kids encyclopedia robot

Schererville, Indiana facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Town of Schererville, Indiana
Schererville.jpg
Nickname(s): 
Crossroads of America,
The Region
Location of Schererville in Lake County, Indiana.
Location of Schererville in Lake County, Indiana.
Country  United States
State  Indiana
County Lake
Township St. John
Founded 1866
Named for Nicholas Scherer
Government
 • Type Town
 • Body Town Council
Area
 • Total 15.15 sq mi (39.23 km2)
 • Land 15.12 sq mi (39.15 km2)
 • Water 0.03 sq mi (0.09 km2)
Elevation
669 ft (204 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 29,646
 • Density 1,961.23/sq mi (757.26/km2)
Standard of living
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/scherervilletownindiana
 • Per capita income $40,421
 • Median home value $222,400
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (Central)
ZIP code
46375
Area code 219
FIPS code 18-68220
GNIS feature ID 0443066
Demographics (2010)
White Black Asian
86.8% 5.4% 2.8%
Islander Native Other Hispanic
(any race)
0.0% 0.2% 4.8% 10.6%
Historical population
Census Pop.
1920 483
1930 580 20.1%
1940 998 72.1%
1950 1,457 46.0%
1960 2,875 97.3%
1970 3,663 27.4%
1980 13,209 260.6%
1990 19,926 50.9%
2000 24,851 24.7%
2010 29,243 17.7%
2020 29,646 1.4%
Source: US Census Bureau

Schererville is a town in St. John Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,646 at the 2020 census It is a suburb of Chicago located just 30 miles south of the city

History

Long before Indiana became a state, long before the founding of Schererville, people called the area the "Crossroads," as several Native American trails intersected here, that later became routes for the wagons of settlers traveling west.

One of those settlers was Nicholas Scherer, born in 1807 at Dilsburg, today part of Heusweiler district, Saarland, southwest Germany, who arrived in the U.S. in 1846. When he came to this place at the southern tip of Lake Michigan in 1865, he founded the community that bears his name.

Today, trails still cross at Schererville, the modern trails of a motorized society, U.S. Highways 41 and 30. Nearby are newer trails, I-80/94 and I-65. All these are primary transcontinental routes and gives Schererville its slogan: "Crossroads of the Nation."

Since the 1990s, Schererville has attracted many former Illinois residents. The town's strategic location, reasonable housing costs, and high level of municipal services have contributed to its growth in recent years.

The town was named one of the "100 Best Places to Live in the U.S." by Money Magazine in 2007.

Schererville's former Town Council President, Perry Ferrini, died on December 13, 2009. The Town Council's new president became Jerry Tippy, and the vacant seat held by Perry was filled by Sharon Moore on January 9, 2010.

The town of Schererville celebrated its sesquicentennial in September, 2016.

Geography

Schererville is located at 41°29′21″N 87°26′35″W / 41.48917°N 87.44306°W / 41.48917; -87.44306 (41.489135, -87.443137).

According to the 2010 census, Schererville has a total area of 14.763 square miles (38.24 km2), of which 14.71 square miles (38.10 km2) (or 99.64%) is land and 0.053 square miles (0.14 km2) (or 0.36%) is water.

One of Schererville's neighborhoods, Briar Ridge, spans both Schererville and adjacent Dyer. The ridge south of Route 30 is the Glenwood Shoreline.

Many residents of Schererville commute to work in downtown Chicago due to the city's proximity.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 29,243 people, 11,883 households, and 7,981 families living in the town. The population density was 1,988.0 inhabitants per square mile (767.6/km2). There were 12,393 housing units at an average density of 842.5 per square mile (325.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 86.8% White, 5.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.8% Asian, 2.9% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.6% of the population.

There were 11,883 households, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.03.

The median age in the town was 40.9 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 30.3% were from 45 to 64; and 14% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

As of 2010, the median income for a household in the town was $66,160 while the mean income for a household in the town was $77,738. The median income for a family was $84,507 and the mean income for a family was $92,404. The estimated per capita income for the town was $31,983. About 4.3% of families and 7.1% of the population were estimated to be below the poverty line.

Recreational sports

The Schererville Soccer Club provides a soccer environment for boys and girls ages 4–17 (U6 through REC Plus.)

There is also Tri-Town Football for ages going all the way to 15 or 16 years of age.

Transportation

Schererville residents and visitors fly via Chicago's O'Hare International or Midway.

The Borman Expressway (I-80/94/US 6), the Indiana Toll Road, Interstate 65, US 12 and US 20 are within a 25-mile (40 km) radius of Schererville.

Commuters to nearby Chicago rely on local South Shore Line with train service from Millennium Station in Chicago to the South Bend International Airport in South Bend, IN. In 2014 an extensive expansion and improvement project was started to improve reliability, frequency and efficiency for daily commuters. Completion of this upgraded service is expected in 2024.

Education

Schererville is served by the Lake Central School Corporation, which also services the adjacent towns of St. John and Dyer.

List of schools - Lake Central School Corporation:

  • Lake Central High School (St. John)
  • Grimmer Middle School
  • Kahler Middle School (Dyer)
  • Clark Middle School (St. John)
  • Peifer Elementary
  • Bibich Elementary (Dyer)
  • Kolling Elementary (St. John)
  • Homan Elementary
  • Protsman Elementary (Dyer)
  • Watson Elementary
  • St. Michael School

Private schools in the town include St. Michael Catholic School, a Roman Catholic school run by the Diocese of Gary and the Forest Ridge Academy. The campus of Hammond Baptist Schools, affiliated with the First Baptist Church of Hammond, is also located in Schererville. Other private schools Schererville residents attend include Andrean High School (Merrillville), Bishop Noll Institute (Hammond), St. John Evangelist School (St. John), Illiana Christian High School (Dyer), Marian Catholic High School (Chicago Heights, IL), and Mount Carmel High School (Chicago, IL)

Public libraries

Lake County Public Library operates the Dyer-Schererville Branch, which also serves Dyer, at 1001 West Lincoln Highway in Schererville.

Notable residents

  • Tyler Wideman (born 1995), American basketball player in the Israeli National League

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Schererville (Indiana) para niños

kids search engine
Schererville, Indiana Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.