Crestwood, Illinois

Crestwood, Illinois
County:	Cook
Township:	Worth
Incorporated:	Village, 1928
Mayor:	Robert Stranczek
ZIP code(s):	60445
Area code(s):	708
Population (2000):	11,251
Change from 1990:	up 3.95%
Density:	3,682.3/mi² (1,419.6/km²)
Area:	3.1 mi² (7.9 km²)
Per capita income:	$21,995 (median: $45,813)
Home value:	$131,127 (2000) (median: $122,700)
Website:	www.villageofcrestwood.com
Demographics (2000)[1] White Black Hispanic Asian 92.46% 4.52% 3.68% 0.73% Islander Native Other 0.00% 0.12% {{{other}}}%

Crestwood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 11,251 at the 2000 census. In April 2009 the Chicago Tribune reported that for 20 years the city had been drawing its drinking water from a well that was contaminated with toxic chemicals.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.1 square miles (8.0 km²), of which, 3.1 square miles (8.0 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) of it (1.61%) is water.

Demographics

As of the 2000 census^[2], there were 11,251 people, 4,685 households, and 2,759 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,682.3 people per square mile (1,419.6/km²). There were 4,805 housing units at an average density of 1,572.6 per square mile (606.3/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 92.46% White, 4.52% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 1.04% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.68% of the population.

The top five ancestries reported in Crestwood as of the 2000 census were Irish (29.4%), German (23.8%), Polish (19.8%), Italian (12.0%) and English (4.8%).^[3]

There were 4,685 households out of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.1% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the village the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.1 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $45,813, and the median income for a family was $56,030. Males had a median income of $41,448 versus $31,455 for females. The per capita income for the village was $21,995. About 2.2% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.

The Windy City ThunderBolts of the independent baseball Frontier League play at Standard Bank Stadium in Crestwood.

Government

The Mayor is Robert Stranczek, son of former mayor, Chester Stranczek. Chester retired in October 2007, and it was then announced that Robert would be taking over his father's role as mayor.

Crestwood's government used to rebate to its residents a portion of their property and other municipal tax payments.^[4] Crestwood's rebates ended in 2009 so that the village could pay the legal fees associated with the contaminated water scandal.^[5]

Crestwood is in Illinois' 1st congressional district.

Crestwood is home to the Illinois National Guard 2nd Battalion 122 Field Artillery, Company G, 634th Brigade Support Battalion, 108th Signal Company, 633D Personnel Service Detachment, Early Entry Element, 108th Brigade Troops Battalion, with soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Water contamination

Main article: Water contamination in Crestwood, Illinois

In April 2009, the Chicago Tribune in an investigative article titled "Poison in the Well" reported that the water from a well used to supply residents with drinking water had been contaminated with chemicals (including two linked to the known carcinogen perchloroethylene) from dry cleaning solvents. Village of Crestwood officials, including the Mayor, and the former Mayor Chester Stranczek are accused of secretly and illegally using the well and lying to regulatory authorities in order to cover that up. The ensuing investigation has generated three class-action lawsuits, two wrongful deaths lawsuits, several federal raids, but no criminal charges yet.

References

1. ^ 2000 United States Census Data
2. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ Profile of General Demographic Characteristics, Crestwood, IllinoisPDF (38.9 KB). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2007-07-11.
4. ^ "Mayor Returns $48 Million to Taxpayers, Then Retires - by Dennis Byrne - The Heartland Institute". Heartland.org. 2007-11-01. http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=22111. Retrieved 2010-01-17. 
5. ^ http://www.southtownstar.com/news/2006497,012410crestwood.article

Coordinates: 41°38′43″N 87°44′37″W / 41.645233°N 87.743586°W / 41.645233; -87.743586