Chicago Southland | |
---|---|
Region | |
Largest City | Orland Park |
Population | 2.5 million |
The Chicago Southland is a region comprising the south and southwest suburbs of the City of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. Home to roughly 2.5 million residents, this region has been known as the Southland by the local populace and regional media for over 20 years. [1] Despite this relatively recent term, some older native Southlanders and current local advertisements colloquially refer to the Southland as the Southside, meaning on the southern side/border of Chicago as extended into the suburbs since some of them previously lived on Chicago's Southside but moved to the suburbs during post WWII white flight.
There is great racial and economic diversity in the Southland, with low and middle income areas to the north and higher income areas farther south and west.[ citation needed ]
The southland is home to much of the region's Black suburban population, with the overwhelming majority residing along Interstate 57, east to the Bishop Ford Expressway and the Indiana state border. [2] The south suburbs are also home to the highest black homeownership rates in the country, with five of its communities ranked in the top ten in 2018. [3]
The region is also home to a high Polish, Lithuanian, Palestinian, Irish, Dutch, German, and Mexican population.[ citation needed ]
The possibility of an airport in Peotone has been discussed since 1968, with official planning beginning in 1984. However, due to concerns that this would negatively impact the environment, the project has yet to be completed. As late as 2014, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn expressed intention to continue with the project, despite slowdown from the FAA. [4]
Generally, crime in the Southland tends to be slightly higher than the other suburban regions of Chicago. Most of the violent crime occurs in the south suburbs, such as Harvey, which in 2019, recorded 23 homicides, the most of any suburb in Cook County. [5]
There are a variety of community colleges and universities in the Chicago Southland including:
Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40% of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 2020, the population was 5,275,541. Its county seat is Chicago, the most populous city in Illinois and the third most populous city in the United States. The county is at center of the Chicagoland metropolitan area.
Hazel Crest is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,382 at the 2020 census.
Thornton Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 157,865.
Area codes 708 and 464 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) for the southern and western suburbs of Chicago in the U.S. state of Illinois. The numbering plan area comprises most of western and southern Cook County, and eastern and southern Will County.
The SouthEast Service is a proposed commuter rail line to be operated by Metra, the commuter railroad service for the Chicago metropolitan area. The route of the proposed line would use tracks owned by CSX Transportation and the Union Pacific Railroad.
Illinois's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Illinois. Based in the south suburbs of Chicago, the district includes southern Cook county, eastern Will county, and Kankakee county, as well as the city of Chicago's far southeast side.
The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is a governmental commission in Cook County, Illinois, that owns and manages a network of open spaces, containing forest, prairie, wetland, streams, and lakes, that are mostly set aside as natural areas. Cook County contains Chicago, and is the center of the most densely populated urban metropolitan area in the Midwest. The Forest Preserve lands encompass approximately 70,000 acres, about 11% of the county, providing open space within its urban surroundings. It contains facilities for recreation, as well as a zoo and a botanic garden.
Worth Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2010 census, its population was 152,633, with its most populous municipalities including Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park (19,852), Alsip, and Chicago Ridge. It was founded in 1849, when the county voted to subdivide itself into townships.
Bremen Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, its population was 110,118. It was organized in 1850 and is located southwest of Chicago in southern Cook County. An administrative office for Bremen Township is located at 16361 South Kedzie Parkway, Markham, Illinois. It is named after the State of the same name in Germany as this area was settled by primarily German settlers.
Illinois's first congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Illinois. Based in Cook County, the district includes much of the South Side of Chicago, and continues southwest to Joliet.
Orland Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2010 census, its population was 97,558.
Palos Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 56,836, with its most populous municipality being Palos Hills. The vast majority of the township's population resides in its eastern half; the half west of La Grange Road consists mainly of facilities in the Cook County Forest Preserves. In 1850 the small town of Trenton, Illinois changed its name to Palos; this recommendation was made by M.S. Powell, the local postmaster, whose ancestor supposedly sailed with Christopher Columbus from Palos de la Frontera. When it incorporated as a village in 1914, Palos officially became Palos Park. The neighboring communities of Palos Hills and Palos Heights incorporated at later points. All three municipalities lie completely or substantially within Palos Township.
Rich Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois, United States located south of Chicago. As of the 2020 census, its population was 76,138. Richton Park serves as the governmental seat for the township.
95th Street is a major east–west highway on Chicago's South Side and in the southwest suburbs, designated as 9500 South in Chicago's address system. 95th Street is 11 miles (18 km) south of Madison Street.
Consolidated High School District 230 is a public high school district headquartered in Orland Park, Illinois in the Chicago metropolitan area. It has over 8,300 students in three high schools.
Harlem Avenue is a major north–south street located in Chicago and its west, southwest, and northwest suburbs. It stretches from Glenview Road in Glenview to the intersection of East South Street and South Drecksler Road in Peotone, where it diverges into Illinois Route 50. At 54.1 miles (87.1 km), it is the third-longest street in the United States, after Telegraph Road in southeastern Michigan and O Street in Nebraska. For most of its length, it carries Illinois Route 43. There is a stop along the Metra's BNSF Line at Harlem Avenue and Windsor Avenue in Berwyn, Illinois. There is also a major transit center where Metra's UP West Line and the Chicago Transit Authority Green Line share a facility in Oak Park, Illinois. The northern terminus of Harlem Avenue is also nearby the Glenview station for both Metra's Milwaukee District/North Line and Amtrak intercity trains.
159th Street is a major east-west street in the southern suburbs of Chicago. It runs east from Thornton Street in Lockport, crossing Interstate 355 in Lockport, Interstate 57 in Markham, Interstate 294 in Harvey and Interstate 94 in South Holland, on its way to its east end at U.S. Route 6 and Illinois Route 83 in Calumet City. The road carries no routes from Hopkins Road to Broadway, Independence Boulevard, Illinois Route 7 from Thornton Street to Wolf Road, and carries U.S. Route 6 from Wolf Road to Torrence Avenue, and no routes again from Torrence Avenue to Cline Avenue. The Street intersects 4 Interstate Highways. Interstate 355, Interstate 57, Interstate 294, and Interstate 94.
Cook County Board of Commissioners 6th district is a electoral district for the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
Cook County Board of Commissioners 5th district is a electoral district for the Cook County Board of Commissioners.