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Oak Lawn, IL

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Oak Lawn, IL

Oak Lawn is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Oak Lawn is a suburb of Chicago, located southwest of the city. It shares borders with the city in two areas but is surrounded mostly by other suburbs.

In August 1835, James B. Campbell purchased the land stretching between Cicero Avenue and Central Avenue from 95th Street to 103rd Street. It is unclear what Campbell's intentions with the area were, but by 1840, he had lost a court battle with the Illinois State Bank, and his land was sold in a public auction. John Simpson, a prominent figure in early Oak Lawn history, bought the northern half of the property in 1842. By 1859, the recently incorporated government of Worth Township paid for the construction of Black Oak Grove Road, an early name for 95th Street. Black Oak Grove is also the earliest known name of the area that would become Oak Lawn. It was later shortened to Black Oak or Black Oaks, but in 1882, the post office, train depot, and surrounding community became known simply as Oak Lawn. Before this, however, the area now known as Oak Lawn was, briefly during the early 1800s, called Agnes. It was also on some occasions referred to as Oak Park. Over the next two decades, the area grew in population as more homes were built and local businesses sprang into being. As the area continued to grow, many residents visited Englewood by train to shop. Oak Lawn residents also made income during the early days by selling their farm and dairy products to various markets in Chicago.

In 1909, Oak Lawn was incorporated as a village. In the following years, there were major improvements to local infrastructure and government services, such as the introduction of the police magistrate and village marshal, along with the building of a village hall and jailhouse.[4] Electric lights were brought to 95th Street in 1911, the volunteer fire department began in 1923, Oak Lawn's first bank opened in 1925, and the Community High School District 218 was formed. The population had grown to 2,045 by 1930, and civic improvements were steadily made over the next decade.[5] In 1934, a collection of one hundred books was the beginning of the Oak Lawn Public Library. By 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration as part of the New Deal, which supported a variety of public works, including libraries. With the help of a WPA grant, the new library opened its doors in 1936.

According to the 2010 census, Oak Lawn has a total area of 8.59 square miles (22.25 km²), all land.

As of the 2020 census, there were 58,362 people, 21,154 households, and 13,544 families residing in the village. The population density was 6,809.24 inhabitants per square mile (2,629.06/km²). There were 23,362 housing units at an average density of 2,725.70 per square mile (1,052.40/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 68.31% White, 7.65% African American, 0.87% Native American, 2.83% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 9.43% from other races, and 10.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.56% of the population.

The median income for a household in the village was $69,352, and the median income for a family was $90,690. Males had a median income of $54,168 versus $38,363 for females. The per capita income for the village was $33,998. About 7.5% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

Emphasizing health and wellness, Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn is recognized for its state-of-the-art facilities and a wide range of medical specialties. East Bank Club is one of the largest and most comprehensive fitness centers that offers extensive workout areas, over 150 group exercise classes per week, swimming pools, a golf center, and racquetball and squash courts. LA Fitness is a well-known chain of fitness centers with multiple locations across Illinois. Facilities typically include a wide variety of cardio and strength training equipment, group fitness classes, personal training services, and amenities such as swimming pools, basketball courts, and saunas. Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC) offers multiple locations in Chicago, each providing a range of fitness services including group classes, personal training, and specialized fitness programs. Lifetime Fitness centers are known for their large, resort-style facilities that include extensive gym equipment, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, and a variety of fitness classes Chicago Athletic Clubs (CAC) offer several locations throughout the city, each providing a unique blend of modern fitness equipment, group exercise classes, personal training, and wellness programs.

Top sites in Oak Lawn, IL are Children's Museum in Oak Lawn, Oak Lawn Park District, Haunted Trails Family Entertainment Center, and Wolfe Wildlife Park.

Population: 56,531 (2024). ZIP code: 60453. Area code: 708. Elevation: 620 ft (189 m). Area: 8.57 sq mi (22.20 km²).

FAQs

Is Oak Lawn, IL a nice neighborhood?

Oak Lawn is a suburb of Chicago with a population of 57,665. Oak Lawn is in Cook County and is one of the best places to live in Illinois. Living in Oak Lawn offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Oak Lawn, there are a lot of bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and parks.

Is Oak Lawn, IL considered the south side of Chicago?

Cook County, 13 miles SW of the Loop. Oak Lawn lies just outside the southwestern edge of Chicago and is one of the largest municipalities in Cook County. The intersection of 95th Street (the village's main east-west thoroughfare) and Cicero Avenue is one of the county's busiest.

What are the demographics of Oak Lawn, IL?

As of 2021, 17.6% of Oak Lawn, IL residents were born outside of the country (10.2k people). In 2021, there were 5.64 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (37.9k people) in Oak Lawn, IL than any other race or ethnicity. There were 6.71k White (Hispanic) and 4.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Sources

Village of Oak Lawn

Wikipedia

Data USA

Encyclopedia Chicago History

Niche

Advocate Christ Medical Center

East Bank Club

LA Fitness

Fitness Formula Clubs (FFC)

Lifetime Fitness

Chicago Athletic Clubs (CAC)

Children's Museum in Oak Lawn 

Oak Lawn Park District 

Haunted Trails Family Entertainment Center 

Wolfe Wildlife Park

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