North Chicago, Illinois | |
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 Location of North Chicago in Lake County, Illinois. | |
| Coordinates:42°18′40″N87°52′16″W / 42.31111°N 87.87111°W /42.31111; -87.87111[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Illinois |
| County | Lake |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Leon Rockingham Jr.[citation needed] |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.02 sq mi (20.76 km2) |
| • Land | 8.00 sq mi (20.71 km2) |
| • Water | 0.019 sq mi (0.05 km2) |
| Elevation | 692 ft (211 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 30,759 |
| • Density | 3,847.1/sq mi (1,485.38/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code(s) | 60064, 60086, 60088 |
| Area code | 847 |
| FIPS code | 17-53559 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2395253[1] |
| Website | northchicago |
North Chicago is a city inLake County, Illinois, United States, and a suburb of theChicago metropolitan area. The population was 30,759 at the 2020 census[3] making it the third-most populous city by population in the county, afterWaukegan andMundelein.
An industrial center, North Chicago is home to theGreat Lakes Naval Training Center and Great Lakes Barracks Military housing. The city is also home toRosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, which houses theChicago Medical School.
Land speculators moved into the area south of what is now the city ofWaukegan in the 1890s. Industrial development began almost immediately with a railroad depot being set up in 1892; most notable was the arrival of the Washburn and Moen Manufacturing Company, a majorbarbed wire maker.[4]
The settlement was incorporated as a village in 1895 and as a city in 1909. In 1911, a naval training area was created, the presentGreat Lakes Naval Training Center, currently the only "boot camp" for Navy enlisted personnel after the closure of facilities inFlorida,California, andHouston, MS.
AVeteran's Administration hospital went into service in 1926. This facility was also threatened with closure in recent years but has been retained on condition of a merger with the Naval Hospital.
Historically, North Chicago was known for large populations ofEastern European immigrants. With the onset of the "Great Migration", large numbers ofAfrican Americans arrived in the city from states such asArkansas andAlabama, and toward the end of the 20th century, became the best known demographic group. Housing was segregated in the mid-20th century, and until as late as 1957 the African-American section of town lacked sewers and paved roads.[5]Latinos have arrived in significant numbers, particularly fromMexico, and now form the largest racial/ethnic group in the city (36% as of 2020), just as they do inWaukegan to the north (60% in 2020). North Chicago may have over time been the most diverse and multicultural municipality in Lake County.
Companies such as Washburn and Moen played a significant role in dividing North Chicago based on ethnicity. Workers were relocated from the Worcester plant, and later on,Swedes,Finns, and other Eastern Europeans were brought in. In the northern part of North Chicago,Slovaks, who referred to the area as "Kompanija", founded the Mother of God Roman Catholic Church. Moving further south, Polish residents established Holy Rosary Catholic Church, while German and Irish residents set up schools and churches in the area.[6]
At one time, Navy personnel were a major part of the scene in North Chicago, both the "swabbies" (enlisted men) and the officers. Now, with the degeneration of "the Strip", or entertainment district along several blocks of Sheridan Road, sailors are rarely seen north of the railroad trestle. In the fall of 2007, the city finished demolishing the buildings on Sheridan Road between Martin Luther King Drive and the railroad trestle to the north, within the framework of a new development project involvingtax increment financing.
A number of movies have been filmed on theIllinois Route 137 highway through North Chicago includingGroundhog Day.[7]
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, North Chicago has a total area of 8.02 square miles (20.77 km2), of which 8.00 square miles (20.72 km2) (or 99.75%) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) (or 0.25%) is water.[8]
The city is situated onLake Michigan, immediately to the south ofWaukegan. Most of its territory drains directly to the lake, but the western region drains to the North Branch of theChicago River, and ultimately, since theengineering projects of the 19th century, to theIllinois and thence to theMississippi River and theGulf of Mexico.
North Chicago includes aLake County Forest Preserve unit, the Greenbelt Cultural Center and Forest Preserve.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 1,150 | — | |
| 1910 | 3,306 | 187.5% | |
| 1920 | 5,839 | 76.6% | |
| 1930 | 8,466 | 45.0% | |
| 1940 | 8,465 | 0.0% | |
| 1950 | 8,628 | 1.9% | |
| 1960 | 22,938 | 165.9% | |
| 1970 | 47,275 | 106.1% | |
| 1980 | 38,774 | −18.0% | |
| 1990 | 34,978 | −9.8% | |
| 2000 | 35,918 | 2.7% | |
| 2010 | 32,574 | −9.3% | |
| 2020 | 30,759 | −5.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 2010[10] 2020[11] | |||
As of the2020 census[12] there were 30,759 people, 7,694 households, and 4,413 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,837.68 inhabitants per square mile (1,481.74/km2). There were 7,897 housing units at an average density of 985.28 per square mile (380.42/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 34.37%White, 27.66%African American, 1.26%Native American, 5.63%Asian, 0.36%Pacific Islander, 20.19% fromother races, and 10.52% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 36.24% of the population.
There were 7,694 households, out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.81% were married couples living together, 14.76% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.64% were non-families. 32.51% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.42 and the average family size was 2.55.
The city's age distribution consisted of 17.0% under the age of 18, 36.2% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 13% from 45 to 64, and 6.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 150.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 161.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $47,213, and the median income for a family was $57,061. Males had a median income of $25,786 versus $21,778 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $22,454. About 13.8% of families and 20.2% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[13] | Pop 2010[10] | Pop 2020[11] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 14,028 | 11,838 | 8,149 | 39.06% | 36.34% | 26.49% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 12,853 | 9,469 | 8,274 | 35.78% | 29.07% | 26.90% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 230 | 120 | 94 | 0.64% | 0.37% | 0.31% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,268 | 1,190 | 1,710 | 3.53% | 3.65% | 5.56% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 49 | 39 | 104 | 0.14% | 0.12% | 0.34% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 91 | 117 | 239 | 0.25% | 0.36% | 0.78% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 847 | 944 | 1,042 | 2.36% | 2.90% | 3.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6,552 | 8,857 | 11,147 | 18.24% | 27.19% | 36.24% |
| Total | 35,918 | 32,574 | 30,759 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
North Chicago census figures include the Great Lakes Naval Training Center.
| Mayors of North Chicago, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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North Chicago Community Unit School District 187 operates public schools.North Chicago High School is the city's high school.
TwoMetra stations provide commuter rail service to North Chicago along theUnion Pacific North Line, theNorth Chicago station and theGreat Lakes station. Trains serving these stations travel south toOgilvie Transportation Center in Chicago, and north to Kenosha. Additionally,Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting North Chicago to Waukegan and other destinations.[16]
Tri-State Tollway
Skokie Highway
Waukegan Road
Green Bay Road
Sheridan Road
Places adjacent to North Chicago, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofLake County, Illinois,United States | ||
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| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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