Wheeling, Illinois
Encyclopedia
Wheeling is a village in Cook County
, Illinois
, United States
, and a suburb of Chicago
. The population was 34,496 at the 2000 census, and 38,555 at the 2006 special village census.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²), of which, 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.47%) is water.
of 2006, there were 38,555 people, 13,280 households, and 8,459 families residing in the village. The population density
was 4,106.5 people per square mile (1,585.6/km²). There were 13,697 housing units at an average density of 1,630.5 per square mile (629.6/km²). The racial make-up of the village was 47.7% White, 3.0% African American, 11.7% Asian, 3.4% from other races
, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.2% of the population.
There were 13,280 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the village the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $55,491, and the median income for a family was $63,088. Males had a median income of $41,586 versus $32,262 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $24,989. About 4.7% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
on Metra
's North Central Service
, which provides daily commuter rail service between Antioch, Illinois
and Chicago, Illinois (at Union Station
) Monday through Friday.
Chicago Executive Airport, a busy General Aviation
airport
, is located in both Wheeling and Prospect Heights
and jointly run by both villages. Formerly known as Palwaukee Municipal Airport, it is the third busiest airport in Illinois, after Chicago's O'Hare
and Midway Airport
s.
and Prospect Heights Library District.
is located in Wheeling. It comprises five elementary schools and three middle schools. Elementary schools include Walt Whitman Elementary School, Robert Frost Elementary School, Booth Tarkington Elementary School, Mark Twain Elementary School and Eugene Field Elementary School. Middle schools include Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle School, MacArthur Middle School, and Jack London Middle School.
In addition to students from District 21, a small portion of students from Prospect Heights
School District 23
attend Wheeling High School. Schools in this district include Betsy Ross Elementary School (K-2), Anne Sullivan Elementary School (3-5), Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School (K-5) and Douglas MacArthur Middle School (6-8).
Students from most of these schools and most of Wheeling attend Wheeling High School
, though a small portion of students from Wheeling attend Buffalo Grove High School
, in which both belong to Township High School District 214
, which is Illinois' second largest high school district by enrollment. Students who attend MacArthur Middle School attend either Wheeling High School
or John Hersey High School
, another school in Township High School District 214. However all the students residing in Wheeling in Prospect Heights School District 23 attend Ross, Sullivan or Eisenhower and MacArthur and only attend Wheeling High School
.
Students can also attend one of many private schools in town or in the area. J. Slowacki School serves pre-kindergarten through 11th grade. East Capitol High School serves grades 9-12. St. Viator High School also serves grades 9-12. St. Joseph the Worker school was formerly a catholic grade school which served grades K-8. St. Alphonsus Ligouri school is also a catholic grade school which serves K-8 in nearby Prospect Heights which serves Wheeling and which is also located in Wheeling High School's district.
National-Louis University
is an accredited, private, non-profit undergraduate and graduate institution of higher learning, organized in colleges of education, arts and sciences, and business and management. Worsham College of Mortuary Science is an accredited, private institution offering Associate Degrees and Diplomas in mortuary science. It will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary in October 2011. Solex College
is an accredited, public independent college offering programs, certifications, degrees, and courses in medical, English, business, and job skills and certifications. William Rainey Harper College, based in Palatine, is the community college serving Wheeling.
Camp Ramah
Day Camp is located in Wheeling.
Wheeling was also home to video game company Jaleco USA. Wheeling was also the location for the American branch of Taito Corporation
contestant Haley Reinhart
and Bones
star John Francis Daley
.
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and a suburb of Chicago
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...
. The population was 34,496 at the 2000 census, and 38,555 at the 2006 special village census.
Geography
Wheeling is located at 42°7′53"N 87°55′47"W (42.131526, -87.929586).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²), of which, 8.4 square miles (21.8 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.47%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2006, there were 38,555 people, 13,280 households, and 8,459 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,106.5 people per square mile (1,585.6/km²). There were 13,697 housing units at an average density of 1,630.5 per square mile (629.6/km²). The racial make-up of the village was 47.7% White, 3.0% African American, 11.7% Asian, 3.4% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.2% of the population.
There were 13,280 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the village the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $55,491, and the median income for a family was $63,088. Males had a median income of $41,586 versus $32,262 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $24,989. About 4.7% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
Wheeling has a stationWheeling (Metra)
Wheeling is a station on Metra's North Central Service in Wheeling, Illinois. The station is away from Union Station, the southern terminus of the line. In Metra's zone-based fare system, Wheeling is in zone F....
on Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
's North Central Service
North Central Service
The North Central Service is a commuter rail line provided and operated by Metra in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs. While Metra does not specifically refer to any of its lines by a particular color, the timetable accents for the North Central Service line are printed in light "Soo...
, which provides daily commuter rail service between Antioch, Illinois
Antioch, Illinois
Antioch is a village in the Antioch Township of Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 14,430 at the 2010 census. Antioch is part of the Chicago metropolitan area.- Prior to incorporation :...
and Chicago, Illinois (at Union Station
Union Station (Chicago)
Union Station is a major train station that opened in 1925 in Chicago, replacing an earlier 1881 station. It is now the only intercity rail terminal in Chicago, as well as being the city's primary terminal for commuter trains. The station stands on the west side of the Chicago River between Adams...
) Monday through Friday.
Chicago Executive Airport, a busy General Aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
, is located in both Wheeling and Prospect Heights
Prospect Heights, Illinois
Prospect Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, which is a suburb of Chicago. The population was 17,081 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Prospect Heights is located at ....
and jointly run by both villages. Formerly known as Palwaukee Municipal Airport, it is the third busiest airport in Illinois, after Chicago's O'Hare
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
and Midway Airport
Midway Airport
Chicago Midway International Airport , also known simply as Midway Airport or Midway, is an airport in Chicago, Illinois, United States, located on the city's southwest side, eight miles from Chicago's Loop...
s.
Climate
The climate in Wheeling, IL can be classified as temperate. Winters are usually very cold and snowy. Summers are often hot and humid, but can be pleasantly warm as well. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the months.Library
Wheeling is served by the Indian Trails Public Library DistrictIndian Trails Public Library District
The Indian Trails Public Library is a public library district located in Wheeling, Illinois, USA.-1955-1962:In 1955, the Village of Wheeling was experiencing an explosion of population and affordable housing developments...
and Prospect Heights Library District.
Schools
Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21
Wheeling Community Consolidated School District 21 is a school district that serves most of Wheeling, Illinois and surrounding communities, such as Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights. As of 2006, there are ten elementary schools in the district and three middle...
is located in Wheeling. It comprises five elementary schools and three middle schools. Elementary schools include Walt Whitman Elementary School, Robert Frost Elementary School, Booth Tarkington Elementary School, Mark Twain Elementary School and Eugene Field Elementary School. Middle schools include Oliver Wendell Holmes Middle School, MacArthur Middle School, and Jack London Middle School.
In addition to students from District 21, a small portion of students from Prospect Heights
Prospect Heights, Illinois
Prospect Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States, which is a suburb of Chicago. The population was 17,081 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Prospect Heights is located at ....
School District 23
Prospect Heights School District 23
Prospect Heights School District 23 is a school district located in Prospect Heights, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. The majority of the schools, are located in the corner of Palatine Rd. and Schoenbeck Rd. Dwight D...
attend Wheeling High School. Schools in this district include Betsy Ross Elementary School (K-2), Anne Sullivan Elementary School (3-5), Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School (K-5) and Douglas MacArthur Middle School (6-8).
Students from most of these schools and most of Wheeling attend Wheeling High School
Wheeling High School
Wheeling High School, or WHS, is a public four-year high school located in Wheeling, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 214, which also includes Buffalo Grove High School, Elk Grove High School, John Hersey High...
, though a small portion of students from Wheeling attend Buffalo Grove High School
Buffalo Grove High School
Buffalo Grove High School, or BGHS is a public high school located in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago. It is one of six four-year comprehensive high schools in Township High School District 214, serving portions of the Villages of Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights and a small...
, in which both belong to Township High School District 214
Township High School District 214
Township High School District 214 is located in Cook County, Illinois. It is the state's second largest high school district by enrollment .-Schools:* Buffalo Grove High School* Elk Grove High School* John Hersey High School* Prospect High School...
, which is Illinois' second largest high school district by enrollment. Students who attend MacArthur Middle School attend either Wheeling High School
Wheeling High School
Wheeling High School, or WHS, is a public four-year high school located in Wheeling, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 214, which also includes Buffalo Grove High School, Elk Grove High School, John Hersey High...
or John Hersey High School
John Hersey High School
John Hersey High School, , is a four-year public high school located in Arlington Heights, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois in the United States, it has its students from Arlington Heights and also takes some students from Prospect Heights, Mount Prospect and a small part of Des...
, another school in Township High School District 214. However all the students residing in Wheeling in Prospect Heights School District 23 attend Ross, Sullivan or Eisenhower and MacArthur and only attend Wheeling High School
Wheeling High School
Wheeling High School, or WHS, is a public four-year high school located in Wheeling, Illinois, a northwest suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Township High School District 214, which also includes Buffalo Grove High School, Elk Grove High School, John Hersey High...
.
Students can also attend one of many private schools in town or in the area. J. Slowacki School serves pre-kindergarten through 11th grade. East Capitol High School serves grades 9-12. St. Viator High School also serves grades 9-12. St. Joseph the Worker school was formerly a catholic grade school which served grades K-8. St. Alphonsus Ligouri school is also a catholic grade school which serves K-8 in nearby Prospect Heights which serves Wheeling and which is also located in Wheeling High School's district.
National-Louis University
National-Louis University
National–Louis University is a private non-profit American university. NLU has campuses in and near Chicago, Illinois, as well as in Wisconsin, Florida, and Nowy Sącz, Poland. Many NLU courses and programs are also offered at-a-distance. The university practices multi-campus, at-a-distance, and...
is an accredited, private, non-profit undergraduate and graduate institution of higher learning, organized in colleges of education, arts and sciences, and business and management. Worsham College of Mortuary Science is an accredited, private institution offering Associate Degrees and Diplomas in mortuary science. It will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary in October 2011. Solex College
Solex College
SOLEX College is certified degree-granting institution of higher education, and vocational and language learning. SOLEX College offers three locations: one in the northwest suburbs in Wheeling, Illinois, on Dundee Road, one on the north side of Chicago on Belmont Avenue, and one in the Chicago...
is an accredited, public independent college offering programs, certifications, degrees, and courses in medical, English, business, and job skills and certifications. William Rainey Harper College, based in Palatine, is the community college serving Wheeling.
Facilities
The Union Hotel was located on Milwaukee Avenue. It was built in 1856 and reconstructed following a fire in 1925. Over the years, the building evolved into several restaurants. Billy and Company, a restaurant, was the last occupant of the building, which was torn down in 1996 to make way for Union Commons condominiums.Camp Ramah
Camp Ramah
Camp Ramah is a network of Jewish summer camps affiliated with the Conservative Movement. The camps operate in the United States, Canada, and Israel. Ramah camps serve kosher food and are Shabbat-observant.-History:...
Day Camp is located in Wheeling.
Wheeling was also home to video game company Jaleco USA. Wheeling was also the location for the American branch of Taito Corporation
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
Notable residents
Wheeling is the hometown of American IdolAmerican Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
contestant Haley Reinhart
Haley Reinhart
Haley Reinhart is an American singer from Wheeling, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, Illinois who placed third in the tenth season of American Idol. Reinhart is currently signed to 19 and Interscope Records.-Early life:...
and Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
star John Francis Daley
John Francis Daley
John Francis Daley is an American television and film actor, singer, screenwriter, and director, sometimes credited as John Daley or John Francis Daly. He is best known for playing Sam Weir on the NBC comedy-drama Freaks and Geeks and his current role as Lance Sweets on the series Bones...
.