Amboy is a city in Lee County, Illinois, United States, along the Green River. As of the 2020 census, Amboy had a population of 2,278.
Amboy had its start in the 1850s when the Illinois Central Railroad was extended to that point. The community's name is a transfer from Amboy, New Jersey.
The chain of Carson Pirie Scott & Co. began in Amboy when Samuel Carson opened his first dry goods store there in 1854.
The Christian denomination Community of Christ, formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, had a general conference in Amboy on April 6, 1860, at which time Joseph Smith III reorganized the church founded by his father Joseph Smith Jr.
The Illinois Central facility in Amboy served as the railroad's division headquarters for the railroad's region. The building was saved from demolition and is a museum. The actual railroad and trainyard were abandoned and removed in the early 90's.
Amboy was the site of an ammunition factory for World War II - The Green River Ordnance Plant. It was roughly bordered by Sterling Rd to the south, Bataan Rd to the East, and Bataan Rd. to the North and West of the facility. The facility employed 4500 people at one time. The facility was completed on Dec. 15, 1942 and used until VJ day in August 1945.
The plant is also known as the place where Vesta Stoudt first invented modern duct tape. https://www.jnj.com/our-heritage/vesta-stoudt-the-woman-who-invented-duct-tape#:~:text=The%20iconic%20tape%20was%20invented,Ordnance%20Plant%20near%20Amboy%2C%20Illinois.
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Amboy has a total area of , all land.
As of the 2020 census there were 2,278 people, 952 households, and 640 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,077 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 91.53% White, 0.79% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.67% from other races, and 5.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.74% of the population.
There were 952 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.47% were married couples living together, 10.61% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.77% were non-families. 27.84% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.24% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 2.50.
The city's age distribution consisted of 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 20.9% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $59,815, and the median income for a family was $70,671. Males had a median income of $45,809 versus $25,194 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,668. About 7.3% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.4% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.
It is in the Amboy Community Unit School District 272.