site. The local parks include Lakeview Park, Sister City Park, North Park, Kiwanis Park, Reasor Park, Heritage Woods Park, and VFW Way Park. You can enjoy fishing and boating on Lake Charleston. The Lafferty Nature Study Area and Woodyard Conservation Area are also worth visiting. In addition, the city of Charleston organizes numerous recreational programs throughout the year.

Charleston Transportation

Coles County Memorial Airport is nearby.

Charleston Higher Education

Eastern Illinois University is the local university. Other colleges and universities offering higher educational facilities are Lake Land College, Parkland College, and University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign.

High Points

Charleston strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Illinois):

CategoryTrophy
Short Commute Times
(vs. State)		Top 1%trophyCharleston Short Commute Times
Walking and Biking to Work
(vs. Peers)		Top 2%trophyCharleston Walking and Biking to Work
College Educated Adults
(vs. State)		Top 14%Charleston College Educated Adults

Comparative Profile of Charleston, IL

Comparing Charleston to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Illinois (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Female Share of the Population99
Racial Diversity57
Senior Citizens32
Male Share of the Population22
Well-Paid Single Men21
Children Under 5 Years Old11
Age of the Population11

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Average Household Size21
Portion of People Married11

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
College Educated Adults89
Median Family Income54
People in Middle Class or Better21
People Above Poverty11

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Walking and Biking to Work1010
Short Commute Times1010
Public Transportation Use45
Working at Home44

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals1010
People Living Alone910
Affordability of Rents86
Housing Recently Built68
Affordability of Property Taxes54
Seasonal and Vacation Housing24

Detailed pages on related topics: Charleston colleges • Charleston travel.

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Additional Details

Charleston CollegesCharleston Colleges
Charleston colleges and trade schools.
Charleston Hotels & TravelCharleston Hotels & Travel
Charleston hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation.

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