McCook, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids McCook, Illinois
Village
McCook welcome sign, inspired by the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign
Seal
Location of McCook in Cook County, Illinois.
McCook, Illinois Location in Greater Chicago Show map of Greater Chicago McCook, Illinois Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois McCook, Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Cook
Area
• Total	2.63 sq mi (6.83 km2)
• Land	2.61 sq mi (6.77 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	249
• Density	95.26/sq mi (36.78/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)	60525
Area code(s)	708
FIPS code	17-45564

McCook is a small village located in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It's like a neighbor to the big city of Chicago, but it's known for its many factories and businesses. In 2020, only 249 people lived here, making it one of the smallest villages in the county!

History of McCook Village

McCook got its name from John J. McCook. He was a director of the Santa Fe Railroad in the late 1800s and a former officer from the American Civil War. The Santa Fe Railroad even had a stop called McCook station in the town.

In 1935, the Outlaws Motorcycle Club started in McCook. This was when the famous Old Route 66 passed right through the village. Later, in 1995, a special laboratory called the Universal Oil Products Riverside Laboratory in McCook was recognized as a National Historic Chemical Landmark. This means it was an important place for discoveries in chemistry!

Geography and Location

McCook is located in Illinois at these coordinates: 41°47′55″N 87°49′57″W / 41.79861°N 87.83250°W / 41.79861; -87.83250.

The village covers about 2.64 square miles (6.83 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 2.61 square miles (6.77 square kilometers), is land. A very small part, about 0.02 square miles (0.05 square kilometers), is water.

Even though McCook has a small number of people living there, it has a lot of heavy industry. This means there are many factories and businesses, which helps the village collect a lot of tax money.

People of McCook

According to the 2020 census, 249 people live in McCook. There are 107 households, which are like homes or families living together.

About 64% of the people are White, and about 1% are Asian. Around 10% are from other races, and 24% are from two or more races. A big part of the population, about 36%, are Hispanic or Latino.

In McCook, about 41% of households have kids under 18 living with them. The average household has about 3 people. The median age for people in McCook is 31.4 years old. This means half the people are younger than 31.4, and half are older.

The average income for a household in McCook was about $75,417. For families, it was around $65,417.

Businesses and Industry

McCook is home to a lot of heavy industry. This includes parts of the Vulcan Materials Company McCook Quarry, UOP, and the Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) plant.

EMD is famous for making locomotives, which are the engines that pull trains. From 1935 to 1991, they built most of their locomotives right here in McCook. Even though the main assembly moved, the McCook plant still makes locomotive parts and engines. It's also the main office for EMD in the U.S.

Schools in McCook

Parts of McCook are served by different school districts.

• Some students go to schools in the Lyons School District 103.
• Others attend J. Sterling Morton High School District 201's Morton West High School in Berwyn.
• Another part of McCook is served by Lyons Township High School, which is located in Western Springs and LaGrange.

Getting Around McCook

Pace provides bus service in McCook. Their Route 330 bus connects McCook to other places in the region, making it easier for people to travel.

See also

In Spanish: McCook (Illinois) para niños