Whiteside County, IL: Cities, ZIP Codes & Population
Whiteside County is a county-level area in Illinois identified by the FIPS code 17195. Our data lists 12 places in it, led by Sterling, IL, with combined estimates of about 49,600 people across those places. This page shows its cities, ZIP codes, time zone and neighboring counties.
What are the key facts about Whiteside County?
| County | Whiteside County |
|---|---|
| State | Illinois |
| FIPS code | 17195 |
| Places in our data | 12 |
| Places with a city page | 2 |
| Combined place estimates | 49,600 |
| Largest place | Sterling, IL (27,127) |
| Rank in state | 24th of 102 counties by combined place population |
| Weighted density | 2,124 per sq mi |
| Time zone | Central time |
| ZIP codes | 10 |
Which cities and towns are in Whiteside County?
Whiteside County has 2 places large enough for a full page on this site. They are ranked below by estimated population, together with whether each is incorporated, its density in people per square mile and the number of ZIP codes it uses. Sterling, IL is the largest, followed by Rock Falls, IL.
| Place | Type | Population | Per sq mi | ZIPs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sterling, IL | Incorporated | 27,127 | 2,499 | 1 |
| Rock Falls, IL | Incorporated | 8,740 | 2,194 | 1 |
The county also contains 10 smaller communities that appear here but do not have separate pages because their populations are too small for reliable data: Morrison, Fulton, Prophetstown, Erie, Albany, Tampico, Lyndon, Como, Coleta, Deer Grove. Residents of these places often depend on the county for services such as roads, courts and public health.
How large is Whiteside County compared with other counties in Illinois?
Adding up the estimates for the places in our data gives 49,600 people, which ranks Whiteside County 24th among 102 counties in Illinois. The average listed place has about 4,133 residents. The weighted density is about 2,124 people per square mile, which is suburban by our scale. These totals add up place estimates, so they can differ from the official county population, which includes people outside any listed place. See why population figures differ.
What ZIP codes are in Whiteside County?
The places in Whiteside County use 10 ZIP codes: 61071, 61081, 61230, 61243, 61250, 61252, 61261, 61270, 61277, 61283. Every code begins with 6, which is assigned to the central Midwest (Illinois, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska). A ZIP code can cross county lines, so a code listed here may also serve addresses in a neighboring county. Use the ZIP code lookup to check a single code, or read how ZIP codes work.
Which counties are near Whiteside County?
The closest counties by distance between the average locations of their places are listed below. The distance is a rough guide to how close the areas are, because county shapes vary widely.
- Carroll County, IL — about 21 miles north (center to center), 8,681 people in listed places
- Henry County, IL — about 32 miles southwest (center to center), 34,610 people in listed places
- Bureau County, IL — about 33 miles southeast (center to center), 24,592 people in listed places
- Lee County, IL — about 33 miles east (center to center), 22,868 people in listed places
- Rock Island County, IL — about 34 miles southwest (center to center), 126,017 people in listed places
- Clinton County, IA — about 35 miles west (center to center), 43,531 people in listed places
What does the FIPS code 17195 mean?
The first two digits, 17, identify Illinois, and the last three, 195, identify Whiteside County inside that state. Government datasets use this code to join records without confusing counties that share a name. Our guide to counties and FIPS codes explains the numbering, and the Illinois hub lists every county we cover in the state.
Where to go next
Combined place populations are estimates from a compiled dataset and are not official county totals.