Niles, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Niles, Illinois
Village
Leaning Tower of Niles
logo
Motto(s):  "It's Possible Here"
Location of Niles in Cook County, Illinois
Niles, Illinois Location in Greater Chicago Show map of Greater Chicago Niles, Illinois Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Niles, Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	Cook
Townships	Maine, Niles
Settled	1832
Incorporated	1899
Area
• Total	5.85 sq mi (15.15 km2)
• Land	5.85 sq mi (15.15 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	646 ft (197 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	30,912
• Density	5,285.91/sq mi (2,040.87/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)	60714
Area codes	847, 224
FIPS code	17-53000
Wikimedia Commons	Niles, Illinois

Niles is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It's located right next to the far northwest border of Chicago. In 2020, about 30,912 people lived there. The current mayor of Niles is George Alpogianis.

History of Niles

Niles Free Bus at Golf Mill

Niles was first settled in 1827. The village officially became a town on August 24, 1899. At that time, only about 500 people lived in the village.

Some of the land that makes up Niles today was given to people of mixed Native American heritage. This happened through a treaty signed in 1832 between the United States government and Native American tribes like the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatamie.

Niles is part of Niles Township, which is where it gets its name. It's important not to confuse Niles with "Niles Center," which is what the nearby town of Skokie used to be called.

No one is completely sure how Niles got its name. In 1929, a newspaper called the Chicago Tribune suggested it might have been named after the Niles Register. This was a newspaper from the 1820s published in Washington, D.C.. However, there's no real proof of this idea. People only know that the name was chosen at a public meeting before 1850.

Niles was the first community in Illinois to offer free ambulance service. This started in 1946, making it one of the first places in the entire United States to do so.

Geography and Location

Niles is located at 42°1′40″N 87°48′36″W / 42.02778°N 87.81000°W / 42.02778; -87.81000. It covers an area of about 5.85 square miles (15.15 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

The village is next to several other towns. To the south, it borders Chicago. To the east, you'll find Skokie. Morton Grove is to the northeast, and Glenview is to the north. To the west, Niles is next to Park Ridge and some parts of Cook County.

A main road called Milwaukee Avenue runs diagonally through the town. It goes from the northwest to the southeast. The North Branch of the Chicago River also flows through the eastern part of Niles.

Population and People

In 2020, there were 30,912 people living in Niles. There were 11,065 households, and 7,180 families. The population density was about 5,286 people per square mile (2,041 people per square kilometer).

About 16.4% of the people in Niles were under 18 years old. About 25.1% were 65 years or older. The average age in the village was 47.6 years.

The median income for a household in Niles was $63,490. For a family, the median income was $85,270. About 9.2% of the total population lived below the poverty line.

Assyrian Community

Niles has a notable Assyrian American population. In 2023, there were about 1,113 people of Assyrian or Chaldean background living in the village.

Economy and Jobs

Several well-known companies have their offices or headquarters in Niles. These include Shure, which makes audio equipment, Bradford Exchange, and Hammacher Schlemmer, a company known for unique gifts. MFRI is also based here.

Here are some of the top employers in Niles:

Culture and Landmarks

Golf Mill Shopping Center

One of the most famous landmarks in Niles is the Leaning Tower of Niles. It's a smaller copy of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. This tower even appeared in the movie Wayne's World! It's located next to the "Leaning Tower YMCA," a local community center. During the summer, many concerts are held at the tower.

Another important place is the Tam O'Shanter Golf Course. The Niles Park District now owns it. This golf course hosted big professional golf tournaments in the past, like the All American Open and the Western Open.

St. Adalbert Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Many people are buried there, including Fredrak Fraske, who was the last surviving veteran of the "Indian Wars." George Halas, the famous former head coach of the Chicago Bears football team, is also buried here. St. John Brebeuf Catholic Church was the first Catholic church in Niles.

The Golf Mill Shopping Center opened in 1960. The main office for the Bradford Group, a big company that sells collectibles, is also in Niles.

Education in Niles

The Niles Public Library on Waukegan and Oakton. The space in the parking lot is a memorial to military veterans.

Notre Dame High School is located on Dempster Street.

Students in Niles attend schools in several different districts.

Elementary Schools

• East Maine School District 63
• Park Ridge-Niles School District 64
• Golf School District 67
• Niles Elementary School District 71
• Fairview School District 72
• The Niles Township District for Special Education 807 helps students with special needs in these areas.

High Schools

• Maine Township High School District 207 includes:
  • Maine East High School
  • Maine South High School
• Niles Township Community High School District 219 includes:
  • Niles North High School
  • Niles West High School

Colleges

• Oakton Community College serves the area for higher education.

Private Schools

• St. John Brebeuf School is a Catholic school for students from pre-school through 8th grade.
• Northridge Preparatory School is a Catholic high school.
• Notre Dame College Prep is another Catholic high school.
• Logos Christian Academy is a Baptist school.

The Chicago Futabakai Japanese School used to be in Niles until 1998, when it moved to Arlington Heights.

Transportation Options

Niles Free Bus

The Niles Free Bus is a special bus system that operates only within the village. It's completely free for riders! The buses run every weekday from 6:30 AM to 5:00 PM. On weekends, they run from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM. These buses stop at major shopping centers, public buildings, and close to most homes.

Pace Bus Service

Pace also provides bus service in Niles. These buses connect Niles to many other places in the region. The Pace Pulse Milwaukee Line and Pulse Dempster Line both serve the village.

Major Roads

Important highways in Niles include:

Notable People from Niles

Many interesting people have connections to Niles, including:

• Paul Cienniwa, a talented musician who plays the harpsichord and organ.
• Rev. Juan Čobrda, a bishop in the Lutheran church.
• Art Frantz, who was an umpire in Major League Baseball.
• Jim Les, a former National Basketball Association (NBA) player and college basketball coach.
• Pete Sykaras, an Olympic baseball player.
• Agnes Zawadzki, a figure skater who won medals at the World Junior championships.

Sister Cities

Niles has four sister cities around the world. These partnerships help build friendships and cultural understanding between different places.

• Pisa, Italy (since 1991)
• Nafplion, Greece (since 1994)
• Leixlip, Ireland (since 2000)
• Limanowa, Poland (since 2005)

See also

In Spanish: Niles (Illinois) para niños