Chicago Southland
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Southland is the suburban region south and southwest of the City of Chicago
, made up of approximately 70 municipalities. This region has been known as the Chicago Southland by the local populace and regional media for about 20 years.
Bordered by Bedford Park
(near Chicago Midway International Airport) on the north, the Chicago Southland extends south to Peotone
, and more recently Kankakee
. Its eastern boundary is the Illinois/Indiana State Line, and the region extends west to New Lenox
, one of several rapidly-growing Will County
communities near Joliet
.
Known for its blue collar roots, the Chicago Southland was once home to the region's steel mills and heavy industry. Some heavy industry still remains, but many Southland communities are transforming themselves into service-oriented economies as the bulk of heavy industry moves out of the Chicago metro region.
Major residential development has made its way to the Southland as Chicago's northern and western suburbs are filling in and developers search for the last available open land for subdivisions. Southland property values continue to soar, especially in the southwestern portion of the region. Nevertheless, housing remains affordable compared to the northern and western suburbs. In 2007, Forbes Magazine rated three Southland municipalities as being the most "livable" suburbs in the Chicago Metropolitan area: South Holland
, Park Forest
, and Homewood
.
The November 17, 2009 issue of BusinessWeek named Tinley Park
one of America's Best Places to Raise Your Kids.
Located at the nation's crossroads, the Chicago Southland is served by interstates I-80, I-90, I-94, I-294, I-55, and I-57, and the six major U.S. rail lines. The Lincoln Highway
- America's first transcontinental paved roadway - crosses another famous highway, the Dixie Highway
, in Chicago Heights, hence the city's nickname, "The Crossroads of the Nation." The Tri-State Tollway
(I-80/I-294) which runs through this region has an oasis
appropriately named the Chicago Southland - Lincoln Oasis near South Holland
.
The Chicago Southland is home to the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
(formerly the Tweeter Center), a large outdoor music theater; Balmoral Park Race Track in Crete
; and Toyota Park
, new home of the Chicago Fire MLS Soccer Team.
Business in the area look to the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce as it the main regional business organization.
Several media outlets and regional organizations can provide additional information on the Chicago Southland, including: the Southtown Star , The Orland Park Prairie
, The Tinley Junction
, The Mokena Messenger, The Frankfort Station
, The Homer Horizon
, and The New Lenox Patriot
.
Bedford Park
,
Burbank
,
Chicago Ridge
,
Evergreen Park
,
Hometown
,
Oak Lawn
,
Worth
AREA 2
Berwyn
,
Bridgeview
,
Forest View
,
Hickory Hills
,
Palos Heights
,
Palos Hills
,
Palos Park
,
Summit
AREA 3
Frankfort
,
Homer Glen
,
Manhattan
,
Mokena
,
New Lenox
,
Orland Hills
,
Orland Park
,
Tinley Park
Wilmington
AREA 4
Alsip
,
Blue Island
,
Crestwood
,
Merrionette Park
,
Midlothian
,
Oak Forest
,
Posen
,
Robbins
AREA 5
Country Club Hills
,
East Hazel Crest
,
Flossmoor
,
Ford Heights
,
Glenwood
,
Harvey
,
Hazel Crest
,
Homewood
,
Markham
,
AREA 6
Burnham
,
Calumet City
,
Calumet Park
,
Dixmoor
,
Dolton
,
Lansing
,
Lynwood
,
Phoenix
,
Riverdale
,
South Holland
,
Thornton
AREA 7
Beecher
,
Chicago Heights
,
Crete
,
Matteson
,
Monee
,
Olympia Fields
,
Park Forest
,
Peotone
,
Richton Park
,
Sauk Village
,
South Chicago Heights
,
Steger
,
University Park
Municipalities sometimes included:
Countryside
,
Joliet
Justice
,
Lemont
,
McCook
,
Plainfield
,
Willow Springs
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, made up of approximately 70 municipalities. This region has been known as the Chicago Southland by the local populace and regional media for about 20 years.
Bordered by Bedford Park
Bedford Park, Illinois
Bedford Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 574 at the 2000 census. Bedford Park consists of a small residential area and vast amounts of heavy industry sprawling to the east and a small amount to the west.-Geography:...
(near Chicago Midway International Airport) on the north, the Chicago Southland extends south to Peotone
Peotone, Illinois
Peotone is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,385 at the 2000 census. The city is about south of Chicago...
, and more recently Kankakee
Kankakee, Illinois
Kankakee is a city in Kankakee County, Illinois, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 25,561, and 26,840 as of a 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Kankakee County...
. Its eastern boundary is the Illinois/Indiana State Line, and the region extends west to New Lenox
New Lenox, Illinois
New Lenox is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The village population is estimated to be 24,938 as of 2006. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning forecasts New Lenox will have a population of 90,652 in 2030.-Geography:...
, one of several rapidly-growing Will County
Will County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 502,266 people, 167,542 households, and 131,017 families residing in the county. The population density was 600 people per square mile . There were 175,524 housing units at an average density of 210 per square mile...
communities near Joliet
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
.
Known for its blue collar roots, the Chicago Southland was once home to the region's steel mills and heavy industry. Some heavy industry still remains, but many Southland communities are transforming themselves into service-oriented economies as the bulk of heavy industry moves out of the Chicago metro region.
Major residential development has made its way to the Southland as Chicago's northern and western suburbs are filling in and developers search for the last available open land for subdivisions. Southland property values continue to soar, especially in the southwestern portion of the region. Nevertheless, housing remains affordable compared to the northern and western suburbs. In 2007, Forbes Magazine rated three Southland municipalities as being the most "livable" suburbs in the Chicago Metropolitan area: South Holland
South Holland, Illinois
South Holland is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States and serves as the seat of Thornton Township. The population was 22,147 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Park Forest
Park Forest, Illinois
Park Forest is a village located south of Chicago in Cook County and Will County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 23,462...
, and Homewood
Homewood, Illinois
Homewood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,543 at the 2000 census. Homewood is a sister city to Homewood, Alabama.- Geography :...
.
The November 17, 2009 issue of BusinessWeek named Tinley Park
Tinley Park, Illinois
Tinley Park is a village located primarily in Cook County, Illinois, United States with a small portion in Will County. The population was 48,401 at the 2000 census, and 58,322 in the 2007 census. It is one of the fastest growing suburbs south of Chicago...
one of America's Best Places to Raise Your Kids.
Located at the nation's crossroads, the Chicago Southland is served by interstates I-80, I-90, I-94, I-294, I-55, and I-57, and the six major U.S. rail lines. The Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
- America's first transcontinental paved roadway - crosses another famous highway, the Dixie Highway
Dixie Highway
The Dixie Highway was a United States automobile highway, first planned in 1914 to connect the US Midwest with the Southern United States. It was part of the National Auto Trail system, and grew out of an earlier Miami to Montreal highway. The final result is better understood as a small network of...
, in Chicago Heights, hence the city's nickname, "The Crossroads of the Nation." The Tri-State Tollway
Tri-State Tollway
The Tri-State Tollway is a U.S. toll road maintained by the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority in northeastern Illinois which is considered one of the most heavily traveled highways in the country...
(I-80/I-294) which runs through this region has an oasis
Illinois Tollway oasis
An Illinois Tollway oasis is a type of commercialized rest area sited along interstate highways that are toll roads in Illinois, United States. The seven oases offer food and gasoline vendors and are found in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, DeKalb, and Belvidere...
appropriately named the Chicago Southland - Lincoln Oasis near South Holland
South Holland, Illinois
South Holland is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States and serves as the seat of Thornton Township. The population was 22,147 at the 2000 census.-History:...
.
The Chicago Southland is home to the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre is an outdoor music venue, in Chicago's southwest suburb of Tinley Park, Illinois, that opened in 1990. It is one of the largest music venues in the Chicago area, with capacities of up to 28,000 spectators...
(formerly the Tweeter Center), a large outdoor music theater; Balmoral Park Race Track in Crete
Crete, Illinois
Crete is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,346 at the 2000 census. Originally named Wood's Corner, it was founded in 1836 by Vermonters Dyantha and Willard Wood.-Geography:Crete is located at ....
; and Toyota Park
Toyota Park (Bridgeview)
Toyota Park is a soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview, Illinois. It is the home stadium of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club, members of Major League Soccer . Toyota Park was developed at a cost of around $100 million. The facility opened June 11, 2006...
, new home of the Chicago Fire MLS Soccer Team.
Business in the area look to the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce as it the main regional business organization.
Several media outlets and regional organizations can provide additional information on the Chicago Southland, including: the Southtown Star , The Orland Park Prairie
The Orland Park Prairie
The Orland Park Prairie is a weekly hyper-local community newspaper based in the Village of Orland Park, Illinois dedicated to the coverage of local news...
, The Tinley Junction
The Tinley Junction
The Tinley Junction is a weekly hyper-local community newspaper based in the Village of Tinley Park, Illinois dedicated to the coverage of local news...
, The Mokena Messenger, The Frankfort Station
The Frankfort Station
The Frankfort Station is a weekly hyper-local community newspaper based in the Village of Frankfort, Illinois dedicated to the coverage of local news...
, The Homer Horizon
The Homer Horizon
The Homer Horizon is a weekly hyper-local community newspaper based in the Village of Homer Glen, Illinois dedicated to the coverage of local news...
, and The New Lenox Patriot
The New Lenox Patriot
The New Lenox Patriot is a weekly hyper-local community newspaper based in the Village of New Lenox, Illinois dedicated to the coverage of local news...
.
Municipalities
AREA 1Bedford Park
Bedford Park, Illinois
Bedford Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 574 at the 2000 census. Bedford Park consists of a small residential area and vast amounts of heavy industry sprawling to the east and a small amount to the west.-Geography:...
,
Burbank
Burbank, Illinois
Burbank is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 27,902 at the 2000 census. It is located at the southwest edge of the city of Chicago; the Chicago city limit – specifically that of the Ashburn neighborhood – is in common with Burbank's eastern city limit...
,
Chicago Ridge
Chicago Ridge, Illinois
Chicago Ridge is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,127 at the 2000 census.-History:Chicago Ridge takes its name from ridges left behind when trainloads of dirt were brought out by the Wabash Railroad during construction of the Columbian Exposition of...
,
Evergreen Park
Evergreen Park, Illinois
Evergreen Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 25,044 at the 2009 census.-Geography:Evergreen Park is located at . The suburb is surrounded by the city of Chicago on three of its sides, while Oak Lawn and Hometown border it on the west...
,
Hometown
Hometown, Illinois
Hometown is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,467 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hometown is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
,
Oak Lawn
Oak Lawn, Illinois
Oak Lawn is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 55,245 at the 2000 census.Oak Lawn is a suburb of the city of Chicago, located southwest of the city...
,
Worth
Worth, Illinois
Worth is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, a suburb of Chicago. The population was 10,789 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Worth is located at ....
AREA 2
Berwyn
Berwyn
Berwyn originally referred to the Berwyn range of mountains in northeast Wales:*Cadair Berwyn or Cader Berwyn is a mountain summit in north east Wales*Cadair Berwyn North Top or Cadair Berwyn is a top of Cadair Berwyn in north east Wales...
,
Bridgeview
Bridgeview, Illinois
Bridgeview is a village in Cook County, Illinois in the United States. It is located approximately from the Chicago Loop. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 16,446...
,
Forest View
Forest View, Illinois
Forest View is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 778 at the 2000 census. It is close to Chicago and has a large Slavic population...
,
Hickory Hills
Hickory Hills, Illinois
Hickory Hills is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,926 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hickory Hills is located at ....
,
Palos Heights
Palos Heights, Illinois
Palos Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 12,561 in 2005.-Geography:Palos Heights is located at ....
,
Palos Hills
Palos Hills, Illinois
Palos Hills is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a suburb of Chicago. The population was 17,665 at the 2000 census. It is the home of Moraine Valley Community College as well as Amos Alonzo Stagg High School.-Geography:...
,
Palos Park
Palos Park, Illinois
Palos Park is an affluent village, in southwestern Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,689 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Palos Park is located at ....
,
Summit
Summit, Illinois
Summit is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,637 at the 2000 census. The village is best known as the setting to Ernest Hemingway's 1927 short story "The Killers".-Geography:...
AREA 3
Frankfort
Frankfort, Illinois
Frankfort is a village in Will and Cook Counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 17,782 at the 2010 census. According to Forbes.com, in 2007 the village ranked as the 36th fastest growing suburb in the United States. - Previous spelling :...
,
Homer Glen
Homer Glen, Illinois
Homer Glen is a village, located southwest of Chicago, in Homer Township, Will County, Illinois. As of a 2004 special census, the village had a total population of 24,083...
,
Manhattan
Manhattan, Illinois
Manhattan is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,071 at the 2006 special census. The city is located in northeastern Illinois approximately 50 miles southwest of Chicago.- History :...
,
Mokena
Mokena, Illinois
Mokena is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,583 at the 2000 census, with a special census conducted in 2007. The 2007 census showed that the population of the village increased to 18,669 people residing within the corporate limits...
,
New Lenox
New Lenox, Illinois
New Lenox is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The village population is estimated to be 24,938 as of 2006. The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning forecasts New Lenox will have a population of 90,652 in 2030.-Geography:...
,
Orland Hills
Orland Hills, Illinois
Orland Hills is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,779 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Orland Hills is located at ....
,
Orland Park
Orland Park, Illinois
Orland Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States; it also extends slightly into Will County. The population was 56,767 at the 2010 census. The office of the Assistant Village Manager, Ellen Baer, states that the Will County section of Orland Park is industrial while the Cook County...
,
Tinley Park
Tinley Park, Illinois
Tinley Park is a village located primarily in Cook County, Illinois, United States with a small portion in Will County. The population was 48,401 at the 2000 census, and 58,322 in the 2007 census. It is one of the fastest growing suburbs south of Chicago...
Wilmington
Wilmington, Illinois
Wilmington is the name of two places in the U.S. state of Illinois:*Wilmington, Greene County, Illinois*Wilmington, Will County, Illinois...
AREA 4
Alsip
Alsip, Illinois
Alsip is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,725 at the 2000 census. It is a suburb of Chicago.Alsip was settled in the 1830s by German and Dutch farmers. The village is named after Frank Alsip, the owner of a brickyard that opened there in 1885...
,
Blue Island
Blue Island, Illinois
Blue Island is a city in Cook County, Illinois. The population was 22,556 at the 2010 census. Blue Island was established in the 1830s as a way station for settlers traveling on the Vincennes Trace, and the settlement prospered because it was conveniently situated a day's journey outside of Chicago...
,
Crestwood
Crestwood, Illinois
Crestwood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,251 at the 2000 census. In April 2009 the Chicago Tribune reported that for 20 years the city had been drawing its drinking water from a well that was contaminated with toxic chemicals.-Geography:According to the...
,
Merrionette Park
Merrionette Park, Illinois
Merrionette Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,999 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Merrionette Park is located at ....
,
Midlothian
Midlothian, Illinois
Midlothian is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,315 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Midlothian is located at ....
,
Oak Forest
Oak Forest, Illinois
Oak Forest is a suburban city about south/southwest of downtown Chicago in Bremen Township in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 28,051 at the 2000 census.-History:...
,
Posen
Posen, Illinois
Posen is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Posen is the German-language name for the western Polish city of Poznań. The population was 4,730 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Posen is located at ....
,
Robbins
Robbins, Illinois
Robbins is a village in Cook County, Illinois. The population was 6,635 at the 2000 census. Irene H. Brodie is the current mayor of the city.-Demographics:...
AREA 5
Country Club Hills
Country Club Hills, Illinois
Country Club Hills is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 16,169 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Country Club Hills is located at ....
,
East Hazel Crest
East Hazel Crest, Illinois
East Hazel Crest is a village in Cook County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,607.-Geography:East Hazel Crest is located at ....
,
Flossmoor
Flossmoor, Illinois
Flossmoor is a village in south suburban Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,464 at the 2010 census.The village is renowned for the quality and architectural variety of its housing stock, as well as its proximity to numerous country clubs. It prides itself on being a...
,
Ford Heights
Ford Heights, Illinois
Ford Heights is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,456 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2007 estimate placed the population at 3,227...
,
Glenwood
Glenwood, Illinois
Glenwood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 9,000 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glenwood is located at ....
,
Harvey
Harvey, Illinois
Harvey is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, near Chicago. The population was 30,000 at the 2000 census.Harvey is bordered by Dixmoor, Riverdale and Blue Island to the north, Posen and Markham to the west, South Holland, Phoenix, and Dolton to the east, and East Hazel Crest to the...
,
Hazel Crest
Hazel Crest, Illinois
Hazel Crest is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,816 at the 2000 census. Despite being primarily located in Bremen Township, the village is also located in Rich Township south of 183rd Street and Thornton Township east of I-80/94 The Village is located in...
,
Homewood
Homewood, Illinois
Homewood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,543 at the 2000 census. Homewood is a sister city to Homewood, Alabama.- Geography :...
,
Markham
Markham, Illinois
Markham is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,620 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Markham is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
,
AREA 6
Burnham
Burnham, Illinois
Burnham is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,170 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 60633.Burnham has a Chicago ZIP code, and is often mistakenly considered part of Chicago...
,
Calumet City
Calumet City, Illinois
Calumet City is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 39,072 at the 2000 census. The ZIP code is 60409.Calumet City was founded in 1892 when the villages of Schrumville and Sobieski Park merged under the name of West Hammond, since it lies on the west side of the...
,
Calumet Park
Calumet Park, Illinois
Calumet Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois. The population was 8,516 at the 2000 census.On May 13, 2010 Mayor Joseph DuPar and the Village Board approved renaming 127th Street as Obama Drive, in honor of the 44th President of the United States...
,
Dixmoor
Dixmoor, Illinois
Dixmoor is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,934 at the 2000 census.Dixmoor is adjacent to Harvey, Illinois, and keeps Harvey's east-west numbering system, even though most of the village lies west of Ashland Avenue/Wood Street.-Geography:Dixmoor is located at...
,
Dolton
Dolton, Illinois
Dolton is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 25,614 at the 2000 census. Dolton is located just west of the expressway Interstate 94 and immediately south of the city limits of Chicago. Its most common ZIP code is 60419....
,
Lansing
Lansing, Illinois
Lansing is a village in Cook County, Illinois, USA. Lansing is a southern suburb of Chicago. The population was 28,332 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
,
Lynwood
Lynwood, Illinois
Lynwood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,377 at the 2000 census.Lynwood was founded in 1959. The Village is surrounded by Lansing to the north, Glenwood to the west, Sauk Village to the south, and Munster and Dyer, Indiana to the east. The Indiana state...
,
Phoenix
Phoenix, Illinois
Phoenix is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,157 at the 2000 census. It is located approximately 19 miles south of the Chicago Loop and is part of the Chicago–Naperville–Joliet, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Phoenix is located at...
,
Riverdale
Riverdale, Illinois
Riverdale is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 15,055 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Riverdale is located at ....
,
South Holland
South Holland, Illinois
South Holland is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States and serves as the seat of Thornton Township. The population was 22,147 at the 2000 census.-History:...
,
Thornton
Thornton, Illinois
Thornton is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,582 at the 2000 census. Thornton is home to the Thornton Quarry, one of the largest quarries in the world.-Geography:Thornton is located at ....
AREA 7
Beecher
Beecher, Illinois
Beecher is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. It is located on the old Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad and the Dixie Highway. Situated in the center of Washington Township, it was originally named Washington Center. The population was 4,359 at the 2010 census. Named for Henry...
,
Chicago Heights
Chicago Heights, Illinois
Chicago Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 31,373 at the 2005 census. Chicago Heights is nicknamed 'Crossroads of the Nation'.-History:...
,
Crete
Crete, Illinois
Crete is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 7,346 at the 2000 census. Originally named Wood's Corner, it was founded in 1836 by Vermonters Dyantha and Willard Wood.-Geography:Crete is located at ....
,
Matteson
Matteson, Illinois
Matteson is a village in Cook and Will Counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,928 at the 2000 census and an estimated 17,080 as of July 2007.-Geography:Matteson is located at ....
,
Monee
Monee, Illinois
Monee is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,924 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Monee is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land....
,
Olympia Fields
Olympia Fields, Illinois
Olympia Fields is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,732 at the 2000 census. It is the location of the prestigious Olympia Fields Country Club, and is also noteworthy as one of the wealthiest majority black communities in the United States...
,
Park Forest
Park Forest, Illinois
Park Forest is a village located south of Chicago in Cook County and Will County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 23,462...
,
Peotone
Peotone, Illinois
Peotone is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,385 at the 2000 census. The city is about south of Chicago...
,
Richton Park
Richton Park, Illinois
Richton Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,533 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by Matteson to the north, Park Forest to the east, University Park and Crete to the south.-Geography:...
,
Sauk Village
Sauk Village, Illinois
Sauk Village is a village in Cook County and small parcel south of 231st St. in Will County, Illinois. The population was 10,411 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sauk Village is located at ....
,
South Chicago Heights
South Chicago Heights, Illinois
South Chicago Heights is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,970 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Chicago Heights is located at ....
,
Steger
Steger, Illinois
The village of Steger lies along the dividing line on the south end of Cook County and north end of Will County in the U.S. state of Illinois...
,
University Park
University Park, Illinois
University Park is a village in Will County, Illinois. A very small parcel is in Cook County. University Park has been the home of Governors State University since 1969...
Municipalities sometimes included:
Countryside
Countryside, Illinois
Countryside is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,991 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Countryside is located at ....
,
Joliet
Joliet, Illinois
Joliet is a city in Will and Kendall Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, located southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city was the fourth-most populated in Illinois, with a population of 147,433. It continues to be Illinois' fastest growing...
Justice
Justice, Illinois
Justice is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States established in 1911. The population was 12,850 as of 2006.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.A major road running through the town is...
,
Lemont
Lemont, Illinois
Lemont is a village located in Cook, DuPage, and Will Counties in the U.S. state of Illinois, and is roughly southwest of Chicago. The population was 16,625 at the 2007 Special Census.-History:...
,
McCook
McCook, Illinois
McCook is a suburb of Chicago in Cook County, in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 254, which is the lowest population of all municipalities in the county. It was named for John J. McCook, a late 19th century director of the Santa Fe Railroad and a former...
,
Plainfield
Plainfield, Illinois
Plainfield is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2007 special census, the population is 37,334.The Village includes land in Plainfield and Wheatland townships. Part of Plainfield is located in Kendall County...
,
Willow Springs
Willow Springs, Illinois
Willow Springs is a village in Cook and DuPage Counties, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,027 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Willow Springs is located at ....