Schererville, Indiana | |
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| Town of Schererville, Indiana | |
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 Logo | |
| Nicknames: Crossroads of America, The Region | |
 Location of Schererville in Lake County, Indiana. | |
| Coordinates:41°29′21″N87°26′35″W / 41.48917°N 87.44306°W /41.48917; -87.44306 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Indiana |
| County | Lake |
| Townships | St. John,Center |
| Founded | 1866 |
| Incorporated | 1911 |
| Named after | Nicholas Scherer |
| Government [1](update needed) | |
| • Type | Town |
| • Body | Town Council |
| • President | Robin Arvanitis (D, 1st) |
| • Members: | Robin Arvanitis (D, 1st) Kevin Connelly (R, 2nd) Rob Guetzloff (D, 3rd) Tom Schmitt (D, 4th) Caleb S. Johnson (R, 5th) |
| • Clerk-Treasurer | Mike Troxell (D) |
| • Judge | Randy Wyllie (D) |
| • Town Manager | Robert Volkmann |
| Area | |
• Total | 15.15 sq mi (39.23 km2) |
| • Land | 15.12 sq mi (39.15 km2) |
| • Water | 0.035 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
| Elevation | 646 ft (197 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 29,646 |
| • Density | 1,961.3/sq mi (757.26/km2) |
| Standard of living | |
| • Per capita income | $40,421 |
| • Median home value | $222,400 |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (Central) |
| ZIP code | 46375 |
| Area code | 219 |
| FIPS code | 18-68220[5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2396907[3] |
| Website | www |
Schererville (/ˈʃɛrərvɪl/SHERR-ər-vil,locally/ˈʃɛərvɪl/SHAIR-vil) is a town inSt. John andCenter townships,Lake County,Indiana, United States. The population was 29,646 at the 2020 census[6] It is a suburb ofChicago, located 30 miles south of the city.[7][8]
Long before Indiana became a state, long before the founding of Schererville, people called the area the "Crossroads," as several Native American trails intersected here, that later became routes for the wagons of settlers traveling west.
One of those settlers was Nicholas Scherer, who was born in 1830 at Scheuern,[9] today part ofTholey,Saarland, in southwesternGermany, who arrived in the U.S. in 1846. When he came to this place at the southern tip of Lake Michigan in 1865, he founded the community that bears his name.[10]
Schererville was incorporated as a town in 1911.[11]
Today, trails still cross at Schererville, the modern trails of a motorized society, U.S. Highways 41 and 30. Nearby are newer trails, I-80/94 and I-65. All these are primary transcontinental routes and gives Schererville its slogan: "Crossroads of the Nation."
The town was named one of the "100 Best Places to Live in the U.S." byMoney Magazine in 2007.
Schererville's former Town Council President, Perry Ferrini, died on December 13, 2009. The Town Council's new president became Jerry Tippy, and the vacant seat held by Perry was filled by Sharon Moore on January 9, 2010.
The town of Schererville celebrated its sesquicentennial in September 2016.
Schererville is located at41°29′21″N87°26′35″W / 41.48917°N 87.44306°W /41.48917; -87.44306 (41.489135, -87.443137)[12] in Lake County, Indiana. Schererville is 11 miles south of the Lake Michigan shore and 2 miles east of the Indiana/Illinois state line.
Considered part of theChicago metropolitan area and located just 30 miles fromChicago, Schererville is considered a suburb of this municipality. Many residents commute daily for school and work.[13]
According to the 2010 census, Schererville has a total area of 14.763 square miles (38.24 km2), of which 14.71 square miles (38.10 km2) (or 99.64%) is land and 0.053 square miles (0.14 km2) (or 0.36%) is water.[14]
One of Schererville's neighborhoods, Briar Ridge, spans both Schererville and adjacentDyer.The ridge south of Route 30 is theGlenwood Shoreline.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 483 | — | |
| 1930 | 580 | 20.1% | |
| 1940 | 998 | 72.1% | |
| 1950 | 1,457 | 46.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,875 | 97.3% | |
| 1970 | 3,663 | 27.4% | |
| 1980 | 13,209 | 260.6% | |
| 1990 | 19,926 | 50.9% | |
| 2000 | 24,851 | 24.7% | |
| 2010 | 29,243 | 17.7% | |
| 2020 | 29,646 | 1.4% | |
| Source: US Census Bureau | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[15] | Pop 2010[16] | Pop 2020[17] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 21,752 | 23,411 | 21,092 | 87.53% | 80.06% | 71.15% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 520 | 1,552 | 2,373 | 2.09% | 5.31% | 8.00% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 24 | 43 | 41 | 0.10% | 0.15% | 0.14% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 633 | 813 | 1,018 | 2.55% | 2.78% | 3.43% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 10 | 2 | 12 | 0.04% | 0.01% | 0.04% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 21 | 26 | 77 | 0.08% | 0.09% | 0.26% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 315 | 298 | 981 | 1.27% | 1.02% | 3.31% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,576 | 3,098 | 4,052 | 6.34% | 10.59% | 13.67% |
| Total | 24,851 | 29,243 | 29,646 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of thecensus[18] of 2010, there were 29,243 people, 11,883 households, and 7,981 families living in the town. Thepopulation density was 1,988.0 inhabitants per square mile (767.6/km2). There were 12,393 housing units at an average density of 842.5 per square mile (325.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 86.8%White, 5.4%African American, 0.2%Native American, 2.8%Asian, 2.9% fromother races, and 1.8% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 10.6% of the population.
There were 11,883 households, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% weremarried couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.03.
The median age in the town was 40.9 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 30.3% were from 45 to 64; and 14% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.
As of 2010, the median income for a household in the town was $66,160 while the mean income for a household in the town was $77,738. The median income for a family was $84,507 and the mean income for a family was $92,404. The estimated per capita income for the town was $31,983. About 4.3% of families and 7.1% of the population were estimated to be below the poverty line.[19]
As of thecensus[5] of 2000, there were 24,851 people, 9,660 households, and 6,829 families living in the town. The population density was 1,825.9 inhabitants per square mile (705.0/km2). There were 10,006 housing units at an average density of 735.2 per square mile (283.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 91.45%White, 2.14%African American, 0.11%Native American, 2.56%Asian, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 2.03% fromother races, and 1.66% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 6.34% of the population.
There were 9,660 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.0% weremarried couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 24.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $59,243, and the median income for a family was $70,474. Males had a median income of $50,732 versus $30,745 for females. Theper capita income for the town was $28,528. About 1.4% of families and 3.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.
Schererville is served by theLake Central School Corporation, which also services the adjacent town ofDyer as well as most ofSt. John and a section ofGriffith.[20]
List of schools - Lake Central School Corporation:
Private schools in the town includeSt. Michael Catholic School, a Roman Catholic school run by theDiocese of Gary and Forest Ridge Academy. The campus of Hammond Baptist Schools, affiliated with theFirst Baptist Church of Hammond, is also located in Schererville. Other private schools Schererville residents attend includeAndrean High School (Merrillville),Bishop Noll Institute (Hammond), St. John Evangelist School (St. John),Illiana Christian High School (Dyer),Marian Catholic High School (Chicago Heights, IL), andMount Carmel High School (Chicago, IL)
Lake County Public Library operates the Dyer-Schererville Branch, which also servesDyer, at 1001 West Lincoln Highway in Schererville.[21]
Schererville is served byThe Times of Northwest Indiana, andThe Post-Tribune, which is owned by theChicago Tribune.
Kids play a variety of activities in both local leagues and club travel leagues.
Lake Central Youth Basketball oversees one of the largest youth basketball programs in the area open to all residents in surrounding communities.
The Schererville Soccer Club is a non-profit organization committed to youth soccer in Northwest Indiana and provides a volunteer led introductory community soccer league for boys and girls ages 4–17 (U6 through REC Plus.)[22]
There is also Lake Central Pop Warner Football for ages 5– 16 years of age offering flag football, tackle football and cheer.
Schererville residents and visitors fly via Chicago'sO'Hare International orMidway.[23]
TheBorman Expressway (I-80/94/US 6), theIndiana Toll Road,Interstate 65,US 12 andUS 20 are within a 25-mile (40 km) radius of Schererville.
Commuters to nearby Chicago rely on local South Shore Line with train service fromMillennium Station in Chicago to the South Bend International Airport in South Bend, IN. In 2014 an extensive expansion and improvement project was started to improve reliability, frequency and efficiency for daily commuters. Completion of this upgraded service is expected in 2024.
The town's nickname, "The Crossroads of America," stems from the fact thatU.S. Route 41, (stemming from Upper Peninsula Michigan toMiami, Florida)U.S. Route 30, (stemming fromAtlantic City, New Jersey toAstoria, Oregon) and the oldLincoln Highway (the east end starting inTimes Square and the west end starting inLincoln Park inSan Francisco, CA) intersect in Schererville.[24]
Municipalities and communities ofLake County, Indiana,United States | ||
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| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties. | |
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