Woodridge, Illinois facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Woodridge, Illinois
Village
Main Street (off Illinois Route 53) in Woodridge
Flag logo
Location of Woodridge in DuPage County, Illinois.
Woodridge, Illinois Location in Greater Chicago Show map of Greater Chicago Woodridge, Illinois Location in Illinois Show map of Illinois Woodridge, Illinois Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Illinois
County	DuPage, Will, Cook
Township	Lisle, Downers Grove, DuPage, Lemont
Area
• Total	9.79 sq mi (25.36 km2)
• Land	9.63 sq mi (24.94 km2)
• Water	0.16 sq mi (0.41 km2)
Population  (2020)
• Total	34,158
• Density	3,546.67/sq mi (1,369.37/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Code(s)	60517
Area code(s)	630 and 331
FIPS code	17-83245

Woodridge is a village located in DuPage County, Illinois. Small parts of the village also extend into Will and Cook counties. It is a suburb southwest of Chicago. In 2020, about 34,158 people lived there.

The village is just north of where I-55 meets IL-53. Woodridge became an official village on August 24, 1959. At that time, it had fewer than 500 residents. It got its name because it is in a wooded area on top of a steep hill. This hill is known as "The Ridge" and looks over the East Branch of the DuPage River.

Woodridge is a newer community. Most of its homes, businesses, and churches were built after the 1950s. A housing developer named Albert Kaufman started the village. In July 2007, Money magazine named Woodridge one of the "100 Best Places to Live." The village uses the 630 and 331 area codes. Woodridge is also home to the Home Run Inn pizzeria chain.

Woodridge Geography

Woodridge is located at 41°44′40″N 88°2′38″W / 41.74444°N 88.04389°W / 41.74444; -88.04389. The village covers about 9.79 square miles (25.36 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Woodridge shares borders with several other towns. These include Naperville to the west and Downers Grove to the northeast. To the east is Darien, and to the south is Lemont. Bolingbrook is to the southwest, and Lisle is to the northwest.

Getting Around Woodridge

Two major highways run through Woodridge. These are the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) and the Stevenson Expressway (I-55). The Veterans Memorial Tollway helps people reach many western and northwestern Chicago suburbs. I-55 provides a direct route to Chicago in the north. It also goes to Joliet and other parts of southern Illinois. Other important roads include 75th Street and Illinois Route 53.

A special train track for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad serves the International Center. This is a large industrial area in the southern part of Woodridge. If you want to take a passenger train between Chicago and Aurora, you can find stations in nearby Lisle or Downers Grove. Bus service is also available through Pace.

Major Roads in Woodridge

Here are the main highways that go through Woodridge:

Interstate Highways

• Interstate 55
• Interstate 355

Historic US Highways

• Historic US 66

Illinois State Highways

• Route 53

Woodridge Population Facts

As of the 2020 census, Woodridge had 34,158 people living in 13,023 households. There were 8,762 families. The village had about 3,488 people per square mile.

The people living in Woodridge come from many different backgrounds:

• 60.85% White
• 10.04% African American
• 0.47% Native American
• 13.30% Asian
• 0.05% Pacific Islander
• 6.61% from other races
• 8.68% from two or more races.
• About 14.80% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In 2020, about 30.8% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 52.98% were married couples. The average household had about 3.18 people. The average family had about 2.56 people.

The median age in Woodridge was 37.5 years. This means half the people were younger and half were older. About 22.7% of the population was under 18. About 11.0% were 65 or older.

The median income for a household in Woodridge was $88,803. For families, the median income was $104,957. About 4.4% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 5.0% of those under 18.

Woodridge Climate and Environment

Woodridge has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold winters. July is usually the warmest month, and January is the coldest. August typically gets the most rain, while February gets the least.

The highest temperature ever recorded in Woodridge was 105°F (40.56°C) in July 2005. The lowest was -26°F (-32°C) in January 1985.

Woodridge has been named a "Tree City" by the Arbor Day Foundation for many years. This means the village works hard to plant and care for trees. A study in 1996 showed that Woodridge has over 8,000 trees owned by the public.

On June 20, 2021, an EF-3 tornado hit Woodridge. This strong storm damaged 225 homes in Woodridge and nearby areas. Luckily, no one died, and only eight people needed to go to the hospital.

Education in Woodridge

The Village of Woodridge School District 68 manages six elementary schools. These schools are Edgewood, Willow Creek, Sipley, William F. Murphy, Meadowview, and Goodrich. They serve students from kindergarten to 6th grade. The district also has one junior high school, Jefferson Junior High School, for 7th and 8th graders.

Woodridge does not have its own high school. Most high school students from Woodridge attend Downers Grove North or South High Schools. These schools are part of Community High School District 99. Some students in southern Woodridge go to Lemont High School. Also, students living west of the DuPage River attend Naperville schools. Some students also attend private schools like St. Scholastica (K-8), St. Joan of Arc (PK-8), Benet Academy (9–12), and Montini Catholic.

For higher education, there are several colleges nearby. These include Benedictine University (Lisle), North Central College (Naperville), Lewis University (Romeoville), College of DuPage (Glen Ellyn), Joliet Junior College (Romeoville and Joliet), and University of St. Francis (Joliet).

Fun and Recreation in Woodridge

The Woodridge Park District takes care of many local parks and open spaces. These parks offer places for picnics and sports. You can play baseball, basketball, tennis, soccer, cricket, and even Frisbee golf. The Park District also runs Cypress Cove water park. The Athletic Recreation Center opened in January 2017.

There is a skate park at Janes Avenue Park. It is open to skateboarders, BMX riders, and inline skaters. There is no fee to enter, and the park has lights.

The park district has also built a network of bike paths. These paved paths let cyclists ride safely through the town.

Golf is a popular activity in Woodridge. Village Greens of Woodridge is an 18-hole golf course owned by the village. Seven Bridges is another championship golf course in Woodridge. Zigfield Troy is a 9-hole, par 3 course.

Woodridge has two movie theaters. These include the Cinemark Seven Bridges, which has an IMAX screen, and Hollywood Boulevard. There are also many places to eat, from fast food to fancy restaurants.

The famous Morton Arboretum is also located near Woodridge. It is a great place to explore nature.

Notable People from Woodridge

• Thax Douglas, a poet
• Frank Kaminsky, an NBA player for the Phoenix Suns
• Nick Solak, an MLB player for the Atlanta Braves
• Doug Walker, a film critic and Internet personality

Images for kids

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  Interstate 55 sign

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  Interstate 355 sign

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  Historic US 66 sign

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  Illinois Route 53 sign

See also

In Spanish: Woodridge (Illinois) para niños