Profile for Alton, Illinois, IL

Alton is near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers

Once a fur-trading post

The final debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas occurred here in 1858

The city has experienced a dramatic loss of industry over the past three decades

Local newspaper publisher Elijah Lovejoy was murdered by angry mob in 1837, because of his outspoken opposition to slavery

Well-known residents have included:
· Miles Davis, jazz musician
· Luther Ingram, singer
· James Phelan, writer
· Robert Wadlow, once known as the world's tallest human being, at 8 feet 8 1/4 inches
· James Earl Ray, assassin of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
· Phyllis Schlafly, conservative columnist

Historic sites and museums: Alton Museum of History and Art, McPike Mansion

Support for libraries: Local government funding for the local library system, in fiscal years 2001-2002, was above the national average. (See library links below.)

Gays & lesbians
National index: 100
Local index: 79

Listed places near Alton

Cemeteries (21)

Colleges (1)

Communities (13)

Hotels (5)

Libraries (8)

Museums (1)

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• Alton population
• Ancestry of people in Alton
• Housing in Alton
• Income in Alton
• Marital status of adults in Alton
• Place of birth of people in Alton
• Residence in 1995, of people in Alton
• School enrollment & education levels in Alton
• Transportation & commute times in Alton
• Madison County data
• Fastest-growing counties in Illinois
• State data - Illinois
• Data by street address
• Historical census records (Ancestry.com)

Sections below provide additional information and links about Alton demographics, travel and tourism, nearby airports, cemeteries, the Madison County economy, education, environment, genealogy, government, historic sites, St. Louis area jobs, libraries, maps, museums, newspapers and other media, nonprofit groups, real estate, recreation, religion, transportation, and weather in the 62018 ZIP code.

(Also see local map below.)

• Alton city government
• Madison County government
• Alton tourism

23% of Alton residents report German ancestry, and 13% report Irish. For more info on local ancestry groups, see the Alton ancestry & family history guide.

• Cemeteries in or near Alton
• Cemeteries in Madison County
• Libraries in or near Alton

Post a query on a message board:

• Madison County Ancestry forum
• GenForum

Records & databases:

• Ancestry.com - IL data
• Birth, marriage & death records
• Cemetery records
• County history catalog
• Census records (historic)
• Court, land & probate records
• Death index
• Family & local history
• Immigration records
• Military records (historic)
• Newspaper articles

• Alton area attractions
• Alton museums
• Alton historic sites
• Alton area parks
• Wineries near Alton

• Add a local cemetery to our listings
• Alton area cemeteries
• Cemeteries in Madison County
• Cemetery record compendium
• Illinois cemetery message boards
• National database of cemetery records
• Veteran grave locator

• Communities near Alton
• Nearby cities of 10,000 or more
• Nearby cities of 50,000 or more
• Communities in Madison County

• Alton business guide
• Better Business Bureau
• Business licenses
• Corporate records search

• Courts in Illinois
• Local ordinances in Illinois (Partial selection)

• Crime in Madison County
• Arrests in Madison County

• Obituaries - search nearby newspapers
• Obituary database - Ancestry.com
• Charitable donations

• Local information on disability access
• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Independent living centers in Illinois
• National Council on Independent Living

At the time of the 2000 census, the per capita income in Alton was $16,817, compared with $21,587 nationally.

• Banks
• Building permits
• Current labor force
• Wage estimates
• Madison County economic census
• Madison County economic summary
• Madison County employment growth
• Madison County unemployment rate
• Illinois economic data

16% of Alton residents age 25 and older have a bachelor's or advanced college degree.

• Colleges in or near Alton
• Colleges in Illinois
• Learning Disabilities Association in Illinois
• Schools in or near Alton
• School districts in or near Alton
• School report cards
• Yearbooks (old) of Illinois high schools

• Movies playing in or near Alton
• YouTube videos about Alton

• Air pollution in Madison County
• Diesel soot in Madison County
• Land contamination in Madison County
• Nature Conservancy projects in Illinois
• Ozone status & air pollution - American Lung Association
• Recycling info for Madison County
• Toxic chemical releases in Madison County
• Water levels & streamflow conditions in Illinois

• ePodunk festival listings
• Illinois county fairs
• Illinois festivals (Illinois tourism department)
• Send us festival info for Alton

• Confluence of latitude & longitude near Alton
• Geocaches in Illinois

• Alton items now on sale

• Alton local government Web site
• Madison County government
• Illinois state government
• Driver's licenses
• Motor vehicles
• Passports
• Social Security
• Veterans affairs
• Where to write for birth, death, marriage or divorce records

• Ancestry & family history
• Business
• Demographics
• Health
• Moving
• Nonprofit resources
• Sports & rec
• Travel

• Alton medical services & health statistics

• State historical society

Historic districts in Alton include Christian Hill Historic District, Upper Alton Historic District ... View historic districts

• Historic sites in or near Alton
• Historic sites in Illinois
• Museums in or near Alton
• Museums in Illinois
• Illinois state archives
• National Historic Landmark search
• Search the Library of Congress
• Search the National Register for historic properties
• Post history questions in Madison County genealogy forum

Median rent in Alton, at the time of the 2000 Census, was $330.   Monthly homeowner costs, for people with mortgages, were $686.

• Research Alton Apartments
• Find Foreclosure in Alton
• Homes for sale in Alton
• Find a Alton Realtor
• Get free moving quotes
• Free home valuation
• Check Illinois mortgage rates
• Property and neighborhood reports
• Mortgage calculator

• Jobs in the Alton area
• Job services in Illinois
• Minimum wage laws by state

Libraries in Alton include Alton Square Branch Library, Hayner Public Library, Youth Library ... View libraries

• Illinois library

• Illinois statewide library catalog

• Get directions from Alton
• Get directions to Alton
• Census map of Alton area
• Historic maps of IL cities - Library of Congress
• Historic maps of Illinois
• Topographic map of Alton

Newspapers in Alton include Alton Telegraph

• Daily newspapers in or near Alton
• AM radio stations in or near Alton
• Commercial FM radio stations in or near Alton
• Public & educational radio stations in or near Alton
• TV stations in or near Alton
• Media ownership in the Alton area
• Search historic newspaper articles
• Search recent news archives in Illinois

• Military bases in Illinois
• American Legion post locator
• Veterans of Foreign Wars post locator

• Check daily newspapers in or near Alton
• Search obituaries in Illinois
• Recent death notices - selected IL newspapers

• Chambers of commerce in Illinois
• Community foundations (by state)
• Foundations (by name)
• Kiwanis clubs in Illinois
• Lions clubs in Illinois
• Nonprofit groups
• Nonprofit guide for Alton
• Rotary club search
• Volunteer opportunities in or near Alton

• Parks near Alton
• National forests in Illinois
• State parks in Illinois

• Find friends & family

• Find a local animal shelter
• Report animal cruelty

• Aerial photo of Alton
• Historic photos of U.S. cities
• Panoramic photos of Illinois communities
• Photos of Illinois places
• Post cards of Illinois communities

Madison County supported John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. For more information, see our Alton political report.

• Illinois Democratic party
• Illinois Republican party
• Madison County elections board
• Illinois elections board

• ZIP codes (by street address)
• ZIP codes (by city)
• ZIP code reverse lookup (find cities in a ZIP code)

• Churches, other places of worship in or near Alton
• Total membership by faith, in Madison County

• Chowhound message boards for IL

The average commute time for Alton workers is 23 minutes, compared with 26 minutes nationwide.

A total of 12 fatal motor vehicle accidents occurred in Alton between 2001 and 2003, according to reports gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

This is a rate of 3.9 fatal crashes per 10,000 population, which was slightly lower than the national norm.

• Bus schedules

• Alton travel guide
• Airports near Alton
• Amtrak station in Alton
• Hotels near Alton
• Illinois tourism bureau

• Monthly averages & records
• Major storms (searchable by county)
• National weather map

• Audubon centers
• Birding spots in Illinois
• Wildlife refuges in Illinois

Browse list of Illinois community profiles