County · code 17175
Stark CountyIllinois
Stark County is a county in Illinois, with its seat in Toulon. It was created on March 2, 1839, and named after John Stark.
- Founded1839
- County seatToulon
- Named forJohn Stark
- Land area288 sq mi + 0.3 sq mi water
- Population5,400 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped6,089 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Stark on the map of Illinois
Illinois has 102 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1839 from Putnam County and Coffee County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Stark County was created from Putnam County on March 2, 1839, and gained territory from Knox County nine days later.
- 1839Stark County created Stark created from Putnam. On 1 March 1837, an unsuccessful attempt was made to create Coffee (proposed) in the same general area.from Putnamfrom Coffee· Ill. Laws 1838-1839, pp. 229-232
- 1839
- 1840Changed Legislature authorized Stark to gain from Henry all of township 14 north, range 5 east; and parts of township 14 north, range 4 east, and township 15 north, ranges 4 and 5 east, dependent on local referendum that failed (no change). · Ill. Laws 1839-1840, spec. sess., pp. 62-63
- 1849Changed Legislature authorized Stark to gain from Henry either all of township 14 north, range 5 east, or just the southern half thereof, dependent on local referendum that failed (no change). · Ill. Laws 1849, 1st sess., gen., pp. 55-56
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Stark
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 6,089 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 27 July 2026 · checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Missing
No public address points layer found for Stark County yet.
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Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Stark by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Stark County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Stark County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Stark County
- When was Stark County founded?
- Stark County was founded in 1839, formed from Putnam County and Coffee County, and named after John Stark.
- What is the county seat of Stark County?
- The county seat of Stark County is Toulon.
- Is there an online parcel map for Stark County?
- Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 6,089 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Stark County's boundary or name changed?
- Stark County was created in 1839 from Putnam County and Coffee County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 1 later change, chiefly involving Knox County.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Stark County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby