Niles

Niles is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located in the townships of Maine and Niles. It is directly neighboring the City of Chicago's far northwest border. The current mayor of Niles is George Alpogianis. The settlement was originally called "Dutchman's Point", referring to German immigrants who followed, including John Plank of Hesse-Darmstadt and the Ebinger brothers of Stuttgart. There is no clear indication of the origin of the name "Niles" A Chicago Tribune article from 1929 opined that the name referred to the Niles Weekly Register, a popular newspaper published in the 1820s and 1830s by fervently nationalist (and abolitionist) Quaker Hezekiah Niles out of Baltimore, Maryland. Three early families came from Niles, Michigan with troops or relatives at Fort Dearborn during the Black Hawk War. An early history of Cook County reported that every two weeks a half-breed Indian traveled to Niles for mail. By 1837 the North Branch Hotel was built in 1837 and the White House tavern in 1847. The name Niles was named after Niles Construction which did much of the building early during the city's founding. The first white child born in the area, d. 1879, became the first minister to be ordained in their German Evangelical Association, and served as the Village Collector, Township Assessor and Overseer of the Poor (from 1852 to 1865) and Highway Commissioner.

History

Many people of Native American ancestry lived in the area; Chief Blackhawk reportedly often smoked a peace pipe with Christian Ebinger. Article 4 of the Second Treaty of Prairie du Chien, signed on July 29, 1829 between the United States government and several chiefs of the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatamie left particular tracts of land to individuals of mixed-Native American ancestry. During the 1832 Black Hawk War, one band of Native Americans may have reached Billy Caldwell's property as part of an attempt to reclaim land lost to the U.S. There is no clear indication of the origin of the name "Niles." A Chicago Tribune article from 1929 opined that the name referred to the Niles Weekly Register, a popular newspaper published in the 1820s and 1830s by fervently nationalist (and abolitionist) Quaker Hezekiah Niles out of Baltimore, Maryland. Another belief is that theName "Nile" was named after Niles Construction which did much of the building early during the city's founding. Three early families of settlers came from Niles, Michigan with troops or had relatives at Fort Dearborn. The name was later chosen by the public, before the township was chosen for the public meeting in 1850. The settlement was originally called "Dutchman's Point", referring to German immigrants who followed, including John Plank of Hesse-Darmstadt and the Ebinger brothers of Stuttgart, as well as John Schadiger, Julius Perren, John-Jackson Ruland and Revolutionary war soldier John Ketchum.

Geography

Niles is located at 42°140N 87°4836W (42.0277127, -87.8100990).According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Niles has a total area of 5.85 square miles (15.15 km²), all land. Niles is adjacent to Chicago to the south, Skokie to the east, Morton Grove to the northeast, Glenview to the north, and Park Ridge and unincorporated Cook County (and portions of Chicago) to the west. The town is centered along Milwaukee Avenue which forms a main artery diagonally through the town on a northwestsoutheast bearing. The North Branch of the Chicago River flows through the eastern part of the town roughly in a north-to-south direction. The city is located on the Illinois River, which runs through the center of Niles. The Niles area is one of the most densely populated areas of Cook County, with the majority of its residents living in or near the city of Chicago. It is also the most populous city in the state of Illinois, with a population of more than 1.2 million. The population of the city is expected to rise to 1.4 million by the end of the decade. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the town's population will reach 1.6 million by 2020. The area is home to the University of Illinois at Chicago, which has an enrollment of about 1.1 million.

Government and services

The Mayor of Niles is George D. Alpogianis, elected to the office in 2021 after previously serving as a trustee since 2013. The Niles Fire Department began providing service on February 19, 1912. In 1946, the Village began providing free ambulance services, predating all other Illinois communities. In 2011, the Niles Teen Center and Golf Mill Shopping Center were awarded a Gold U.S. Maxi Award by the International Council of Shopping Centers for their successful, on-going partnership. The Police Department provides 24-hour-a-day service and protection to village residents with 55 sworn officers, 36 auxiliaries, 2 Special Service Officers, 4 Operational Service Officers and 30 Community Service Officers. The Fire Department provides the following services: fire prevention, fire suppression, fire investigation, emergency medical treatment and transport, special technical rescue response, hazardous material response, and public education. Current staff consist of 52 sworn personnel. The department operates two fire engines, two ambulances, one tower ladder/truck, and one command vehicle out of two stations.Located in Fire Station 2 is the historic "Blue Boy," which is the first fire wagon in Niles. It was used as a hand-drawn unit from 1899 to 1909, and converted to horse-drawn service in 1910. In 2018, the Police Department created a new Community Policing Initiative, which assigned each officer to one of fourteen beats in an effort to increase familiarity and connection between residents and officers.

Demographics

As of the 2020 census there were 30,912 people, 11,065 households, and 7,180 families residing in the village. There were 12,590 housing units at an average density of 2,152.87 per square mile (831.23/km²) The racial makeup of the village was 67.23% White, 1.70% African American, 0.38% Native American, 19.65% Asian, 5.00% from other races, and 6.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.15% of the population. The village's age distribution consisted of 16.4% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.6 years. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males. The average household size was 3.23 and the average family size was 2.52.The median income for a household in theVillage was $63,490, and the median family income was $85,270. About 6.9% of families and 9.2% of residents were below the poverty line, including 9.8% of those under age 18. The per capita income for the Village was $33,692. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them a separate category.

Economy

Companies based in Niles include Shure, Bradford Exchange, Hammacher Schlemmer, and MFRI. According to the Village's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Shure, Bradford Exchange, MFRI, and Hammacher Schlemmer. Niles is home to one of the nation's largest Jewish communities, with more than 10,000 Jews living in the village. The city's population is about 4,000 people, according to the village's Comprehensive annual financial report. The village's economy is based on the manufacturing industry, which employs about 2,500 people. It is also home to a number of non-profit organizations, including the Niles Chamber of Commerce and Niles Rotary Club. The Village's top employers are Shure and Bradley Exchange, and Merrill Schlumberger, which employ more than 1,200 people. The town's unemployment rate is about 3.5 per cent, and it has a population of about 3,000. The average household income is about $30,000, and the city has a median household income of about $50,000 per year. The cost of living is around $2,000 per year, with the majority of the city's residents living in lower-income neighborhoods. The area's unemployment rates are between 1 and 2 per cent and the national average of 1 to 1 per cent. In Niles, the average annual wage is $28,500.

Education

Until 1998 the Chicago Futabakai Japanese School was located in Niles. In 1998 it moved to Arlington Heights. The Niles Township District for Special Education 807 serves some residents in these districts. Niles is home to Maine East and Maine South high schools. It is also home to Niles North High School and Niles West High School. The community college district is called Oakton Community College. There are no public high schools or private high schools in the city. The city has a number of public elementary and high school school districts. It also has a handful of community college districts. The school district is part of the Niles-Maine Metropolitan School District, which has a total enrollment of 8,000. The district also has one high school, Maine East High School, and two high school districts, Maine South and Maine East. The town has one community college, Oakton College, which serves students from pre-school through the eighth grade. There is one public high school and one private high school in the town. The high school district has a high school that serves students in the eighth through 12th grade. The elementary school district also serves some children in the Park Ridge-Niles-Golf School District and the Fairview School District. It has a community college that serves some students in Park Ridge and Golf School District 64 and the Northridge School District for special education students. The village has one public elementary school, Niles Elementary School District 71, and a community high school.

Transportation

The Niles Free Bus is a courtesy bus system, which operates within the Village of Niles at no charge to riders. The buses stop at all major shopping centers, public facilities, and within a short distance of every residence. The Free Bus runs continually from 6:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on weekdays, and from 9: 30 a.M. to 4:30 p.M., on weekends. The bus stops at every major shopping center and public facility in Niles, including the Niles Shopping Center and the North Niles Mall. Niles is located on the Ohio River, which runs through the center of the village. The Niles River is a tributary of the Illinois River. The Illinois River runs through Niles and the Illinois Turnpike, which passes through the middle of the town. The turnpike is one of the busiest roads in the U.S., with more than 100,000 vehicles per day. The village is located near the junction of the Ohio, Illinois, and Illinois state lines. The Ohio Turnpikes are the largest state highway system in the United States, with a total length of more than 2,000 miles (3,000 kilometers) The Ohio River is the largest river in the state, with over 1,200 miles (1,800 kilometers) of highway. The town is home to the Ohio State University, which is located in the north. The University of Illinois at Niles has a campus that was founded in 1883.

Notable places

The Tam O'Shanter Golf Course was host to the All American Open on the PGA Tour from 1941 to 1957. St. Adalbert Cemetery is the largest in the Archdiocese of Chicago in terms of burials. The world headquarters of the Bradford Group, a major collectibles company, is located on Milwaukee Avenue. Golf Mill Shopping Center opened in 1960 and is still the largest shopping center in Niles. The Niles Community Rain Garden created in 2008. Niles is home to the Niles Leaning Tower of Niles, a smaller-scale replica of the Leaning tower of Pisa. It is located next to the local YMCA (which is appropriately called the "Leaning Tower YMca"). Several concerts covering a variety of musical forms are held here throughout the summer. The city is also the final resting place of George Halas, former head coach of the Chicago Bears. It was the first Catholic parish to be built in the 19th century, and was named after St. John Brebeuf, the first parish in the Chicago area to be named after a saint. It has a population of about 3,000 people. The town is located in the northwest corner of the city, near the Chicago River and the Illinois Turnpike. It also has a few small lakes, which are popular with tourists. The village is also home to a number of small businesses, such as a small grocery store, a bank, and a post office.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Niles, Cook County, Illinois = 6.8. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 31. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 10. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Niles = 3.6 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 30,912 individuals with a median age of 45.5 age the population grows by 3.50% in Niles, Cook County, Illinois population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 5,285.91 residents per square mile of area (2,040.87/km²). There are average 2.67 people per household in the 38,849 households with an average household income of $67,547 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 9.40% of the available work force and has dropped -4.37% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 20.46%. The number of physicians in Niles per 100,000 population = 255.4.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Niles = 32 inches and the annual snowfall = 23.5 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 124. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 189. 83 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 18.4 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 47, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Niles, Cook County, Illinois which are owned by the occupant = 77.76%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 49 years with median home cost = $344,120 and home appreciation of -14.63%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $16.10 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,795 per student. There are 16.4 students for each teacher in the school, 930 students for each Librarian and 1718 students for each Counselor. 4.92% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 23.89% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 16.06% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).