Community Profile
2000 CENSUS DATA SKOKIE COUNTS!
History
Housing and Population
Geography
Government
Food and Water
Industry and Labor
Library
Parking
Parks
Traffic Facilities and Control
Transportation
History
In the early 1800s, the area that became Skokie was a land of swamps and forests, a place where buffalo, wildcat, fox, and deer were plentiful. From those early beginnings rose the Village of Skokie that today is a culturally diverse and economically progressive community. Skokie's history is rich with influences of the American Indian, French and British explorers, and the emigration of European settlers.
Founding father Henry Harms was a Prussian immigrant who became Skokie's first merchant, first postmaster, and founder of three Niles Township school districts. By 1869, Harms had built his third and final home, the large brick residence that still stands today just west of downtown Skokie on Oakton Street. In 1999 the Skokie Park District purchased the home.
In the early 1900s, Skokie was known for its vegetable farms, greenhouses and saloons and two important developments took place that were sure signs of stability and growth. In 1903 the Chicago & North Western Railroad made it possible for residents to travel to Chicago and the Village's first bank opened in 1907. Transportation advancements continued in 1933 with the installation of the first paved concrete road in Cook County, outside of Chicago, on what is now Church Street.
Skokie’s population grew so rapidly that at one point Skokie was established as "The World's Largest Village." A real estate boom ensued until the Great Depression. It is a testament to the great strength of area residents that new churches were established, that civic organizations started that still exist today and that the education system grew even in the face of tough economic times. The same strength was evident after World War II when Skokie's single-family home development flourished as the population doubled between 1940 and 1950.
It is from these roots that Skokie has grown and prospered. Skokie's population approximately 63,679 people continues to embrace the past and enjoy their vibrant community of today while still envisioning a dynamic future for the community.
Housing and Population 
The 2006 Census estimate of Skokie's population was 66,659, with about 6,289 people per square mile. In 2000, there were 23,829 housing units with an average household size of 2.68 people; 75% of all housing stock is owner occupied, 25% of it comprised of rental units, and our vacancy rate was only 2%.
Fiscal Year 2007 ended with about 3,537 building permits issued by the Village and 493 added new dwelling units. The value of 2007 new construction in Skokie is estimated to be $132,318,270.
For Census Bureau estimates for 2006, the median value of a residential unit in Skokie was $396,300. The median family income is estimated at $72,278, with a per capita income of $25,467.
Geography 
The Village of Skokie is a northern suburb of Chicago and covers approximately 10.1 square miles of land. The Village's breadth is estimated at 3.53 miles, and its length is 4.17 miles. Skokie shares borders with the City of Evanston to the east; the Villages of Glenview and Wilmette to the north; the Villages of Morton Grove and Niles to the west and the Village of Lincolnwood and the City of Chicago to the south.
[Back to Top] | [Back to About Skokie Main Page]
Government
The Village of Skokie is a home-rule unit under the 1970 Illinois Constitution. Skokie's Council-Manager form of government was inaugurated in 1957, when residents overwhelmingly voted to adopt the Council-Manager form. The Village Manager functions as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Village. It is the Manager's responsibility to enforce all Village ordinances, recommend policy alternatives to the Board and prepare an annual budget. The Village Manager directs and coordinates the activities of all Village Departments except the Corporation Counsel’s Office which, like advisory commissions, reports directly to the Mayor and Board of Trustees.
There are seven positions on the Board of Trustees, including the Mayor and six Trustees. A Village Clerk is also elected. Each elected official serves a four-year term. There are 66 voting precincts in Skokie.
The primary functions of the Mayor are to preside over meetings of the Board of Trustees and to appoint, with the approval of the Board, the Village Manager, the Corporation Counsel and staff, and various boards and commissions. The Mayor can vote on all matters before the Board and must vote in order to break a tie. The Mayor can also veto ordinances, resolutions or motions passed by the Trustees. The Trustees need a two-thirds majority vote to override the Mayor's veto. By Illinois State Law, the Mayor also serves as the Village Liquor Commissioner. As the head of the Village, the Mayor acts as a legislative liaison between Skokie and the state and federal governments and represents the Village in a variety of civic functions.
The Trustees, working with the Mayor, serve as the legislative and policy-making body of the Village. All ordinances must be passed by a majority vote of the Board. The Board is also responsible for adopting a Village budget, undertaking an annual audit, confirming all appointments by the Mayor and approving all legal contracts to which the Village is a party.
Food and Water
There are approximately 170 restaurants in Skokie and many markets, bakeries, food processors. The Village of Skokie receives Lake Michigan water from the City of Evanston, and the water is treated at facilities operated by the Metropolitan Sanitary District of Greater Chicago. Each day, Skokie residents and businesses consume approximately 9.108 million gallons of water that is pumped through 177 miles of water mains. There are about 18,000 water meters and 2,500 fire hydrants in the Village.
Industry and Labor
There are approximately 360 different types of industries in Skokie, and the total 2004 retail volume is estimated at $1,228,143,000. The total labor force of the Village is approximately 32,300 with the majority of that number employed within the Village boundaries. The Village has more than 500 employees in its workforce.
[Back to Top] | [Back to About Skokie Main Page]
Library
The Skokie Public Library, a separate taxing body from the Village of Skokie, has 485,437 books, magazines, audio-visual and other materials in its collection. Circulation tops 1,660,761 items per year.
Parking
Just over 2,127 public parking spaces exist in the Village of Skokie. Of those, 775 are public parking spaces at the Skokie Swift Station available for $1.50 (north lot) and $2.00 (south lot) per day. Approximately 220 parking meters are in place throughout the Village.
Parks
The Skokie Park District, a separate taxing body from the Village of Skokie, has 46 parks and playgrounds with a total 243 acres of parkland. The Park District also features three recreation centers, a community theater and cultural center, a children’s indoor playground and science center, an indoor ice arena, a driving range and two miniature golf courses, a water playground and aquatic center, more than 40 tennis courts, childcare and preschool services, the Skokie Heritage Museum and Log Cabin and many other recreational amenities for Skokie residents.
Traffic Facilities and Control
There are 136.2 miles of non-arterial and 42.6 miles of arterial streets in Skokie. Of these, approximately 6.2 miles are one-way. Approximately 3.3 miles of expressway run through Skokie, and there are 19 bridges in the community. There are 82 traffic signals in Skokie, only 11 of which are under the Village’s jurisdiction. The remaining 71 traffic signals are under the jurisdiction of the State of Illinois or Cook County.
Transportation
A total of 40,959 vehicles are registered in the Village of Skokie: 39,884 are passenger vehicles, including motorcycles; 1,575 are trucks and other utility vehicles. There are 10 Pace bus routes and 7 CTA routes. The Skokie Swift makes a total of 174 single trips or 87 round trips each work day, with over 660,000 people boarding at Dempster Street each year. Final plans are underway to add a Skokie Swift Station in Downtown Skokie, with construction possible in 2006 pending receipt of grant funding.
|
