| Description: | Wayne County, located in southern Illinois, covers an area of 714 square miles and had a 1998 population of 16,944, according to estimates by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of the Census. Using these figures, Wayne County was the 23rd largest county in Illinois geographically, but 67th largest in terms of population. Combining these two measures, Wayne County had the 11th lowest population density per square mile among Illinois 102 counties. | |