Nationally, 72% of Americans believe global warming is happening. But when public opinion researchers zoom in on Americans, they find that attitudes and opinions about climate change can vary drastically from county to county – even when those counties are next door. Public opinion factors into how policy-makers respond to climate change, including taking steps to reduce CO2 levels and mitigate harmful impacts already being experienced. Stacker compiled a list of counties most concerned about climate change in Illinois using data from the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Counties are ranked by the percent of residents that are worried about global warming.
Katherine Johnson from Springfield, IL // Wikimedia Commons
#50. Logan County
- Worried about global warming: 54.0% --- 13.7% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.1% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.2% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.2% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 52.7% - Total population: 23,396 people
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#49. Grundy County
- Worried about global warming: 54.1% --- 13.6% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.1% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 37.4% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 28.8% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 52.5% - Total population: 37,784 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#48. Brown County
- Worried about global warming: 54.2% --- 13.5% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 55.6% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.4% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 27.7% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 53.7% - Total population: 5,487 people
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#47. Adams County
- Worried about global warming: 54.4% --- 13.4% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 56.5% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 37.5% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.2% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 52.9% - Total population: 51,166 people
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#46. Fulton County
- Worried about global warming: 54.7% --- 13.1% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 56.0% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 37.9% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 28.8% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 52.9% - Total population: 28,131 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#45. Henderson County
- Worried about global warming: 54.8% --- 12.9% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 56.2% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 37.4% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.2% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 53.4% - Total population: 5,551 people
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#44. Bond County
- Worried about global warming: 54.9% --- 12.9% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.4% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.7% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.7% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 53.9% - Total population: 13,429 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#43. Schuyler County
- Worried about global warming: 55.0% --- 12.8% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 58.0% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.9% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.7% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 54.8% - Total population: 5,649 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#42. Morgan County
- Worried about global warming: 55.0% --- 12.7% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.1% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.1% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.5% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 53.9% - Total population: 27,757 people
Dual Freq // Wikimedia Commons
#41. Piatt County
- Worried about global warming: 55.0% --- 12.7% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 58.0% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 36.4% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.6% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 53.3% - Total population: 12,703 people
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#40. Henry County
- Worried about global warming: 55.1% --- 12.6% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 58.3% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 37.3% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.0% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.2% - Total population: 38,251 people
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#39. Williamson County
- Worried about global warming: 55.2% --- 12.6% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.7% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 37.4% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.2% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 53.1% - Total population: 52,419 people
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#38. Mercer County
- Worried about global warming: 55.2% --- 12.6% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 56.2% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 36.5% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 28.6% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 54.6% - Total population: 12,226 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#37. Vermilion County
- Worried about global warming: 55.2% --- 12.5% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.3% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.1% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 27.0% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.7% - Total population: 59,124 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#36. Pulaski County
- Worried about global warming: 55.4% --- 12.3% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.8% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.4% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 24.9% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 54.8% - Total population: 4,304 people
Dual Freq // Wikimedia Commons
#35. Douglas County
- Worried about global warming: 55.5% --- 12.3% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 56.6% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.4% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.5% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 53.9% - Total population: 14,709 people
IvoShandor // Wikimedia Commons
#34. Lee County
- Worried about global warming: 55.6% --- 12.2% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.8% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 38.6% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 28.6% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 54.2% - Total population: 27,580 people
A. McMurray (A mcmurray) // Wikimedia Commons
#33. Ogle County
- Worried about global warming: 56.1% --- 11.7% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 58.9% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.7% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.8% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 54.8% - Total population: 39,466 people
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#32. Menard County
- Worried about global warming: 56.5% --- 11.3% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.8% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 37.9% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.2% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.6% - Total population: 9,612 people
Teemu08 // Wikimedia Commons
#31. LaSalle County
- Worried about global warming: 56.5% --- 11.2% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 58.8% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.8% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 28.5% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 56.9% - Total population: 86,024 people
Kepper66 // Wikimedia Commons
#30. Bureau County
- Worried about global warming: 56.8% --- 11.0% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 57.1% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 38.7% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.4% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 54.4% - Total population: 26,025 people
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#29. Jo Daviess County
- Worried about global warming: 56.8% --- 10.9% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 60.0% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.8% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.1% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.0% - Total population: 17,463 people
Bubba73 (Jud McCranie) // Wikimedia Commons
#28. Coles County
- Worried about global warming: 56.9% --- 10.9% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 60.0% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.6% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.3% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.9% - Total population: 42,096 people
Archedamian // Wikimedia Commons
#27. Macon County
- Worried about global warming: 57.0% --- 10.7% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 58.6% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.3% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 27.9% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 56.9% - Total population: 82,007 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#26. Cass County
- Worried about global warming: 57.3% --- 10.5% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 58.1% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.7% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 28.8% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.0% - Total population: 9,536 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#25. Warren County
- Worried about global warming: 57.5% --- 10.2% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 60.2% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.0% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.7% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 56.5% - Total population: 13,390 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#24. Madison County
- Worried about global warming: 57.9% --- 9.9% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 59.0% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 39.4% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.0% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.6% - Total population: 206,628 people
IvoShandor // Wikimedia Commons
#23. Whiteside County
- Worried about global warming: 58.0% --- 9.8% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 59.4% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.0% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.3% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 56.4% - Total population: 43,540 people
Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons
#22. Alexander County
- Worried about global warming: 58.0% --- 9.8% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 60.0% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 43.4% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 24.7% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 57.5% - Total population: 4,803 people
MrHarman // Wikimedia Commons
#21. Kankakee County
- Worried about global warming: 59.2% --- 8.6% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 61.9% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.3% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 28.7% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 57.7% - Total population: 85,130 people
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#20. Stephenson County
- Worried about global warming: 59.3% --- 8.5% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 60.9% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.1% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.9% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 57.1% - Total population: 35,358 people
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#19. McDonough County
- Worried about global warming: 60.3% --- 7.4% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 63.1% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.3% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 35.0% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 57.7% - Total population: 25,255 people
Carldaniel // Wikimedia Commons
#18. McHenry County
- Worried about global warming: 60.5% --- 7.3% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 62.1% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 41.9% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.2% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 55.5% - Total population: 234,368 people
Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois // Wikimedia Commons
#17. Boone County
- Worried about global warming: 60.6% --- 7.2% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 61.6% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.8% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.6% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 58.8% - Total population: 40,027 people
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#16. Knox County
- Worried about global warming: 60.8% --- 6.9% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 62.7% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 42.5% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.7% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.3% - Total population: 40,518 people
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#15. Peoria County
- Worried about global warming: 60.9% --- 6.9% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 60.6% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 43.6% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.7% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 60.5% - Total population: 139,284 people
Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons
#14. Sangamon County
- Worried about global warming: 61.2% --- 6.5% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 64.2% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 40.7% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.0% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.6% - Total population: 152,675 people
Farragutful // Wikimedia Commons
#13. Rock Island County
- Worried about global warming: 62.2% --- 5.5% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 62.8% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 43.5% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.8% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.2% - Total population: 111,737 people
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#12. Jackson County
- Worried about global warming: 62.4% --- 5.3% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 66.9% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 44.5% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.3% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 63.2% - Total population: 47,332 people
Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois // Wikimedia Commons
#11. Will County
- Worried about global warming: 62.5% --- 5.3% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 66.2% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 45.1% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 30.0% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 62.0% - Total population: 514,976 people
Xing979 // Wikimedia Commons
#10. St. Clair County
- Worried about global warming: 63.3% --- 4.5% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 67.0% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 45.6% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 28.1% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 64.5% - Total population: 200,498 people
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#9. DeKalb County
- Worried about global warming: 63.3% --- 4.5% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 64.7% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 43.5% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 32.9% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 59.6% - Total population: 81,843 people
Michael from Palatine, Illinois // Wikimedia Commons
#8. McLean County
- Worried about global warming: 63.7% --- 4.1% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 65.1% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 43.0% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 33.4% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 62.8% - Total population: 135,227 people
Alexbaumgarner // Wikimedia
#7. Winnebago County
- Worried about global warming: 64.0% --- 3.8% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 63.8% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 45.5% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 29.0% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 60.1% - Total population: 217,729 people
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#6. Kane County
- Worried about global warming: 65.1% --- 2.7% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 66.4% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 45.0% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.9% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 62.3% - Total population: 393,677 people
IvoShandor // Wikimedia Commons
#5. Kendall County
- Worried about global warming: 66.1% --- 1.7% lower than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 66.3% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 44.6% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 31.9% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 64.0% - Total population: 89,717 people
Neatpete86 // Wikimedia Commons
#4. DuPage County
- Worried about global warming: 68.5% --- 0.8% higher than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 66.5% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 46.2% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 35.6% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 66.0% - Total population: 716,577 people
edward P. steinburg desnged // Wikimedia Commons
#3. Lake County
- Worried about global warming: 69.1% --- 1.4% higher than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 69.3% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 46.7% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 34.6% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 67.9% - Total population: 529,928 people
Beyond My Ken // Wikimedia Commons
#2. Champaign County
- Worried about global warming: 69.9% --- 2.1% higher than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 71.4% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 49.9% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 37.6% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 66.4% - Total population: 170,340 people
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#1. Cook County
- Worried about global warming: 73.4% --- 5.6% higher than Illinois average - Agree that global warming is affecting weather: 73.2% - Think global warming will harm them personally: 57.2% - Hear about global warming in the media at least weekly: 37.2% - Think Congress should be doing more to address global warming: 69.6% - Total population: 4,053,168 people