Chicago Heights, Illinois Facts for Kids

"Chicago Heights" redirects here. For the film, see Chicago Heights (film).

Quick facts for kids

Chicago Heights, Illinois

City

Looking east across Chicago Road

Flag

Seal

Location of Chicago Heights in Cook County, Illinois.

Country

State

Bloom

1893

Government

• Type

Council–manager

Area

• Total

10.30 sq mi (26.67 km²)

• Land

10.28 sq mi (26.63 km²)

• Water

0.01 sq mi (0.03 km²) 0.10%

Population

(2020)

• Total

27,480

• Density

2,672.37/sq mi (1,031.85/km²)

Standard of living (2009–11)

• Per capita income

$17,548

• Median home value

$125,400

ZIP code(s)

60411, 60412, 60413

Area code(s)

708

Geocode

17-14026

FIPS code

17-14026

Chicago Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the larger Chicago metropolitan area. In 2020, about 27,480 people lived there. People sometimes call Chicago Heights "The Crossroads of the Nation" or "The Heights."

Geography of Chicago Heights
- Communities Near Chicago Heights
Population and People
Education in Chicago Heights
Economy
City Services
- Transportation
- Healthcare
Notable People
Sister Cities
Images for kids
See also

Geography of Chicago Heights

Chicago Heights is located on high ground called the Tinley Moraine. A moraine is a hill or ridge made of rocks and dirt left behind by glaciers. Just south of the city is an even older and higher moraine called the Valparaiso Moraine.

The city covers about 10.30 square miles (26.67 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit of water.

Two important roads meet in Chicago Heights: Dixie Highway (Illinois Route 1) and Lincoln Highway (U.S. Route 30). These roads help connect the city to other places. Chicago Heights is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) south of the center of Chicago, known as the Chicago Loop.

Communities Near Chicago Heights

Chicago Heights is surrounded by several other towns and cities. These include:

Population and People

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	5,100	—
1910	14,525	184.8%
1920	19,653	35.3%
1930	22,321	13.6%
1940	22,461	0.6%
1950	24,551	9.3%
1960	34,331	39.8%
1970	40,900	19.1%
1980	37,026	−9.5%
1990	33,072	−10.7%
2000	32,776	−0.9%
2010	30,276	−7.6%
2020	27,480	−9.2%
U.S. Decennial Census 2010 2020

In 2020, Chicago Heights had 27,480 residents. The city is home to many different groups of people. About 42.5% of the population was African American, and 21% was White. Many residents, about 39%, identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The city has about 9,736 households. About 34.5% of these households had children under 18 living there. The average household had about 3.67 people.

The median age in Chicago Heights was 35.4 years old. This means half the people were younger than 35.4, and half were older. About 26.9% of the population was under 18.

Education in Chicago Heights

Chicago Heights has many schools, from preschool to college.

Local Schools

Chicago Heights School District 170 runs twelve schools for about 3,600 students.

Preschool: Highland (for ages three and four).
Elementary Schools (Kindergarten to 5th grade): Garfield, Grant, Greenbriar, Jefferson, Kennedy, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Washington-McKinley, and Wilson.
Middle School (6th to 8th grade): Chicago Heights Middle School.

After 8th grade, most students from District 170 attend Bloom High School. Bloom Trail High School is also in the city and shares sports programs with Bloom. Students from nearby towns like Steger, South Chicago Heights, Ford Heights, Sauk Village, and Glenwood also attend high school at Bloom.

Some parts of Chicago Heights are in Flossmoor School District 161. This district includes Serena Hills Elementary School in Chicago Heights and Parker Jr. High School. Some students from Parker Jr. High go on to Homewood-Flossmoor High School, while others attend Bloom High School.

Other parts of Chicago Heights are served by Park Forest – Chicago Heights School District 163. Beacon Hill Primary Center is in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. After primary school, students go to Michelle Obama School of Arts and Technology for middle school. These students then attend Rich Township High School.

Private Schools and College

Marian Catholic High School is a private Catholic high school.
St. Agnes School is another private Catholic school.
Prairie State College is a community college located in Chicago Heights, offering higher education.

Public Library

The Chicago Heights Free Public Library has a long history. In 1901, residents asked for a public library. The first library board was formed, and the library opened in a small room in the city building in 1902.

Later, they asked Andrew Carnegie, a famous businessman, for money to build a bigger library. He gave $15,000, and the Carnegie Library opened on September 11, 1903. It had 1,643 books and two staff members.

As the city grew, a much larger library was needed. The current Chicago Heights Free Public Library building opened on August 5, 1972. It was a big project, costing a million dollars, and started with 60,000 books and other materials.

Economy

Chicago Heights used to be a major industrial center. Large companies like Thrall Car Manufacturing Company, which made freight cars, and Inland Steel Company were once based here.

Today, Ford Motor Company still has a metal stamping plant in Chicago Heights. This factory makes car body parts that are sent to Ford's assembly plant in Chicago, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) away.

City Services

Transportation

Chicago Heights has a good transportation system.

Six Pace bus routes serve the city, along with the Pace Chicago Heights Terminal.
The city will also be served by Metra’s SouthEast Service, which is a commuter train line. This will be the first time the area has had commuter rail service since 1935.

Healthcare

For healthcare, Chicago Heights has two Aunt Martha's health centers. There was also a Well Group Clinic, which was part of St. James Hospital. Sadly, St. James Hospital closed in September 2018 after being open for over 100 years.

Notable People

Many famous people have come from Chicago Heights. Here are some of them:

Paris Barclay, a TV producer and director for shows like Sons of Anarchy.
Jim Bouton, a baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees and author of Ball Four.
David Broder, a Pulitzer Prize-winning political writer for The Washington Post.
Jerry Colangelo, a well-known sports executive who owned the Phoenix Suns.
Eddie Condon, a famous jazz musician.
Darlene Conley, an actress known for playing Sally Spectra on The Bold and the Beautiful.
Mike Downey, a sports writer for the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.
Matt Fraction, a writer for Marvel Comics.
Rodney Harrison, a football safety who won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.
Jan Johnson, an Olympic bronze medalist in pole vaulting.
Dennis Kelly, an offensive tackle in the NFL.
Todd Krygier, a left wing who played in the NHL.
Shonda Rhimes, a successful TV creator and producer of shows like Grey's Anatomy and Scandal.
Bret Saberhagen, a baseball pitcher who won the Cy Young Award and a World Series with the Kansas City Royals.
John F. Stossel, a consumer reporter and investigative journalist.
Julian Wright, a basketball player who played for the Kansas Jayhawks and in the NBA.
Bryant Young, a Hall of Fame defensive tackle who won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers.