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Cook County, Illinois
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County, Illinois
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Cook County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of Illinois and the second-most-populous county in the United States, after Los Angeles County, California. More than 40 percent of all residents of Illinois live within Cook County. As of 2020, the population was 5,275,541. The county seat is Chicago, the most populous city in Illinois and the third most populous city in the United States. The county is at the center of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Key Information

Cook County was incorporated in 1831 and named for Daniel Pope Cook, an early Illinois statesman. It achieved its present boundaries in 1839. Within a century, the county recorded explosive population growth, going from a trading post village with a little over six hundred residents to four million, rivaling Paris by the Great Depression. During the first half of the 20th century, it had the absolute majority of Illinois's population.

There are more than 800 local governmental units and nearly 130 municipalities located wholly or partially within Cook County, the largest of which is Chicago. The city is home to approximately 54 percent of the entire county's population.[6] The part of the county outside of the Chicago and Evanston city limits is divided into 29 townships; these often divide or share governmental services with local municipalities. Townships within Chicago were abolished in 1902 but are retained for real estate assessment purposes. Evanston Township was formerly coterminous with the City of Evanston but was abolished in 2014. County government is overseen by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, with its president as chief executive, and Cook County Treasurer. Countywide state government offices include the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Cook County State's Attorney, the Cook County Sheriff, and the Cook County Assessor.

Geographically, the county is the sixth-largest in Illinois by land area and the largest by total area. It shares the state's Lake Michigan shoreline with Lake County. Including its lake area, Cook County has a total area of 1,635 square miles (4,234.6 km2), the largest county in Illinois, of which 945 square miles (2,447.5 km2) is land and 690 square miles (1,787.1 km2) (42.16%) is water. Land-use in Cook County is mostly urban and densely populated. Within Cook County, the state of Illinois took advantage of its Lake Michigan access and the Chicago Portage, beginning with the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1848. This helped make the region a central transit hub for the nation. Chicago, with its location on the Great Lakes and via the St. Lawrence Seaway, is a global port city, giving Cook County an international shipping port.

Cook County's population is larger than that of 28 U.S. states and territories, and larger than the population of 11 of the 13 Canadian provinces and territories.[7] The county is at the center of the Chicago metropolitan area, which has a population of approximately 10 million people.

History

[edit]

Cook County was created on January 15, 1831, out of Putnam County by an act of the Illinois General Assembly. It was the 54th county established in Illinois and was named after Daniel Pope Cook, one of the earliest and youngest statesmen in Illinois history. He served as the second U.S. representative from Illinois and the state's first attorney general. In 1839, DuPage County was carved out of Cook County.

  • Cook County from 1831 to 1836
    Cook County from 1831 to 1836
  • Cook County 1836–1839 after the creation of McHenry and Will counties
    Cook County 1836–1839 after the creation of McHenry and Will counties
  • Cook County's current size was formed in 1839 by the creation of DuPage County
    Cook County's current size was formed in 1839 by the creation of DuPage County

The shape of Cook County and the neighboring counties has remained the same since DuPage County was formed. The population in each county and the split of agriculture compared to residential and industrial activity has changed dramatically over the intervening decades to 2020. The county began with 10,201 people in the census of 1840, growing rapidly to 5,150,233 people estimated for 2019 by the US census. Growth was rapid in the 19th century, with the County reaching 2.4 million people by 1910. In the 20th century, the County reached 5.1 million population.

Cook County is nearly completely developed, with little agricultural land remaining near the outer county boundaries.[8]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
184010,201—
185043,385325.3%
1860144,954234.1%
1870349,966141.4%
1880607,52473.6%
18901,191,92296.2%
19001,838,73554.3%
19102,405,23330.8%
19203,053,01726.9%
19303,982,12330.4%
19404,063,3422.0%
19504,508,79211.0%
19605,129,72513.8%
19705,492,3697.1%
19805,253,655−4.3%
19905,105,067−2.8%
20005,376,7415.3%
20105,194,675−3.4%
20205,275,5411.6%
2024 (est.)5,182,617[9]−1.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12]
1990–2000[13] 2010–2019[14]

According to the 2000 Census there were 1,974,181 households, out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were someone living alone including 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.38.

Ethnic origins in Cook County

In the county, the population age distribution was: 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,922, and the median income for a family was $53,784. Males had a median income of $40,690 versus $31,298 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,227. About 10.6% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

As of the fourth quarter of 2021, the median home value in Cook County was $299,571, an increase of 11.7% from the prior year.[15]

According to Census Bureau estimates, the county's population grew by 5.3% from 1990 to 2000, decreased by 3.4% between the 2000 census and the 2010 census, and increased 1.6% between 2010 and 2020.

Race/ethnicity

[edit]
Cook County, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[16] Pop 1990[17] Pop 2000[18] Pop 2010[19] Pop 2020[20] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 3,271,479 2,915,634 2,558,709 2,278,358 2,135,243 62.27% 57.11% 47.59% 43.86% 40.47%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1,336,070 1,301,196 1,390,448 1,265,778 1,185,601 25.43% 25.49% 25.86% 24.37% 22.47%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 8,214 7,743 6,754 6,682 5,655 0.16% 0.15% 0.13% 0.13% 0.11%
Asian alone (NH) 111,602 181,285 257,843 318,869 408,691 2.12% 3.55% 4.80% 6.14% 7.75%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [21] x [22] 1,543 1,043 961 x x 0.03% 0.02% 0.02%
Other race alone (NH) 26,968 5,015 7,291 7,751 20,538 0.51% 0.10% 0.14% 0.15% 0.39%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [23] x [24] 82,413 71,432 136,074 x x 1.53% 1.38% 2.58%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 499,322 694,194 1,071,740 1,244,762 1,382,778 9.50% 13.60% 19.93% 23.96% 26.21%
Total 5,253,655 5,105,067 5,376,741 5,194,675 5,275,541 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
2000 census age pyramid for Cook County

2010 census

[edit]

As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 5,194,675, White Americans made up 55.4% of Cook County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 43.9% of the population. African Americans made up 24.8% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.4% of Cook County's population. Asian Americans made up 6.2% of the population (1.8% Indian, 1.2% Filipino, 1.2% Chinese, 0.7% Korean, 0.3% Vietnamese, 0.2% Japanese, 0.8% Other). Pacific Islander Americans made up less than 0.1% of the population. People from other races made up 10.6% of the population; people from two or more races made up 2.5% of the county's population. Hispanics and Latinos (of any race) made up 24.0% of Cook County's population.

As of the 2000 Census,[175] there were 5,376,741 people, 1,974,181 households, and 1,269,398 families residing in the county. The population density was 5,686 inhabitants per square mile (2,195/km2). There were 2,096,121 housing units at an average density of 2,216 per square mile (856/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 56.27% white, 26.14% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 4.84% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islanders, 9.88% from other races, and 2.53% from two or more races. 19.93% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 9.1% were of Polish, 8.1% German, 7.9% Irish and 5.7% Italian ancestry. 17.63% reported speaking Spanish at home; 3.13% speak Polish.[176]

Whites (Hispanic and non-Hispanic) number roughly 2,793,500. There are about 2,372,500 non-Hispanic whites residing in Cook County. Sizeable non-Hispanic white populations are those of German (11.4%), Irish (10.3%), Polish (9.7%), Italian (6.1%), and British (4.1%) descent. There are also significant groups of Swedish (1.5%), Russian (1.5%), French (1.3%), Greek (1.2%), Czech (1.0%), Dutch (1.0%), Lithuanian (0.9%), and Norwegian (0.8%) descent.

Cook County has more Black residents than any county in the United States.[177] Black Americans are the second largest racial group in the county, accounting for slightly over one-quarter (25.4%) of Cook County's population. Blacks of non-Hispanic origin form 25.2% of the population; black Hispanics make up the remaining 0.2% of the populace. There are roughly 1,341,000 African Americans of both Hispanic and non-Hispanic origin living in Cook County; 1,328,000 are non-Hispanic blacks. Roughly 52,500 people were of Sub-Saharan African ancestry, making up 1.0% of the total population.

Approximately 10,300 residents of Cook County are of Native American ancestry. They consist of Cherokee, Chippewa, Navajo, and Sioux. Native Americans of Hispanic origin represent a sizeable portion of the Native American population. Nearly 6,000 Native Americans are of non-Hispanic origin, and some 4,300 are of Hispanic origin. Over 40% of the Native American racial group is of Hispanic descent.

Non-English speakers in Cook County

Asian Americans are a very sizeable racial group in the county, numbering about 301,000. The Asian population is ethnically diverse, and includes roughly 87,900 Indians, 61,700 Filipinos, 60,700 Chinese, 35,000 Koreans, 13,700 Vietnamese, and 11,100 Japanese. Roughly 30,800 are of other Asian ethnic groups, such as Thai, Cambodian, and Hmong.

Approximately 3,000 residents are of Pacific Islander heritage. This group includes roughly Native Hawaiians, Guamanians, Samoans, and various people of other Pacific Islander groups.

Hispanic and Latino Americans make up over one-fifth (22.8%) of Cook County's population. Roughly 1,204,000 Latinos live in the county. Mexicans are the most common Latino group. Cook County's 925,000 Mexican Americans make up 17.5% of its population. Roughly 127,000 Puerto Ricans live in the county, while over 12,200 Cubans reside in the county. There are some 140,000 Hispanics and Latinos of other nationalities living in Cook County (i.e. Colombian, Bolivian, etc.), and they collectively make up 2.6% of the county's population.[178][179]

Religion

[edit]

In 2010 statistics, the largest religious group in Cook County was the Archdiocese of Chicago, with 1,947,223 Catholics worshipping at 371 parishes, followed by 209,195 non-denominational adherents with 486 congregations, an estimated 201,152 Muslims with 62 congregations, 68,865 NBC Baptists with 99 congregations, 49,925 ELCA Lutherans with 145 congregations, 49,909 SBC Baptists with 181 congregations, 45,979 LCMS Lutherans with 120 congregations, 39,866 UCC Christians with 101 congregations, 33,584 UMC Methodists with 121 congregations, and 32,646 AG Pentecostals with 64 congregations. Altogether, 59.6% of the population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information.[180] In 2014, Cook County had 2,001 religious organizations, second only to Los Angeles County out of all US counties.[181]

Geography

[edit]
Chicago, Illinois
Climate chart (explanation)
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Source: The Weather Channel[182]
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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,635 square miles (4,230 km2), of which 945 square miles (2,450 km2) is land and 690 square miles (1,800 km2) (42.2%) is water.[183] It is the sixth largest county in Illinois by land area, and the largest in total area. Most of the water is in Lake Michigan. The highest point is more than 950 feet (290 m),[1][2] and is in northwest Barrington Township, in the northwest corner of the county. The lowest point is less than 580 feet (180 m),[1][3] along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Climate and weather

[edit]

In July, temperatures in Chicago, Cook County average daytime highs of 84 °F (29 °C), and nighttime lows of 68 °F (20 °C); and January daytime highs of 31 °F (−1 °C), and nighttime lows of 18 °F (−8 °C). Winter temperatures will sometimes veer above 40 °F (4 °C), and, although not common, have also risen over 50 °F (10 °C) on some winter days. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 4.30 inches (109 mm) in June to 1.77 inches (45 mm) in February.[182]

National protected areas

[edit]

Government and politics

[edit]

Government

[edit]
Main article: Government of Cook County, Illinois

The government of Cook County is primarily composed of the Board of Commissioners headed by the President of the County Board, other elected officials such as the Sheriff, State's Attorney, Treasurer, Board of Review, Clerk, Assessor, Recorder, Circuit Court judges, and Circuit Court Clerk, as well as numerous other officers and entities. Cook County is the only home rule county in Illinois.[184] The Cook County Code is the codification of Cook County's local ordinances. Cook County's current County Board president is Toni Preckwinkle.

The Circuit Court of Cook County, which is an Illinois state court of general jurisdiction is funded, in part, by Cook County, and accepts more than 1.2 million cases each year for filing.[185] The Cook County Department of Corrections, also known as the Cook County Jail, is the largest single-site jail in the nation. The Cook County Juvenile Detention Center, under the authority of the Chief Judge of the court, is the first juvenile center in the nation and one of the largest in the nation. The Cook County Law Library is the second-largest county law library in the nation.

The Bureau of Health Services administers the county's public health services and is the third-largest public health system in the nation. Three hospitals are part of this system: John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Provident Hospital, and Oak Forest Hospital of Cook County, along with over 30 clinics.

The Cook County Department of Transportation is responsible for the design and maintenance of roadways in the county. These thoroughfares are composed mostly of major and minor arterials, with a few local roads. Although the County Department of Transportation was instrumental in designing many of the expressways in the county, today they are under the jurisdiction of the state.

The Cook County Forest Preserves, organized in 1915, is a separate, independent taxing body, but the Cook County Board of Commissioners also acts as its Board of Commissioners. The district is a belt of 69,000 acres (280 km2) of forest reservations surrounding the city of Chicago. The Brookfield Zoo (managed by the Chicago Zoological Society) and the Chicago Botanic Garden (managed by the Chicago Horticultural Society) are located in the forest preserves.

Cook County is the fifth-largest employer in Chicago.[186]

In March 2008, the County Board increased the sales tax by one percent to 1.75 percent. This followed a quarter-cent increase in mass transit taxes. In Chicago, the rate increased to 10.25 percent, the steepest nominal rate of any major metropolitan area in America. In Evanston, sales tax reached 10 percent and Oak Lawn residents pay 9.5 percent.[187] On July 22, 2008, the Cook County board voted against Cook County Commissioner's proposal to repeal the tax increase.[188]

In 2016, Cook County joined Chicago in adopting a $13 hourly minimum wage.[189] Cook County Board chairman John Daley called the wage hike "the moral and right thing to do." In June 2017, however, nearly 75 home rule municipalities passed measures opting themselves out of the increase.[190]

Politics

[edit]

Cook County has more Democratic Party members than any other Illinois county and it is one of the most Democratic counties in the United States.[191] Since 1932, the majority of its voters have only supported a Republican candidate in a Presidential election three times, all during national Republican landslides–Dwight Eisenhower over native son Adlai Stevenson II in 1952 and 1956, and Richard Nixon over George McGovern in 1972. In 1984, Walter Mondale won Cook County with 51% of its vote despite losing in a landslide nationally to Ronald Reagan. In 2020, 74 percent of the county voted for Joe Biden and 24 percent voted for Donald Trump.

In 1936, with Franklin D. Roosevelt receiving 1,253,164 votes in the county, Cook County became the first county in American history where a candidate received one million votes.

The Cook County Democratic Party represents Democratic voters in 50 wards in the city of Chicago and 30 suburban townships of Cook County. The organization has dominated County, city, and state politics since the 1930s. The last Republican mayor of Chicago was William Hale "Big Bill" Thompson, who left office in 1931 with a record of corruption. The most successful Republican candidate for mayor since then was Bernard Epton, who in 1983 came within 3.3 percentage points of defeating Democrat Harold Washington.[192] The county's Republican Party organization is the Cook County Republican Party.

The last Republican governor to carry the county was Jim Edgar in his 1994 landslide. The last Republican senator to do so was Charles H. Percy in 1978.

United States presidential election results for Cook County, Illinois[failed verification][193][194]
Year Republican / Whig Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1844 1,119 35.58% 2,026 64.42% 0 0.00%
1892 111,254 42.57% 144,604 55.33% 5,472 2.09%
1896 221,823 58.43% 152,146 40.08% 5,639 1.49%
1900 203,760 50.80% 186,193 46.42% 11,181 2.79%
1904 229,848 58.49% 103,762 26.41% 59,335 15.10%
1908 230,400 55.51% 152,990 36.86% 31,701 7.64%
1912 74,851 17.44% 130,702 30.44% 223,759 52.12%
1916 435,695 51.20% 379,438 44.59% 35,830 4.21%
1920 635,197 71.12% 197,499 22.11% 60,441 6.77%
1924 688,973 61.87% 226,141 20.31% 198,538 17.83%
1928 812,063 52.73% 716,283 46.51% 11,825 0.77%
1932 690,146 41.47% 919,231 55.23% 54,855 3.30%
1936 701,206 34.90% 1,253,164 62.36% 55,087 2.74%
1940 938,454 44.38% 1,168,141 55.24% 8,212 0.39%
1944 924,659 41.91% 1,275,367 57.81% 6,165 0.28%
1948 1,015,800 45.23% 1,216,636 54.17% 13,463 0.60%
1952 1,188,973 50.21% 1,172,454 49.51% 6,512 0.28%
1956 1,293,223 56.80% 977,821 42.95% 5,800 0.25%
1960 1,059,607 43.33% 1,378,343 56.37% 7,319 0.30%
1964 895,718 36.82% 1,537,181 63.18% 0 0.00%
1968 960,493 41.11% 1,181,316 50.56% 194,729 8.33%
1972 1,234,307 53.41% 1,063,268 46.01% 13,462 0.58%
1976 987,498 44.69% 1,180,814 53.44% 41,436 1.88%
1980 856,574 39.60% 1,124,584 51.99% 181,939 8.41%
1984 1,055,558 48.40% 1,112,641 51.02% 12,536 0.57%
1988 878,582 43.36% 1,129,973 55.77% 17,589 0.87%
1992 605,300 28.20% 1,249,533 58.21% 291,822 13.59%
1996 461,557 26.73% 1,153,289 66.79% 111,820 6.48%
2000 534,542 28.65% 1,280,547 68.63% 50,818 2.72%
2004 597,405 29.15% 1,439,724 70.25% 12,305 0.60%
2008 487,736 22.82% 1,629,024 76.21% 20,706 0.97%
2012 495,542 24.59% 1,488,537 73.88% 30,740 1.53%
2016 453,287 20.79% 1,611,946 73.93% 115,111 5.28%
2020 558,269 24.01% 1,725,973 74.22% 41,163 1.77%
2024 583,852 28.08% 1,447,821 69.63% 47,566 2.29%

Secession movements

[edit]

To establish more localized government control and policies which reflect the often different values and needs of large suburban sections of the sprawling county, secession movements have been made over the years which called for certain townships or municipalities to form their own independent counties.

In the late 1970s, a movement started which proposed a separation of six northwest suburban townships, Cook County's panhandle (Barrington, Hanover, Palatine, Wheeling, Schaumburg, and Elk Grove) from Cook to form Lincoln County, in honor of the former U.S. president and Illinois resident.[195] It is likely that Arlington Heights would have been the county seat. This northwest suburban region of Cook was at the time moderately conservative and has a population over 500,000. Local legislators, led by State Senator Dave Regnar, went so far as to propose it as official legislation in the Illinois House. The legislation died, however, before coming to a vote.

In 2004, Blue Island mayor Donald E. Peloquin organized a coalition of fifty-five south and southwest suburban municipalities to form a new county, also proposing the name Lincoln County. The county would include everything south of Burbank, stretching as far west as Orland Park, as far east as Calumet City, and as far south as Matteson, covering an expansive area with a population of over one million residents. Peloquin argued that the south suburbs are often shunned by the city (although Chicago is not bound or required to do anything for other municipalities) and he blamed the Chicago-centric policies of Cook County for failing to jumpstart the somewhat-depressed south suburban local economy. Pending sufficient interest from local communities, Peloquin planned a petition drive to place a question regarding the secession on the general election ballot, but the idea was not met with success.[196]

In arguing against the Lincoln County proposal, others noted several of the cities involved had power structures, law enforcement, or de facto "mayors for life" often accused in the press, or civilly or criminally charged with, political corruption, cronyism, and nepotism, and themselves being the main factor in their depressed economies rather than anyone in Cook County government. The opposition decried that their true reason for joining the secession effort was to start with a 'clean slate' with a new county government by design less willing to enforce responsibility against their abuses of power.[197][198]

Talk of secession from Cook County amongst some outlying communities again heated up in mid-2008 in response to a highly controversial 1% sales tax hike which has pushed the tax rates across the county communities up amongst the highest in the nation. Some border towns in particular had been outraged, as people can take their business across the county border (paying, for instance, 7% in Lake County instead of Palatine's 9.5%).[199] The secession issue eventually died down from the nominal tax increase.

In 2011, two downstate Republican state representatives, Bill Mitchell of the 87th district and Adam Brown of the 101st district, proposed statehood for Cook County. Mitchell said that Chicago is "dictating its views" to the rest of the state and Brown added that Chicago "overshadows" the rest of Illinois.[200]

Infrastructure

[edit]

Canals

[edit]

Construction of the Erie Canal in New York State made a connection from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes in 1821. As the Midwest farms proved productive, with much grain to sell to other parts of the US, Chicago and Cook County saw the benefit of a canal to improve the link from the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River. The Illinois and Michigan Canal was completed in 1848, extending from the Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago on the Chicago River, to the Illinois River at the cities of LaSalle-Peru. This canal spurred the growth of Chicago and the areas around it, as water travel was the primary way to ship grain or other commodities in that part of the 19th century. The Illinois and Michigan Canal ceased major operation in 1933. Portions are now designated as a National Historic Corridor. The two canals and the Great Lakes cemented trade ties between the Midwest and the Northeast, encouraging farmers to grow more than they needed to feed themselves in Illinois, with a large market for grain now open to them. Towns in Cook County along the Canal grew. From a national perspective, the trade ties made the South region of the US less important to the Northeast as a trade partner.

The Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, completed in 1900, largely replaced the functions of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. This canal resulted in the reversal of the direction of flow of the main stem and the South branch of the Chicago River; they used to empty into Lake Michigan and now those river sections flow toward the Des Plaines River. The Sanitary and Ship Canal was built to serve many aims, including ending using Lake Michigan as a sewer, sending waste water through treatment plants and sending it away from Lake Michigan. It is also a waterway for movement of ships.

Railway network

[edit]

The next major technology for transportation was railroads. Chicago and the towns along the canal and rivers understood the value of being a hub of a major network. Rail lines spurred out from Chicago by the 1850s, with major growth in the rail network for freight and passenger transportation coming after the American Civil War, when the transcontinental railroads were completed, coast to coast across the US, stopping in Chicago, the heart of Cook County.

Local transit

[edit]

Major highways

[edit]

Following on the well-established position of Chicago as a transportation hub, the Interstate highway network maintained Chicago as a hub of that network, as well as serving the travel needs within the region.

Airports

[edit]

When the age of air travel began in the 20th century, Midway Airport was built on 1 square mile (2.6 km2) of land and served as the major Chicago area airport from 1927 to 1955. Midway has been enlarged and continues to operate as of 2024. As air travel became more important for passenger travel, and then for select freight commodities, O'Hare International Airport was built adjacent to a military airfield in the northwest part of Cook County. The City of Chicago annexed the land for the airport, so that the city controls both airports serving a large area. During the second half of the 20th century, it was the world's busiest airport. The approach of Cook County and Chicago to air travel has been the same as the approach to canal, railroad and highway transportation, to serve as a major national hub.

There has been a long running plan for a third major airport to serve the south side of the city and the southern and southwestern suburbs, the Proposed Chicago south suburban airport intended for Peotone, Illinois. The state of Illinois has been addressing this topic since 1986. Some land has been acquired, but there is not a functioning airport there, as of August 2020.

Communities

[edit]

Incorporated communities

[edit]
 
 
Largest cities or towns in Cook County, Illinois
2018 U.S. Census Bureau Estimate[201]
Rank County Pop.
1 Chicago Cook / DuPage 2,705,994
2 Elgin Cook / Kane 111,683
3 Cicero Cook 81,597
4 Arlington Heights Cook 75,249
5 Evanston Cook 73,509
6 Schaumburg Cook / DuPage 71,290
7 Palatine Cook 68,053
8 Skokie Cook 63,280
9 Des Plaines Cook 58,959
10 Orland Park Cook / Will 58,312
Community
 Community
type 		Population Total
Area 		Water
Area 		Land
Area 		Pop.
Density
Alsip village 19,063 6.63 0.10 6.53 2,921.53
Arlington Heights village 77,676 16.64 0.03 16.61 4,677.87
Barrington (partly in Lake County) village 10,722 4.79 0.19 4.61 2,327.33
Barrington Hills (mostly) village 4,114 27.62 0.62 27.00 152.34
Bartlett (mostly in DuPage County) village 41,105 15.94 0.19 15.75 2,610.01
Bedford Park village 602 6.04 0.11 5.93 101.45
Bellwood village 18,789 2.40 0.00 2.40 7,835.28
Bensenville (mostly in DuPage County) village 18,813 5.58 0.05 5.53 3,401.37
Berkeley village 5,338 1.40 0.00 1.40 3,807.42
Berwyn city 57,250 3.90 0.00 3.90 14,664.45
Blue Island city 22,558 4.16 0.09 4.07 5,541.14
Bridgeview village 17,027 4.13 0.00 4.13 4,119.77
Broadview village 7,998 1.78 0.00 1.78 4,500.84
Brookfield village 19,476 3.07 0.01 3.06 6,356.40
Buffalo Grove (mostly in Lake County) village 43,212 9.58 0.02 9.56 4,518.67
Burbank city 29,439 4.17 0.00 4.17 7,059.71
Burnham village 4,046 1.94 0.09 1.85 2,181.13
Burr Ridge (mostly in DuPage County) village 11,192 7.33 0.14 7.20 1,554.88
Calumet City city 36,033 7.32 0.12 7.20 5,005.97
Calumet Park village 7,025 1.15 0.04 1.12 6,289.17
Chicago (county seat and largest municipality, partly in DuPage County) city 2,746,388 234.53 6.80 227.73 12,059.84
Chicago Heights city 27,480 10.30 0.01 10.28 2,672.37
Chicago Ridge village 14,433 2.27 0.00 2.27 6,363.76
Cicero town 85,268 5.87 0.00 5.87 14,538.45
Country Club Hills city 16,775 4.99 0.02 4.97 3,375.25
Countryside city 6,420 2.88 0.00 2.88 2,230.72
Crestwood village 10,826 3.08 0.03 3.05 3,550.67
Deer Park (mostly in Lake County) village 3,681 3.75 0.10 3.65 1,007.39
Deerfield (mostly in Lake County) village 19,196 5.55 0.02 5.53 3,471.25
Des Plaines city 60,675 14.38 0.15 14.24 4,261.48
Dixmoor village 2,973 1.25 0.00 1.25 2,380.30
Dolton village 21,426 4.69 0.12 4.57 4,687.38
East Dundee (mostly in Kane County) village 3,152 3.15 0.24 2.91 1,082.05
East Hazel Crest village 1,297 0.78 0.00 0.78 1,654.34
Elgin (part) city 114,797 38.60 0.57 38.03 3,018.83
Elk Grove Village (partly in DuPage County) village 32,812 11.66 0.06 11.60 2,827.89
Elmhurst (part) city 45,786 10.28 0.06 10.22 4,480.92
Elmwood Park village 24,521 1.91 0.00 1.91 12,851.68
Evanston city 78,110 7.80 0.02 7.78 10,041.14
Evergreen Park village 19,943 3.16 0.00 3.16 6,305.09
Flossmoor village 9,704 3.66 0.00 3.66 2,650.64
Ford Heights village 1,813 1.95 0.00 1.95 931.65
Forest Park village 14,339 2.40 0.00 2.40 5,969.61
Forest View village 792 1.29 0.13 1.17 678.08
Frankfort (mostly in Will County) village 20,296 15.79 0.00 15.79 1,285.04
Franklin Park village 18,467 4.77 0.00 4.77 3,868.24
Glencoe village 8,849 3.78 0.06 3.72 2,378.76
Glenview village 48,705 14.04 0.04 14.00 3,478.68
Glenwood village 8,662 3.26 0.00 3.26 2,653.80
Golf village 514 0.45 0.00 0.45 1,147.32
Hanover Park (mostly in DuPage County) village 37,470 6.52 0.10 6.42 5,834.63
Harvey city 20,324 6.21 0.00 6.21 3,274.90
Harwood Heights village 9,065 0.82 0.00 0.82 10,987.88
Hazel Crest village 13,382 3.42 0.02 3.40 3,939.36
Hickory Hills city 14,505 2.84 0.00 2.84 5,100
Hillside village 8,320 3.17 0.00 3.17 2,626.26
Hinsdale (mostly in DuPage County) village 17,395 4.66 0.04 4.62 3,763
Hodgkins village 1,500 2.77 0.05 2.71 553.10
Hoffman Estates village 52,530 21.25 0.18 21.07 2,493.71
Homer Glen (mostly in Will County) village 24,543 22.16 0.04 22.13 1,109.29
Hometown city 4,343 0.48 0.00 0.48 9,066.81
Homewood village 19,463 5.26 0.05 5.22 3,731.40
Indian Head Park village 4,065 0.94 0.01 0.93 4,370.97
Inverness village 7,616 6.69 0.15 6.53 1,165.60
Justice village 12,600 2.88 0.04 2.84 4,436.62
Kenilworth village 2,514 0.61 0.00 0.61 4,141.68
La Grange village 16,321 2.52 0.00 2.52 6,463.76
La Grange Park village 13,475 2.23 0.00 2.23 6,034.48
Lansing village 29,076 7.52 0.06 7.46 3,896.54
Lemont (partly in DuPage County and Will County) village 17,629 8.74 0.38 8.37 2,107.47
Lincolnwood village 13,463 2.69 0.00 2.69 5,001.11
Lynwood village 9,116 5.04 0.08 4.96 1,836.42
Lyons village 10,817 2.27 0.07 2.21 4,901.22
Markham city 11,661 5.41 0.00 5.41 2,157.45
Matteson village 19,073 9.32 0.03 9.29 2,054.17
Maywood village 23,512 2.72 0.00 2.72 8,653.66
McCook village 249 2.63 0.02 2.61 95.26
Melrose Park village 24,796 4.35 0.00 4.35 5,696.30
Merrionette Park village 1,969 0.38 0.00 0.38 5,250.67
Midlothian village 14,325 2.82 0.00 2.82 5,081.59
Morton Grove village 25,297 5.09 0.00 5.09 4,971.89
Mount Prospect village 56,852 10.76 0.04 10.72 5,303.85
Niles village 30,912 5.85 0.00 5.85 5,285.91
Norridge village 15,251 1.81 0.00 1.81 8,435.29
North Riverside village 7,426 1.64 0.00 1.64 4,517.03
Northbrook village 35,222 13.30 0.07 13.24 2,660.27
Northfield village 5,751 3.23 0.00 3.23 1,780.50
Northlake city 12,840 3.18 0.00 3.18 4,042.82
Oak Brook (mostly in DuPage County) village 8,163 8.30 0.32 7.98 1,023.45
Oak Forest city 27,478 6.07 0.05 6.02 4,563.69
Oak Lawn village 58,362 8.57 0.00 8.57 6,809.24
Oak Park village 54,583 4.70 0.00 4.70 11,613.40
Olympia Fields village 4,718 2.94 0.00 2.94 1,605.31
Orland Hills village 6,893 1.15 0.01 1.15 6,020.09
Orland Park (partly in Will County) village 58,703 22.31 0.28 22.03 2,664.93
Palatine village 67,908 14.28 0.16 14.11 4,811.39
Palos Heights city 12,068 3.87 0.10 3.77 3,197.67
Palos Hills city 18,530 4.29 0.04 4.25 4,364.11
Palos Park village 4,899 6.57 0.12 6.45 759.65
Park Forest (partly in Will County) village 21,687 4.96 0.00 4.96 4,371.50
Park Ridge city 39,656 7.13 0.05 7.09 5,594.81
Phoenix village 1,708 0.46 0.00 0.46 3,681.03
Posen village 5,632 1.17 0.00 1.17 4,817.79
Prospect Heights city 16,058 4.29 0.03 4.26 3,773.03
Richton Park village 12,775 4.40 0.01 4.39 2,908.70
River Forest village 11,794 2.48 0.00 2.48 4,724.60
River Grove village 10,612 2.39 0.00 2.39 4,438.31
Riverdale village 10,663 3.75 0.17 3.58 2,982.66
Riverside village 9,298 2.00 0.02 1.98 4,700.71
Robbins village 4,629 1.45 0.00 1.45 3,194.62
Rolling Meadows city 24,200 5.62 0.01 5.62 4,309.12
Roselle (mostly in DuPage County) village 22,897 5.61 0.08 5.53 4,140.51
Rosemont village 3,952 1.79 0.00 1.79 2,205.36
Sauk Village (partly in Will County) village 9,921 4.00 0.00 3.99 2,485.22
Schaumburg (partly in DuPage County) village 78,723 19.46 0.12 19.35 4,069.21
Schiller Park village 11,709 2.77 0.00 2.77 4,227.08
Skokie village 67,824 10.06 0.00 10.06 6,739.27
South Barrington village 5,077 7.71 0.28 7.43 683.59
South Chicago Heights village 4,026 1.60 0.02 1.58 2,546.49
South Holland village 21,465 7.25 0.02 7.24 2,966.42
Steger (partly in Will County) village 9,584 3.40 0.00 3.40 2,815.51
Stickney village 7,110 1.96 0.04 1.92 3,695.43
Stone Park village 4,576 0.34 0.00 0.34 13,302.33
Streamwood village 39,577 7.83 0.03 7.80 5,075.28
Summit village 11,161 2.26 0.14 2.12 5,267.11
Thornton village 2,386 2.40 0.03 2.38 1,004.63
Tinley Park (partly in Will County) village 55,971 16.13 0.01 16.12 3,472.15
University Park (mostly in Will County) village 7,145 10.73 0.00 10.73 666.08
Westchester village 16,892 3.69 0.00 3.69 4,582.75
Western Springs village 13,629 2.79 0.00 2.79 4,893.72
Wheeling village 39,137 8.73 0.06 8.67 4,513.03
Willow Springs (small portion in DuPage County) village 5,857 4.25 0.10 4.15 1,411.67
Wilmette village 28,170 5.41 0.01 5.40 5,215.70
Winnetka village 12,475 3.89 0.08 3.81 3,344.00
Woodridge (mostly in DuPage County and Will County) village 34,158 9.79 0.16 9.63 3,546.67
Worth village 10,970 2.38 0.01 2.37 4,630.65
Cook County county 5,275,541 1,635 690 945 3,200

Unincorporated communities

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Historic site

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Townships

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The county is divided into 29 townships, in addition to the cities of Chicago and Evanston.

Worth TownshipWheeling TownshipThornton TownshipStickney TownshipStickney TownshipSchaumburg TownshipRiverside TownshipRiver Forest TownshipRich TownshipProviso TownshipPalos TownshipPalatine TownshipOrland TownshipOak Park TownshipNorwood Park TownshipNorthfield TownshipNiles TownshipNew Trier TownshipMaine TownshipLyons TownshipLeyden TownshipLemont TownshipHanover TownshipEvanstonElk Grove TownshipCicero TownshipCalumet TownshipBremen TownshipBloom TownshipBerwyn TownshipBarrington Township
Cook County townships (clickable)

Current townships and independent cities

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The 29 townships and 2 independent cities of Cook County, with their populations as of the 2010 Census, are:[202]

Former townships

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Chicago's eight former townships and annexed parts of others no longer have any governmental structure or responsibility since their annexations, but their names and boundaries are still used on property plats and by Cook County for tax assessment purposes. In 2014, Evanston Township was dissolved by voters and its functions were absorbed by the city of Evanston.[203]

Adjacent counties

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Cook County and adjacent counties, from ISS Expedition 37 in 2013.

Cook County is one of the few U.S. counties to border two counties of the same name in different states (Lake County, Illinois and Lake County, Indiana).

Education

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Public school districts

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Main article: List of school districts in Cook County, Illinois

Colleges and universities

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See also

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References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Cook County, Illinois

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from Grokipedia
Cook County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of , encompassing the city of as its and surrounding suburbs along . It is the most populous county in , with a 2022 population of 5.1 million residents, reflecting a 1.7% decline since 2010 amid broader trends of domestic out-migration driven by high taxes and urban challenges. Established on January 15, 1831, and named for , ' early congressman and advocate for statehood, the county originally covered over 2,400 square miles of sparsely settled land before boundary reductions created neighboring counties like DuPage and Will. Today, spanning about 945 square miles of land, it functions as a charter county governed by a president and 17-member board of commissioners, overseeing services from to corrections for over 800 local governments within its borders. As the economic engine of the Midwest, Cook County's output is dominated by and social assistance, employing over 400,000 people, alongside , , and hubs that facilitate massive freight movement via rail and highways. Its reached $521.6 billion in 2023, underscoring 's role in and trade. Yet, persistent fiscal strains define its governance, with property taxes among the nation's highest—burdening homeowners with an extra $2 billion in recent years due to commercial appeals shifting costs—and ongoing disruptions in tax billing and technology upgrades highlighting administrative inefficiencies.

Geography

Topography and boundaries

Cook County occupies the northeastern portion of Illinois and encompasses 946 square miles of land, making it one of the most densely populated counties in the United States. It is bounded on the north by Lake and McHenry counties, on the west by DuPage County, on the south by Will County, and on the east primarily by Lake Michigan, with a short southeastern boundary shared with Lake County, Indiana. The county's present configuration was established in 1839 through the creation of DuPage County from its western territory. The topography of Cook County features predominantly flat terrain shaped by glacial processes during the Pleistocene epoch, particularly the Wisconsinan glaciation. Elevations range from about 580 feet (177 meters) above along the Lake Michigan shoreline to a high point of approximately 950 feet (290 meters) near Barrington in the northwest. The eastern and central areas consist of the low-relief Chicago Lake Plain, a former bed of post-glacial Lake Chicago, underlain by glacial till and lacustrine deposits. In the northwestern and southern sectors, subtle ridges and hills arise from end moraines, including the and the Blue Island Moraine, composed of glacial drift including , sand, and gravel. These features, remnants of ice lobe advances and retreats, contrast with the expansive outwash plains and the flat expanses that facilitated early agricultural and urban development. Bedrock, primarily Silurian-age dolomite, lies beneath the thick glacial cover and serves as an .

Climate and environmental features

Cook County features a hot-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa), marked by cold winters, warm to hot summers, and moderate precipitation distributed throughout the year. Average annual temperatures range from lows of about 20°F in January to highs of 84°F in July, with an overall yearly mean of approximately 50°F based on long-term observations at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. The county receives around 38 inches of precipitation annually, including about 36 inches of snowfall, with summer months prone to thunderstorms and winter periods occasionally enhanced by lake-effect snow from Lake Michigan. Proximity to Lake Michigan moderates coastal temperatures, resulting in slightly milder winters and cooler summers in northeastern areas compared to southwestern inland portions, while contributing to higher humidity and fog. Environmental features encompass a mix of urbanized landscapes and preserved natural habitats, with the Forest Preserves of Cook County managing nearly 70,000 acres of open space that include biologically diverse ecosystems such as oak-hickory forests, savannas, prairies, wetlands, and woodlands. These areas support native species and restoration efforts, including 27 designated Nature Preserves totaling about 11,735 acres dedicated to protecting high-quality natural communities. The county's northeastern boundary along includes shoreline dunes, beaches, and aquatic habitats that influence local biodiversity and provide recreational access to freshwater ecosystems. Urban development has led to challenges like fragmented habitats and proliferation, though preservation initiatives aim to maintain ecological connectivity amid a population density exceeding 5,000 people per .

Protected areas and natural resources

The Forest Preserves of Cook County manage approximately 70,042 acres of protected land as of November 2024, constituting over 11 percent of the county's total area. Established in 1915, the district preserves biologically diverse ecosystems, including oak woodlands, prairies, savannas, wetlands, and remnants of ancient forests, which support native flora and fauna amid urban development. Within this network, 27 sites are designated as Illinois Nature Preserves, and six as Illinois Land and Water Reserves, encompassing about 11,735 acres of high-quality natural communities protected under state law for perpetual conservation. Prominent protected areas include the Ned Brown Forest Preserve, commonly known as Busse Woods, spanning 3,700 acres with ancient hardwood forests, 13 miles of paved trails, managed lakes for boating and fishing, and an elk enclosure for wildlife viewing. Other key sites feature river corridors like the Trail and specialized habitats such as prairies at Morton Grove and wetlands along major waterways, facilitating recreational activities including , , and equestrian trails across 350 miles of paths. These areas contribute to regional biodiversity recovery through initiatives like the Chicago Wilderness Alliance, which coordinates habitat restoration and control across metropolitan green spaces. Natural resources in Cook County emphasize ecological assets over extractive commodities, given the predominance of urban and suburban land use. The preserves harbor critical habitats for species including migratory birds, amphibians, and rare plants, with restoration efforts targeting 30,000 acres to rebuild degraded woodlands and prairies through controlled burns, native replanting, and . Northeastern shorelines along provide renewable water resources and coastal ecosystems, though managed primarily for and flood mitigation rather than commercial harvesting. aquifers and riverine systems support local , but conservation priorities focus on preventing contamination and preserving watershed integrity amid population pressures.

History

Indigenous peoples and early European settlement

The lands of present-day Cook County exhibit archaeological evidence of Native American occupation extending back at least 10,000 years, with over 1,200 recorded sites, more than half prehistoric, including Upper Mississippian villages such as Hoxie Farm (ca. A.D. 1400–1500) and the Huber site, which yielded early European trade goods indicating interactions on the eve of sustained contact. In the historic period preceding widespread European incursion, the region fell within the territory of Algonquian-speaking tribes, including the to the south and members of the Illinois Confederation; by the , the —part of the Council of the Three Fires alliance with the and —held primary control over the and riverine areas, maintaining villages along the Chicago, Des Plaines, and Calumet waterways for hunting, farming, and trade. The first recorded European exploration occurred on September 7, 1673, when French voyageur and Jesuit missionary , accompanied by five voyageurs and two Huron interpreters but guided across the by Kaskaskia members of the Illinois Confederation, canoed from via the to the Des Plaines, documenting the strategic waterway linkage to the system. French fur traders followed intermittently for commerce with local tribes, but no permanent outposts materialized until the American era. Non-indigenous settlement commenced in the late 18th century with Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a trader of French and African descent born around 1750 in Haiti, who established a trading post, farm, gristmill, and bakery on the north bank near the Chicago River's mouth circa 1780, leveraging Potawatomi alliances for the fur trade before selling out in 1800. In 1803, the U.S. Army erected Fort Dearborn—a wooden stockade housing about 50 soldiers—on the south bank at the river mouth to anchor federal claims amid Northwest Territory tensions and protect trade routes. The post's evacuation during the War of 1812 precipitated the Battle of Fort Dearborn on August 15, 1812, in which Potawatomi forces under chiefs Blackbird and Nuscotomeg killed 52 of 95 evacuees, including women and children, in a coordinated attack. Reestablished in 1816, the fort catalyzed incremental settler influx, primarily traders and farmers, though Potawatomi land tenure persisted until the 1833 Treaty of Chicago forced their removal westward, ceding 5 million acres including the county's core.

19th-century industrialization and urbanization

The completion of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1848 facilitated Chicago's emergence as a transportation hub, linking the to the and spurring trade in lumber and grain from surrounding regions. By 1854, Chicago had become the world's largest grain port, handling shipments that fueled milling and export industries within Cook County. The arrival of railroads in the 1850s accelerated this development; by 1860, over a dozen rail lines converged on the city, transporting goods and passengers and establishing Chicago as the central node in a national rail network that connected eastern markets to western frontiers. This infrastructure boom directly caused population influx, with Cook County's residents—predominantly in —rising from approximately 30,000 in 1850 to 112,000 by 1860, driven by job opportunities in rail construction, warehousing, and related manufacturing. Industrialization intensified after the Civil War, as railroads enabled the centralization of resource processing. The , established in 1865 on Chicago's South Side, consolidated livestock auctions and slaughtering operations, transforming Cook County into the epicenter of the American . Innovations like refrigerated rail cars, pioneered by Gustavus Swift in the , allowed year-round meat transport from western ranches to eastern consumers, with firms such as and Swift dominating output by 1890 and employing thousands in disassembly-line processing. Complementary sectors, including iron foundries, mills, and lumber yards, proliferated along rail corridors, leveraging access for raw materials; by the 1870s, output in the county had surged, supported by a labor force increasingly composed of European immigrants seeking industrial wages. These developments were causally tied to geographic advantages—flat terrain for rail expansion and proximity to agricultural hinterlands—rather than regulatory incentives, as minimal government intervention characterized the era's unchecked growth. Urbanization accompanied this economic shift, with Chicago annexing adjacent townships and farmland to accommodate expansion. The city's population doubled from 503,000 in 1880 to over 1 million by 1890, reflecting Cook County's transformation from rural outposts to dense industrial enclaves, including nascent satellite manufacturing centers like Joliet. By century's end, nearly 80% of residents were foreign-born or children of immigrants, drawn by factory jobs but straining and infrastructure, which lagged behind the pace of settlement. This rapid densification, unchecked by until later decades, positioned Cook County as a model of urban-industrial evolution, where market-driven migration and capital investment outpaced municipal planning.

20th-century expansion, Great Migration, and deindustrialization

Cook County's population expanded rapidly in the early , driven by continued European immigration and the onset of the Great Migration, reaching approximately 2.4 million residents by 1910 and surpassing 5 million by the mid-century peak. This growth reflected the county's role as a hub for and transportation, with factory employment in Cook County expanding amid labor demands and postwar economic booms. Infrastructure developments, including rail expansions and highway construction, facilitated within the county, though urban density in concentrated much of the increase. The Great Migration profoundly reshaped Cook County's demographics, as fled Southern agricultural oppression and for industrial opportunities in , with over 500,000 arriving between 1916 and the 1940s. population in the area grew 148% from 1910 to 1920 alone, rising from about 2% to 4% of Cook County's total by 1920, and continuing to climb to over 20% by 1950 amid a second wave during . Migrants filled jobs in steel mills, meatpacking, and railroads, but faced housing restrictions and racial violence, leading to concentrated settlements on the South and West Sides. This influx diversified the workforce while straining resources, contributing to political shifts as black voters gained influence. Deindustrialization accelerated after , with employment in plummeting from 497,000 jobs in to under 200,000 by the , as firms relocated to suburbs, the , or abroad due to high labor costs, union wages, and property taxes. Cook County's share of national jobs fell from 4.9% in to 3.4% by 1987, exacerbated by , , and local policy failures like inadequate incentives. The losses disproportionately affected and Latino communities reliant on entry-level factory work, fueling , , and out-migration, while the pivoted toward services and . This shift marked the end of Cook County's industrial dominance, with persistent effects on income inequality and in former corridors.

Post-2000 developments and population shifts

Cook County's population, which stood at 5,376,741 according to the 2000 U.S. Census, began a sustained decline in the early , dropping to 5,194,675 by the 2010 Census and further to 5,087,072 by the 2020 Census, reflecting a net loss of over 289,000 residents by 2023. This trend continued into the , with the population estimated at 5,182,617 as of July 1, 2024, driven primarily by domestic out-migration exceeding in-migration and natural increase. Between 2010 and 2022, the county experienced a net population decrease of 89,685, contrasting with modest growth in surrounding , as residents sought lower taxes, better schools, and reduced urban challenges elsewhere in or out of state. Demographic shifts post-2000 featured continued partially offsetting losses, with foreign-born residents rising from about 21% of the in 2000 to around 25% by 2020, concentrated in suburban areas near O'Hare and older industrial corridors. However, net domestic out-migration—particularly among working-age households and higher-income groups—dominated, with analyses of 2014-2018 moves showing leavers disproportionately from neighborhoods burdened by high taxes and , often relocating to DuPage or Lake counties. Racial composition evolved with populations growing to comprise about 27% by 2020 amid sustained Latin American inflows, while non-Hispanic white shares fell below 40% due to and out-state moves, and Black shares stabilized around 22% after earlier Great Migration reversals. Major developments included the 2008 housing crisis, which triggered widespread foreclosures in southern and western suburbs, exacerbating and patterns that persisted from prior decades, with property values in affected areas lagging recovery until the mid-2010s. The transformation of , such as the demolition of high-rise projects like Cabrini-Green and between 2000 and 2010s under the Chicago Housing Authority's Plan for Transformation, relocated thousands of low-income residents, reducing concentrated but displacing minorities and contributing to further suburban dispersal, with mixed evidence on welfare outcomes favoring white households over low-income Black and ones. Economically, the county shifted toward service and tech sectors, with downtown seeing office expansions and logistics growth near O'Hare, yet overall fiscal strains mounted from pension liabilities and rising property taxes—up 6.6% in revenues despite population loss—prompting policies like the short-lived 2017 and ongoing budget deficits. The accelerated declines, with 2020-2022 estimates showing accelerated out-migration amid remote work trends and urban safety concerns, though select submarkets like the North Side experienced partial rebounds.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, Cook County had a population of 5,275,541. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population at approximately 5.1 million as of July 1, 2023, a decline of about 3.6% or 190,000 residents since 2020. This recent drop accelerated post-2020, with the county losing 24,494 residents between July 2022 and July 2023 alone, ranking second nationally for numeric population loss among counties that year. The county spans 945 square miles of land area, yielding a population density of 5,582 per in 2020 and approximately 5,397 per based on the 2023 estimate. This makes Cook County the most densely populated county in and among the highest in the United States. Historically, the population expanded rapidly from under 1,000 in the 1830s to over 5 million by the mid-20th century, driven by industrialization, European immigration, and . It peaked at 5,493,334 in before entering a pattern of net decline punctuated by modest rebounds, such as a 5.3% increase from 1990 (5,105,067) to 2000 (5,376,741). Decennial figures reflect this trajectory:
YearPopulationPercent Change from Prior Decade
19504,508,792+0.7%
19605,129,240+13.7%
19705,493,334+7.1%
19805,253,655-4.4%
19905,105,067-2.8%
20005,376,741+5.3%
20105,194,275-3.4%
20205,275,541+1.6%
Data from U.S. Bureau decennial . The long-term downward trend since stems largely from net domestic out-migration exceeding births minus deaths and international inflows, with 94,344 residents leaving for other U.S. counties in the year ending July 2022. Recent losses have slowed slightly from pandemic-era peaks but continue, with domestic out-migration as the dominant factor per components of change.

Racial, ethnic, and immigrant composition

As of the 2022 estimates, Cook County's population of approximately 5.1 million exhibits significant racial and ethnic diversity. White residents not of or Latino origin constitute 41.9% of the population, down from higher shares in prior decades due to and demographic shifts. Black or African American residents alone account for 21.7%, reflecting the legacy of the Great Migration that drew substantial numbers from the American South in the early 20th century. or Latino residents of any race comprise 24.4%, with Mexican-origin individuals forming the largest subgroup, followed by those of Puerto Rican, Salvadoran, and Guatemalan descent. Asian residents alone represent 7.7%, primarily from Indian, Chinese, Filipino, and Korean origins. Smaller proportions include American Indian and Alaska Native (0.3%), Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (0.03%), and those identifying with two or more races (about 4%). The county's immigrant population underscores its ethnic heterogeneity, with 21.1% of residents foreign-born as of 2022, a figure comparable to national urban averages but elevated relative to many Midwestern counties. This includes naturalized citizens and non-citizens, with major countries of origin encompassing (the predominant source, aligning with Hispanic growth), (historical European ties persisting in enclaves like Chicago's "Little Village" and "Jackowo"), , the , and . Recent trends show continued inflows from and Asia offsetting native-born outflows, contributing to modest population stabilization amid domestic declines. These patterns are evidenced in data, which highlight how sustains workforce participation in sectors like , services, and healthcare.
Racial/Ethnic GroupPercentage (2022)
White alone, not or Latino41.9%
or African American alone21.7%
or Latino (any race)24.4%
Asian alone7.7%
Other groups (combined)~4.3%
This composition influences social dynamics, with concentrated neighborhoods fostering cultural preservation—such as Polish festivals in the northwest suburbs or Mexican markets in the South Side—while also presenting challenges in integration and resource allocation. Empirical analyses from -derived studies confirm these distributions without reliance on ideologically skewed interpretations prevalent in some academic narratives.

Income, poverty, and economic inequality

In 2023, the median household income in Cook County was $81,797, marking a 4.46% increase from $78,304 in 2022 and surpassing the Illinois state median by approximately 0.1% while exceeding the national median by 4.1%. personal income stood at $48,074, about 10% higher than the Illinois average of $45,043 but still reflecting urban-suburban disparities driven by employment concentrations in Chicago's service and professional sectors. The county's poverty rate was 13.3% in 2023, down 0.273% from the prior year and affecting roughly 664,755 residents, compared to Illinois's 11.6% and the U.S. rate of around 11.5%. This rate is elevated in central areas due to factors including lower workforce participation and higher concentrations of households headed by single adults, though suburban townships exhibit rates below 10%. Economic inequality in Cook County is substantial, with a Gini coefficient of 0.5028 as of the latest Census Bureau estimates, exceeding the national average of 0.41 and signaling a skewed where the top quintile earns disproportionately more than the bottom. The ratio of mean income for the highest income quintile to the lowest was approximately 10:1 in recent data, underscoring persistent gaps between high-wage , , and professional roles in the city core and lower-wage service jobs in outer areas. These metrics highlight structural challenges, including deindustrialization's legacy and uneven , though recent income growth has modestly narrowed some disparities since 2020.

Religious affiliations and cultural diversity

In 2020, approximately 54.3% of Cook County's of 5,275,541 were adherents of a religious group, according to the U.S. conducted by the of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. The reported the largest number of adherents at 1,522,714, comprising 53.2% of all religious adherents in the county and operating 335 congregations. This dominance reflects historical European and more recent patterns, with Catholics accounting for roughly 28.9% of the total . Christian churches followed with 221,648 adherents across 484 congregations, while an estimated 311,223 Muslims were affiliated with 68 mosques and Islamic centers, representing 10.9% of adherents or about 5.9% of the . Protestant denominations showed significant variation, with Black Protestant groups like the National Missionary Baptist Convention reporting 125,222 adherents in 297 congregations, underscoring the role of historically Black churches in African American communities. Evangelical Protestant bodies, including with 24,026 adherents, and mainline Protestant groups such as the with 34,274, contributed to a diverse Christian landscape, though collectively smaller than Catholicism. Smaller but notable presences included Orthodox Christians (e.g., 19,300 Greek Orthodox adherents), (e.g., 24,805 in Reform congregations), and Buddhists (19,246 in Mahayana traditions), reflecting immigrant influences from , the , and . In the broader , which encompasses most of Cook County, data from 2023 indicated 59% Christian identification, with 3% Muslim, 2% Jewish, and 1% each Buddhist and Hindu, alongside rising unaffiliated rates that align with the census's implied 45.7% non-adherent share. This religious mosaic contributes to Cook County's cultural diversity, evident in the proliferation of ethnic-specific religious institutions and observances, such as Polish Catholic parishes in Chicago's Jackowo neighborhood, Mexican-American Catholic festivals like Pilsen’s Virgen de Guadalupe celebrations, and South Asian Hindu temples in suburbs like Devon Avenue. Muslim communities, bolstered by immigration from Pakistan, India, and Arab countries, maintain cultural hubs with halal markets and Eid festivals, while Jewish enclaves in areas like Skokie host synagogues and kosher establishments tied to Holocaust survivor histories. These affiliations foster parallel cultural practices, including language-specific services (e.g., Spanish Masses, Arabic Quranic studies) and interfaith dialogues, though data from the census highlights undercounting risks for non-institutionalized or immigrant groups due to self-reporting limitations. The county's non-English speakers, exceeding 1 million in 2015 estimates, further amplify this diversity through religious expression in languages like Spanish (over 50% of non-English speakers) and Polish.

Economy

Major sectors and employment

Cook County's economy employs approximately 2.56 million workers, primarily in service-oriented industries, with total nonfarm employment reaching 2,558,100 as of March 2025. The county serves as the economic core of the , concentrating jobs in , , and healthcare due to its urban density and infrastructure, including and major rail hubs that support logistics. Health care and social assistance constitutes the largest sector, employing 387,363 people in 2023, driven by major hospitals and medical centers in and its suburbs. Government employment ranks second with 301,439 jobs, reflecting extensive at county, municipal, and state levels. Manufacturing, though diminished from historical peaks, sustains 192,458 direct jobs as of recent estimates, concentrated in , fabricated metals, and machinery within industrial corridors. Finance and insurance, bolstered by institutions like the , alongside business and professional services, form high-wage clusters; these, combined with and , account for over 820,000 positions across six targeted industries, representing about one-third of total in 2024. Retail and transportation/utilities also contribute substantially, leveraging the county's role as a Midwest distribution hub, though these sectors face competition from and pressures.

Labor market statistics and unemployment

The labor force in Cook County numbered 2,753,316 persons in August 2025, reflecting minor monthly fluctuations amid a broader stabilization following pandemic-era volatility. Total nonfarm employment reached 2,558,100 in the first quarter of 2025, marking a 0.2% increase from the prior year, with weekly wages at $1,930—exceeding both the Illinois statewide of $1,662 and the national figure of $1,589. The unemployment rate in Cook County stood at 4.9% in August 2025, a decline from 5.3% in July and 6.0% the previous year, remaining below the county's long-term historical average of 6.8%. This rate, derived from local area estimates, indicates gradual recovery from peaks exceeding 15% during the 2020 downturn, though it has consistently hovered above national averages in recent periods due to structural factors including urban concentration of service-sector jobs and demographic mismatches. Labor force participation aligns closely with statewide levels around 64%, though county-specific data suggest persistent challenges in re-engagement among prime-age workers, contributing to a labor force size that has not fully rebounded to pre-2020 peaks.
Month (2025)Unemployment Rate (%)
April5.4
May5.1
June5.2
July5.3
August4.9
These trends underscore a labor market characterized by slow growth in and services, offset by persistent underutilization in and retail sectors, with wages rising modestly amid inflationary pressures but failing to fully bridge income disparities across sub-regions.

Fiscal policies, taxation, and budget challenges

Cook County's fiscal framework is dominated by ation, which accounts for a substantial portion of general fund revenues. The effective rate stands at approximately 2.02%, surpassing the national average and contributing to ranking second highest in the nation for burdens relative to home values. Median annual bills reach $4,680, exceeding the U.S. median of $2,400 by more than double, with bills rising 78% since 2007 amid only modest property value appreciation. collection rates have declined for three consecutive years, reaching 95.1% in 2023 and leaving nearly $1 billion in billed taxes uncollected countywide. Sales and use taxes supplement revenues, particularly in urban areas; the combined rate in totals 10.25%, comprising the state base of 6.25%, Cook County's 1.75%, the city's 1.25%, and a 1% regional transportation levy. Recent adjustments, such as a 0.75% increase in certain districts effective July 2025, reflect ongoing efforts to capture additional revenue amid economic pressures. Fiscal policies emphasize avoiding hikes, as evidenced by the closure of a $218.2 million gap for 2025 without levy increases, relying instead on one-time reserves like American Rescue Plan Act funds and expenditure restraints. Annual budgets have expanded steadily, with the fiscal year 2024 allocation at $9.26 billion and a proposed $10.1 billion for 2026, projecting general fund revenues up $78.6 million driven by sales taxes but offset by rising personnel and healthcare expenses totaling $181.2 million in increases. A $211.4 million shortfall is forecasted for 2026 across general and health funds, attributed to , cost-of-living adjustments, and declining patient volumes in county health services, though officials anticipate balancing without new taxes through best practices and reserve draws. Health fund revenues are projected to fall $63.5 million due to reduced Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements. Persistent budget challenges stem from underfunded pensions and a revenue system strained by high tax burdens, which correlate with population declines and tax base erosion. Cook County's employee pension funds, including the County Employees' and Officers' Annuity and Benefit Fund, face actuarial valuations revealing ongoing liabilities, with administrative costs rising to $4.87 million in 2023; these local obligations mirror ' statewide pension crisis, where unfunded liabilities exceeded $143 billion as of late 2024, compelling higher contributions that divert funds from services. Declining collections and structural revenue inadequacies—exacerbated by overreliance on regressive property levies amid —have prompted analyses questioning the system's capacity to sustain current service levels without reforms.

Government and Politics

County government structure and administration

The government of Cook County, Illinois, is structured under Article VII of the Illinois Constitution, which designates it as a unit with authority to exercise powers not prohibited by the state, including local ordinances on matters of county concern. The primary legislative body is the , comprising 17 members elected from single-member districts, each representing approximately 300,000 residents, to staggered four-year terms without term limits. The board enacts ordinances and resolutions, approves the annual budget, and oversees policy implementation across county services such as , transportation, and . The Cook County Board president, elected countywide to a four-year term, serves as the , proposing the balanced annual to the board, appointing department heads (subject to board approval), and possessing power over board actions that can be overridden by a two-thirds majority. has held this position since December 6, 2010, managing executive bureaus including administration, environment and sustainability, and highways and transportation. The president's office coordinates with independent agencies but lacks direct control over them, contributing to a decentralized framework where executive authority is divided among multiple autonomously operated entities. Complementing the board and president are several independently elected countywide officials, each serving four-year terms: the , who administers the county jail, court services, and police operations; the assessor, responsible for property valuations; the , handling elections and records; the , managing finances; the state's attorney, prosecuting cases; and commissioners of the Board of Review, who hear appeals. This structure, with at least 10 independently elected executives, fosters fragmented administration, as noted in analyses of county governance, where coordination relies on inter-office agreements rather than hierarchical command. Judicial functions fall under the , integrated with state courts but funded partly by county resources.

Electoral history and political dominance

Cook County has exhibited overwhelming Democratic Party dominance in elections since the mid-20th century, rooted in the organizational strength of the Cook County Democratic machine. This structure, epitomized by Richard J. Daley—who served as Chicago mayor from 1955 to 1976 and as Cook County Democratic Party chairman from 1953—relied on patronage networks, precinct captain systems, and voter mobilization to secure repeated victories, often exceeding 70% margins in local races. The machine's control extended across Chicago's 50 wards and 30 suburban townships, enabling Democrats to maintain a near-monopoly on county offices despite occasional suburban Republican strongholds. In presidential elections, Cook County's Democratic lean has intensified over decades, consistently providing margins far exceeding Illinois statewide totals. For instance, in 2020, Democrat Joe Biden received 1,725,973 votes (approximately 75%) to Republican Donald Trump's 558,269 (24%), a 54-point gap among over 2.3 million votes cast. Similar disparities occurred in 2016 (Clinton 73.5% vs. Trump 21.5%) and earlier cycles, with the county voting Democratic in every presidential election since at least 1932, reflecting urban density in Chicago and reliable turnout in Democratic-leaning precincts. Countywide offices underscore this hegemony, with Democrats capturing all partisan positions in recent cycles. In 2022, incumbent Board President (D) won reelection with 67% against Republican Bob Fioretti, while Democrats swept roles like state's attorney, assessor, and clerk. The 17-member County Board, as of 2022 results, seated 16 Democrats and one Republican (Sean Morrison, who retained his suburban district by 2.6%), marking the GOP's minimal foothold amid Democratic primaries often deciding general election outcomes. Judicial slates backed by Democrats similarly dominated the 2024 primary, with low-turnout suburban races yielding party-line sweeps.
YearOfficeDemocratic WinnerVote ShareSource
2022Board President67%
202215th District CommissionerSean Morrison (R, sole GOP hold)52%
2024County ClerkMonica GordonMajority over GOP/Libertarian
This pattern persists without formal party registration in , where voter affiliation emerges via primary participation and turnout demographics favoring Democrats in the county's urban core. The machine's legacy, while effective for electoral control, has drawn scrutiny for fostering over merit-based governance, though it endures through organizational discipline rather than ideological uniformity.

Policy impacts on governance and services

Cook County's fiscal policies, characterized by high property tax rates and expansive social spending, have contributed to structural budget deficits that constrain efficiency and service delivery. Property tax bills for typical residences increased 78% from 2007 to 2025, far outpacing the 7.3% rise in median property values, exacerbating resident flight and commercial , which in turn reduces the tax base available for public services. The county's progressive-leaning tiered system, intended to shift burdens toward higher-value properties, has been criticized for discouraging economic investment and prompting business relocations to lower-tax jurisdictions, thereby limiting revenue growth for maintenance and services. Pension obligations represent a primary governance challenge, with underfunded liabilities for county employees and public safety personnel projected to double costs every decade, diverting funds from operational services like policing and emergency response. In 2023, allowed flexible funding sources beyond taxes for contributions, marking a to avert , yet the system's overall funding ratio remains below national averages, forcing trade-offs in service prioritization. The Civic Federation has highlighted operational inefficiencies in county administration, estimating millions in avoidable costs that could otherwise support expanded or transit services, though entrenched political dynamics have slowed modernization efforts. Criminal justice reforms under Board President , including advocacy for ' 2023 Pretrial Fairness Act eliminating cash bail, have altered pretrial processes, increasing releases and straining prosecutorial and detention resources while aiming to reduce incarceration costs. These policies, coupled with limiting county resources for federal , have redirected administrative focus toward compliance and equity initiatives, potentially at the expense of core public safety governance. Social welfare expansions, such as the 2025 guaranteed income pilot providing monthly stipends to low-income residents, demonstrate commitments to alleviation but contribute to rising expenditures—health care alone projected at $5.2 billion in FY2026—amid federal funding uncertainties that threaten programs like Medicaid-dependent Cook County Health. A projected $218 million gap for 2025 underscores how these policy choices, without corresponding revenue reforms, perpetuate reliance on and deferred maintenance, undermining long-term service sustainability.

Corruption cases and accountability issues

Cook County has faced numerous high-profile corruption cases, particularly within its judicial system, property assessment processes, and county board operations, contributing to Illinois' reputation for public corruption. , a federal investigation launched in 1980, exposed widespread and fix-rigging in the Cook County court system, resulting in the of 92 individuals, including 17 judges and 48 lawyers, through undercover operations involving a former minor traffic court judge as a cooperating witness. This scandal highlighted systemic vulnerabilities in judicial accountability, where bribes influenced case outcomes and promotions. Subsequent probes, such as Operations Silver Shovel and Lantern, extended scrutiny to county-level graft in the 1990s, revealing patterns of schemes in construction and permitting. In administration, has persisted into recent decades, with a 2023 federal indictment charging two Cook County Assessor's Office employees and a private business owner in a scheme to reduce property assessments in exchange for cash payments totaling over $10,000. Similarly, former Cook County Carlos Moreno was sentenced in 2022 to 11 years in prison for orchestrating a scheme that defrauded over $4 million in federal grants through kickbacks and false invoices from 2016 to 2020. Jeffrey Tobolski pleaded guilty in 2020 to accepting more than $250,000 in bribes for favorable and contract decisions, resigning shortly after. These cases underscore vulnerabilities in discretionary county processes, where officials leveraged positions for personal gain. Patronage hiring remains a chronic accountability challenge, despite federal Shakman decrees prohibiting political favoritism in public employment since the . In 2020, a federal judge imposed oversight on the Cook County 's office after finding violations under Clerk Karen Yarbrough, including clout-based promotions and no-shows, extending monitoring into 2023 amid disputes over compliance. The Assessor's office shed similar oversight in 2022 following reforms, but critics noted incomplete eradication of political hiring. The county's Office of the Inspector (OIIG), tasked with probing misconduct, faced budget resistance in 2025 from commissioners seeking to cap its funding, potentially limiting investigations despite handling hundreds of complaints annually. Federal data from the Northern District of recorded 22 public corruption convictions in 2020 alone, many tied to Cook County, reflecting ongoing enforcement needs. Comprehensive lists of convicted officials, such as the Chicago Tribune's "Dishonor Roll," document over 200 cases since the mid-20th century, indicating entrenched patterns rather than isolated incidents.

Public Safety

Law enforcement agencies and operations

The functions as the principal law enforcement entity for Cook County, Illinois, overseeing more than 6,700 sworn officers, deputies, and civilian staff who execute core responsibilities. These duties encompass securing the , serving civil processes including evictions and levies, operating the county's detention facilities through the Department of Corrections, and maintaining public order in unincorporated county territories. The CCSO, led by an elected , processes inmate data, visitation, and bonding operations, with facilities handling a daily population tracked via public locators and schedules. Within the CCSO, the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department operates as a dedicated policing arm, ranking as the third-largest police force in Illinois with over 500 officers. Mandated by the Constitution, it delivers patrol, investigative, and emergency response services to roughly 115,000 residents and workers in the county's unincorporated zones, which span areas outside municipal boundaries like and its suburbs. Key operational components include the K9 Unit for detection and apprehension tasks, alongside support divisions managing records, evidence storage, , impounds, and alarm permits to sustain investigative and administrative efficiency. The Forest Preserves of Cook County Police Department provides specialized enforcement across the district's expansive holdings, deploying sworn officers to safeguard more than 70,000 acres of natural preserves distributed throughout the county. These personnel prioritize crime prevention, traffic control, and visitor safety in recreational and ecological sites, responding to incidents via dedicated channels including a non-emergency line at 708-771-1000. While departments handle incorporated towns and the covers the city proper, county-level operations under the CCSO and Forest Preserves fill jurisdictional gaps in rural and preserved lands, emphasizing constitutional mandates over localized urban policing. Cook County's rate, encompassing offenses such as , , , and aggravated , was reported at 620 incidents per 100,000 residents in 2022, exceeding the national average of around 380 per 100,000 during comparable periods. rates within the county have ranked among the higher figures for large U.S. counties, at 15.8 per 100,000 residents in recent data, placing it 17th out of 63 large-central metro counties with reliable reporting. These elevated rates are disproportionately influenced by activity in , which accounts for the majority of incidents given its population concentration and urban density. Homicide counts in Cook County surged during the early 2020s, reaching 970 in 2020 and a record 1,002 gun-related homicides in 2021, surpassing the prior year's peak of 881. This spike aligned with national post-pandemic trends but was amplified locally by factors including gang-related violence and disruptions to policing. Subsequent years showed declines, with gun-related homicides dropping 11% from 2022 to 2023; overall homicides fell more than 9% from 2023 to 2024 and over 29% from the 2021 peak. In specifically, which drives county totals, 573 homicides were recorded in 2024, reflecting a continued downward trajectory from prior highs.
YearHomicides in Cook County
2020970
20211,002 (gun-related)
2024>29% below 2021 peak
Victimization data indicate stark demographic disparities, with an overwhelming majority of victims being males, particularly young adults from under-resourced communities. This pattern persists across violent index , where victims in —a proxy for county trends—show concentrations among similar groups, often linked to interpersonal and conflicts rather than random acts. Reported violent victimizations have trended downward in line with overall declines, though clearance rates remain low, potentially understating full victimization scope due to unreported incidents.

Policing controversies and reform efforts

The Chicago Police Department (CPD), responsible for policing much of urban Cook County, has faced longstanding accusations of excessive force and accountability failures, exemplified by the 2014 fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald, where officer Jason Van Dyke fired 16 shots, leading to a cover-up of dashcam footage released only after a court order in 2015 and Van Dyke's 2018 murder conviction. Patterns of repeated misconduct persist, with 272 CPD officers named in at least two settled lawsuits each since 2019, costing taxpayers $295 million in payouts as of September 2025. The Cook County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), overseeing county jails and suburban law enforcement, has encountered controversies including retaliation against whistleblowers alleging unsafe practices like "cross-watch" monitoring in Division 9 jail, as claimed in a 2025 lawsuit, and a controversial gang database decommissioned in 2019 amid concerns over inaccurate inclusions and civil rights impacts. In suburban Cook County, at least 113 police shootings occurred without any officer facing discipline, firing, or charges, highlighting gaps in oversight across municipal departments. The U.S. Department of Justice's 2017 investigation into CPD documented systemic issues, including unjustified in 80% of reviewed incidents and racial disparities where and Latino individuals comprised over 70% of those experiencing force despite lower rates of armed encounters. Recent probes revealed CPD's inadequate response to over 300 sexual misconduct complaints against officers since 2017, with many allegations uninvestigated despite patterns involving or assaults. Reform responses include the 2019 federal consent decree for CPD, mandating improvements in use-of-force policies, training, and accountability, with an independent monitor reporting higher operational compliance levels in areas like crisis intervention by October 2025's 12th semi-annual assessment. Efforts encompass expanded de-escalation training for over 12,000 officers and community policing initiatives, though a September 2024 Policing Project analysis criticized Chicago's programs as fragmented and overburdened, lacking dedicated resources for trust-building. CCSO reforms have involved ending the gang database and implementing post-DOJ jail monitoring, but progress remains uneven, with a November 2024 ProPublica review noting minimal advancement in CPD's decree compliance after five years amid rising force incidents—up 75% from 2021 to 2024, disproportionately against Black and Latino residents. Broader state measures like the 2021 SAFE-T Act have aimed to curb cash bail and pretrial detention abuses tied to policing, prioritizing alternatives to arrest for nonviolent offenses. Despite $887.6 million allocated for CPD reforms from 2020-2025, critics attribute stalled gains to leadership turnover and resistance, as evidenced by ongoing secrecy around merit promotions pledged for transparency in 2017.

Infrastructure

Roadways and highways

Cook County's roadway infrastructure features a complex network of interstate highways, tollways, state routes, and county roads, supporting over five million residents and serving as a vital hub for regional commerce and commuting. The Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways maintains 568 centerline miles of highways, encompassing 1,620 lane miles of pavement, 132 bridges, 360 traffic signals, and seven pumping stations across four maintenance districts. These facilities handle substantial daily traffic volumes, with major corridors experiencing average annual daily traffic (AADT) exceeding 200,000 vehicles in urban segments. Interstate 90 (I-90) and (I-94) form overlapping primary north-south and east-west arteries through the county, including the (I-90/I-94) in and the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90) to the northwest. Interstate 290 (I-290), known as the Eisenhower Expressway, spans approximately 17 miles eastward from I-88 into downtown , linking suburbs to the and recording AADT figures up to 250,000 vehicles near the city core. (I-55), the Stevenson Expressway, runs southwest through southern Cook County, connecting to I-294 and facilitating freight movement with segments handling over 150,000 vehicles daily. The Tri-State Tollway (I-294/I-80/I-94) encircles much of the county's perimeter, operated by the Illinois Tollway Authority as part of its 294-mile system, with portions in Cook County undergoing continuous reconstruction to address congestion and structural wear. Additional routes include (I-57) entering from the south, Interstate 80 (I-80) via the Kingery Expressway, and the short Interstate 190 (I-190) spur to . County highways, such as those under DoTH jurisdiction, complement these interstates by providing local connectivity, though persistent maintenance challenges and funding constraints contribute to pothole issues and delays in repairs. Ongoing projects, including I-290 corridor improvements and I-490 extensions, aim to alleviate bottlenecks, but high traffic densities—exacerbated by urban density—result in some of the nation's worst congestion levels on these roadways.

Public transit and rail systems

The primary public transit and rail systems serving Cook County are operated by the for urban bus and rail, for regional , and Pace Suburban Bus for suburban bus service, with coordination provided by the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA). Cook County residents access eight CTA rail lines, 127 CTA bus routes, 91 Pace bus routes, and 11 lines, as outlined in the county's 2023 Transit Plan, which emphasizes investments in connectivity without direct county operation of services. CTA's rapid transit system consists of elevated and subway lines totaling 242 miles of track, while its includes 1,966 vehicles operating 127 routes over 1,516 route miles and 10,588 stops, facilitating high-capacity urban mobility. In 2024, CTA achieved 309.2 million total rides—181.7 million on buses and 127.5 million on rail—a 10.8% rise from 2023, reflecting post-pandemic recovery amid ongoing service adjustments. Metra's 11 rail lines span 495 miles with 243 stations, many located in Cook County, linking suburban areas to Chicago's via routes owned by freight carriers but operated under commuter agreements. These lines, including the Metra Electric and Rock Island branches, support reverse-commute and peak-hour travel, contributing to the region's integrated network under RTA oversight. Pace operates 91 bus routes within Cook County as part of its broader suburban coverage, emphasizing fixed-route services, , and demand-response options across northeastern . The agency recorded 16.9 million rides in 2024, a 13% increase from 2023, driven by service enhancements like frequent corridors and fare reductions in targeted areas. Regional ridership across CTA, , and Pace reached post-pandemic highs in 2024, up 11% overall, though challenges persist in equitable access and funding stability.

Airports and aviation facilities

Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), the primary international gateway for the region, is located primarily within Cook County in the City of , with a small portion extending into DuPage County. Covering over 7,200 acres, it serves as a major hub for and , offering non-stop flights to 249 destinations worldwide. The airport, operated by the Chicago Department of Aviation, opened to commercial traffic in 1955 and has frequently ranked as the world's busiest by aircraft movements and passenger volume, handling tens of millions of passengers annually. Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), situated on the southwest side of entirely within Cook County, functions as a key domestic hub, particularly for . Established in 1927 as Chicago Municipal Airport, it spans approximately 2.5 square miles and was once the world's busiest airport in and before the rise of O'Hare. In 2024, Midway accommodated 21.5 million passengers, emphasizing short-haul and operations. Chicago Executive Airport (PWK), a general aviation reliever airport in Wheeling, Cook County, supports business aviation, flight training, and airfreight as a lower-cost alternative to O'Hare. Formerly known as Palwaukee Municipal Airport, it is publicly owned by the villages of Wheeling and Prospect Heights and features two runways serving corporate jets and smaller aircraft. The facility handles thousands of operations yearly without commercial passenger services, aiding in traffic decongestation at the county's larger airports. Smaller facilities, such as Lansing Municipal Airport (IGQ) in Lansing, provide limited access, while heliports like that at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County support . These aviation assets collectively underpin Cook County's role as a critical node in national and international , though they face challenges from congestion and infrastructure demands.

Waterways, canals, and other utilities

The Chicago Area Waterway System encompasses 76.1 miles of canals and modified natural rivers, primarily managed by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago for purposes including commercial navigation, stormwater drainage, and wastewater conveyance. Key waterways include the , with its North and South Branches draining urban and suburban areas in northeastern Cook County, and the , which forms the county's western boundary for approximately 30 miles before merging with the to form the Illinois River. The system, comprising the Grand and Little Calumet Rivers, supports industrial shipping and drainage in the southeastern industrial corridor. Prominent canals include the , a 28-mile engineered completed in 1900 that connects the South Branch of the to the near Lockport. This enabled the historic reversal of the 's flow from eastward into to westward toward the basin, a feat designed to prevent untreated from contaminating the lake, which serves as the primary source for and surrounding suburbs; the reversal was activated on , 1900, after temporary channeling efforts dating to 1871. The Calumet-Saganashkee (, spanning 16 miles through southwestern Cook County, provides additional drainage capacity and links the to the , alleviating flooding in 27 communities across 151 square miles. The North Shore Channel, a 3-mile diversion completed in 1910, intercepts flows from the North Branch to , supporting overflow management. Water supply in Cook County derives predominantly from , with the City of Chicago's Bureau of treating and distributing roughly 750 million gallons daily to the city and over 100 suburban communities via two purification plants and an extensive tunnel system. Suburban areas rely on municipal systems or private utilities such as Aqua Illinois and Illinois American Water, which serve specific enclaves under oversight from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Wastewater management falls under the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, established in 1889, which operates seven water reclamation plants processing over 1.4 billion gallons daily from and 128 suburbs, achieving secondary treatment levels that discharge effluent into the waterway system rather than . In unincorporated and select suburban areas, the Cook County Department of Public Health regulates private septic systems, approving installations for over 10,000 properties while enforcing separation from water supplies to mitigate contamination. Electricity distribution is handled by (ComEd), which maintains transmission and delivery infrastructure serving nearly 4 million customers across , including all of Cook County, with a focus on grid reliability amid . delivery splits between Peoples Gas, covering Chicago's 2.7 million residents through a 3,000-mile underground network, and Nicor Gas, providing service to suburban Cook County customers via pipelines spanning multiple counties.

Education

Primary and secondary school systems

Public primary and secondary education in Cook County is administered by 144 independent school districts, encompassing both the City of Chicago and suburban municipalities. These districts operate under the oversight of the Illinois State Board of Education, with local governance typically provided by elected school boards, though follows a distinct mayoral-influenced model. The systems include community unit districts covering K-12 education, separate elementary and high school districts, and specialized cooperatives for services like . Chicago Public Schools (District 299) dominates the county's enrollment, serving 323,000 students across 639 schools as of September 2024. Governance shifted in February 2025 to a hybrid Chicago Board of Education with 10 elected members and 11 appointed by the , marking a transition from full mayoral control—established in 1995—to full election by 2027. CPS encompasses traditional neighborhood schools, selective-enrollment institutions, magnet programs, and charter schools operated by independent entities under district authorization. Suburban districts, numbering approximately 143 excluding CPS, vary widely in scale and configuration, with many serving smaller, homogeneous communities. Examples include Township High School District 211, enrolling over 12,000 students in northwest suburbs like , and New Trier Township High School District 203 in affluent north shore areas such as Winnetka and Northfield. Coordination occurs through intermediate service centers, such as the South Cook ISC supporting 66 districts in the southern suburbs and the North Cook ISC aiding 41 in the north. These districts are funded primarily through local property taxes and state aid, with elected boards handling operations independently of city government. Private and parochial schools supplement public systems, with institutions under the Archdiocese of Chicago educating thousands in the county, though aggregate enrollment data is not centrally reported by county authorities. Enrollment in nonpublic schools represents a smaller share compared to public districts, often appealing to families seeking religious or specialized curricula.

Performance metrics and challenges

In (CPS), the largest district in Cook County, 30.5% of students in grades 3 through 8 met or exceeded proficiency standards in English language arts on the 2023-24 Illinois Assessment of Readiness, while 19% achieved proficiency in . These rates represent modest post-pandemic gains—up 2-3 percentage points from prior years—but remain below statewide figures of 40.9% for ELA and 31.5% for math. The CPS four-year high school graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 84%, a record for the district but trailing the average of 87.7%. Suburban Cook County districts, by contrast, post stronger metrics, with many achieving ELA and math proficiency rates 20-40 percentage points above CPS levels and graduation rates often exceeding 90%. County-wide high school graduation averages around 90% in suburban areas, though CPS's scale pulls the overall figure downward. Adult functional illiteracy affects 25% of Cook County residents, higher than the state rate of 20%, underscoring long-term educational deficits.
MetricCPS (2023-24)Illinois Statewide (2023-24)Suburban Cook County Example
ELA Proficiency (Gr. 3-8)30.5%40.9%50-70% (e.g., New Trier)
Math Proficiency (Gr. 3-8)19%31.5%40-60% (e.g., New Trier)
4-Year Graduation Rate84%87.7%92-95% (top districts)
Persistent challenges include chronic , which impacts 40-50% of CPS students annually—more than double pre-pandemic levels—and strongly predicts lower test scores and . Community violence and trauma exacerbate attendance issues, with exposure to activity and family instability disrupting learning in urban schools. Achievement gaps persist by race and income, with Black and low-income students in CPS scoring 20-30 points below district averages on standardized tests. CPS operational spending per pupil reached approximately $29,000 in recent years—far above the national average of $14,000—yet outcomes have not improved proportionally, with math proficiency declining despite funding increases. This disconnect highlights inefficiencies, including high administrative costs and resistance to performance-based reforms amid strong teachers' union influence. Suburban districts, with lower per-pupil spending in some cases, achieve better results through targeted interventions and stable environments. Efforts to address these via reduction and evidence-based mentoring have yielded mixed success, with remaining a key barrier.

Higher education institutions

Cook County hosts a wide range of higher education institutions, including private research universities, public universities, and community colleges, reflecting the area's dense urban population and historical emphasis on accessible education. These institutions collectively enroll tens of thousands of students and contribute significantly to research, workforce development, and cultural life in the region. The , a private research university founded in 1890 by and the American Baptist Education Society, is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood and emphasizes interdisciplinary inquiry and intellectual rigor, with classes commencing in 1892 for an initial enrollment of 594 students. Northwestern University, established in 1851 to serve the , maintains its primary campus in Evanston and additional facilities in , enrolling approximately 21,000 students across 12 schools and colleges as of recent data. The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), tracing its origins to 19th-century health colleges and formalized in its current structure in through consolidation, serves as the largest university in the Chicago area with a total enrollment of 35,869 students, including 24,260 undergraduates, across 16 colleges. Loyola University Chicago, founded in 1870 by the Society of Jesus as St. Ignatius College, operates as Chicago's Jesuit Catholic university with campuses along , reporting enrollment exceeding 16,600 students as of 2017 figures. DePaul University, established in 1898 by the Vincentians as a tuition-free institution initially enrolling about 70 students, has grown into the largest Catholic university in the United States by enrollment, serving nearly 22,000 students across its campuses. The Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), formed in 1940 through the merger of earlier technical institutions with roots dating to 1890, focuses on technology, engineering, and design, experiencing a 23% enrollment increase in fall 2023 to its highest level in over 30 years, with total students around 8,000. Public four-year options include , originating in 1867 as Cook County's first teacher-training school and evolving into a comprehensive commuter university with over 5,700 students, predominantly from underrepresented minorities. , also founded in 1867 as a teacher-training institution, specializes in urban and health professions but has faced enrollment declines to around 2,000 students amid financial challenges. Community colleges, such as the City Colleges of Chicago system with seven campuses enrolling over 50,000 credit and non-credit students annually, provide associate degrees and transfer pathways, alongside institutions like Triton College in River Grove and South Suburban College in South Holland.

Social Services and Health

Public health initiatives and outcomes

The Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) administers programs focused on disease prevention, environmental protection, and community health in suburban areas, enforcing state laws on issues like food safety and vector control. Nursing services emphasize maternal and child health, including lead screening and poisoning prevention, genetics education, and cancer detection via the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program. Broader efforts under the Healthy Communities initiative target social determinants such as housing instability and access to care, aiming to reduce inequities through partnerships and lifestyle promotion. During the , CCDPH and Cook County Health implemented equity-focused responses, including targeted outreach for and support for vulnerable populations, with free flu and shots offered at health centers. coverage data from the Illinois Department of Public Health tracks at least one dose rates, though zip code-level disparities correlated with higher mortality during early waves. Cook County Health expanded services regardless of payment ability or immigration status, incorporating American Rescue Plan funds for relief totaling $12 million and social health investments. Opioid crisis initiatives involved community outreach and , yielding a 43% drop in overdose deaths countywide in 2024—the lowest in nearly a —following a peak amid the . In suburban areas, 686 opioid-involved fatalities occurred in 2022, with nearly 90% linked to , highlighting persistent synthetic dominance despite interventions. Health outcomes reflect mixed progress amid urban challenges. The Suburban Cook County Health Atlas documents elevated infant mortality risks in select communities, with rates exceeding state averages in high-poverty zones. County Health Rankings place Cook County below Illinois medians for length-of-life measures, including and premature mortality, influenced by , , and chronic disease prevalence. Vital statistics from CCDPH indicate ongoing burdens from communicable diseases and injuries, with open data portals providing birth, , and epidemiology trends through 2024. Disparities in outcomes, such as higher overdose and risks in underserved areas, underscore limitations of equity-focused programs against entrenched social factors.

Welfare programs and dependency rates

Cook County administers federal and state welfare programs primarily through the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) and Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), including the (SNAP) for food aid, (TANF) for cash assistance to low-income families with children, and for health coverage to low-income individuals. These programs target poverty alleviation but exhibit varying participation levels, with SNAP and showing broader uptake than TANF, reflecting eligibility expansions and economic pressures in an urban county encompassing . In fiscal year 2023 (July 2022–June 2023), HFS reported 1,868,393 persons enrolled in medical assistance programs in Cook County, encompassing traditional , ACA expansion coverage, and related benefits; this included 687,090 children under 19, 462,842 under ACA provisions, and 402,655 other adults. With a county population of approximately 5.18 million, this enrollment equates to roughly 36% coverage. SNAP enrollment reached 966,185 recipients in 2022, comprising about 18.6% of the population and accounting for 48.5% of ' SNAP households despite Cook representing 41.6% of state households. TANF caseloads remain minimal by comparison, with statewide totals at 27,378 families (76,108 persons) in June 2023, down from prior months amid work requirements and time limits instituted under federal reforms. County-specific TANF data is not routinely disaggregated in recent HFS reports, but Cook's outsized poverty concentration—13.3% rate in 2023, affecting 680,528 persons—suggests it absorbs a majority share, though participation lags at under 20% of eligible poor families statewide.
ProgramEnrollment (Year)Approximate % of PopulationNotes
/HFS1,868,393 (FY2023)36%Includes ACA expansion; high due to eligibility broadening post-2014.
SNAP966,185 (2022)18.6%65% participation among eligibles (2019); stable amid post-pandemic adjustments.
TANF (statewide)76,108 persons (2023)<1.5% (state)Low uptake; Cook likely >40% share given demographics.
These rates indicate substantial dependency on means-tested supports, exceeding state averages for SNAP and , correlated with the county's 13.3% incidence and urban economic challenges; TANF's decline since the reflects successful caseload reduction but raises questions about adequacy for the deepest , as only 18 families per 100 in received it statewide in 2022–23. Official data from HFS and DHS, derived from administrative records, provide empirical baselines, though underreporting of eligibility may inflate perceived dependency gaps.

Housing, homelessness, and social welfare

Cook County's housing market features median property values of $305,200 as of 2023, reflecting steady appreciation driven by urban demand in and suburban growth. Single-family home prices rose 7.8% in the second quarter of 2024, with suburban areas outpacing at 9.0% versus 5.5% growth. Median monthly rents reached $1,700 in 2024, a 34% increase from 2015 levels, while area rents climbed 23.3% from January 2019 to January 2024, exacerbating affordability pressures amid stagnant wage growth for lower-income households. Apartment vacancy rates stood at 7.3% for Class A units in the fourth quarter of 2024, indicating a tight rental market that limits options for low-income residents. Homelessness in Cook County surged in 2024, with the Chicago portion alone reporting 18,836 individuals in the Point-in-Time (PIT) count, more than tripling from prior years amid migration pressures and housing shortages. Suburban Cook County experienced a 12.5% increase in its PIT count, totaling approximately 1,634 people, including 788 sheltered and 270 unsheltered in the largely suburban Continuum of Care. Statewide, Illinois homelessness doubled from 2023 to 2024, with suburban increases linked to eviction rises and insufficient shelter capacity, though chronic undercounting in PIT methodologies—due to hidden populations and seasonal factors—suggests actual figures are higher. Causal factors include post-pandemic evictions, inflation outpacing aid, and policy shifts like relaxed migrant sheltering, which strained resources without addressing root economic drivers. Social welfare programs in Cook County exhibit high participation rates, with (SNAP) recipients concentrated heavily in the area; alone accounted for 67% of county SNAP households in recent data, despite comprising 54.7% of households, indicating elevated dependency in urban cores. Statewide, nearly 2 million Illinoisans—over one in seven—received SNAP in July , with Cook County driving much of the load due to concentrations exceeding 25% in some neighborhoods. (TANF) caseloads remain low at around 21,000 recipients statewide, but modeling shows welfare benefits often exceed entry-level wages for single parents, potentially disincentivizing workforce entry and perpetuating cycles of reliance. Outcomes reflect structural challenges: while programs mitigate immediate hardship, elevated long-term usage correlates with labor market barriers and family instability, as evidenced by studies linking incarceration to sustained welfare spells among female offenders in the county. Public assistance income, including TANF and general , affects a notable share of households, though precise 2024 county dependency metrics underscore the need for reforms targeting over indefinite support.

Communities

Incorporated municipalities and cities

Cook County contains 134 incorporated municipalities, comprising cities, villages, and one town, which handle local services including public safety, utilities, and land use regulation. The City of , the largest and the , accounted for 2,746,388 residents or roughly 52% of the county's 2020 population of 5,275,541, per U.S. Census Bureau data. Other municipalities range from dense inner-ring suburbs to outer exurban villages, with populations varying from over 80,000 to under 1,000.
MunicipalityType2020 Population
City2,746,388
Town85,207
EvanstonCity78,110
Village78,723
Village67,908
SkokieVillage67,824
Oak ParkVillage52,287
Tinley ParkVillage52,212
Orland ParkVillage58,048
Des PlainesCity60,213
The table above lists select larger municipalities by 2020 U.S. Census population, excluding partial overlaps with adjacent counties where applicable. stands out as ' sole , retaining a commissioner form of government distinct from typical or village structures. These entities often collaborate with Cook County on regional issues like transportation and , despite independent charters.

Townships, unincorporated areas, and historic sites

Cook County is subdivided into civil townships, which primarily serve administrative functions such as assessment, , and limited in unincorporated portions. The Cook County Assessor's Office divides the county into 30 assessment townships to facilitate equitable property valuation across its 945 square miles. Active township governments, numbering 15, operate in areas outside and provide services like general relief assistance and road maintenance where municipalities do not. These include Bloom, , Calumet, , Lemont, New Trier, Northfield, Norwood Park, Orland, Palos, Proviso, Rich, Stickney, Thornton, and Worth Townships, with some like and Evanston being coterminous with their respective municipalities and thus having streamlined roles focused on assessment appeals.
TownshipPrincipal Location/Areas ServedNotes
BloomSouth suburbs (e.g., Chicago Heights vicinity)Handles services in rural southern pockets.
BremenMid-south suburbs (e.g., Oak Lawn areas)Active in unincorporated southwest.
CalumetSoutheast near Indiana lineIncludes industrial and residential unincorporated zones.
HanoverNorthwest near ElginCovers semi-rural northwest edges.
LemontSouthwest (Lemont village core)Manages rural farmland remnants.
New TrierNorth Shore (e.g., Winnetka)Focused on affluent northern suburbs.
NorthfieldNorth suburbs (e.g., Northbrook)Services limited to residual unincorporated land.
Norwood ParkNorthwest Chicago fringesCoterminous elements with Chicago.
OrlandSouth (e.g., Orland Park vicinity)Oversees growing suburban-rural interfaces.
PalosSouthwest (e.g., Palos Heights)Includes forested preserves and low-density areas.
ProvisoWest suburbs (e.g., Maywood)Urban-industrial focus with service gaps.
RichSoutheast (e.g., Olympia Fields)Manages sparse unincorporated southern tracts.
StickneyWest (e.g., Stickney village)Coterminous with limited independent functions.
ThorntonSouth (e.g., Lansing)Covers industrial south with rural holdouts.
WorthSouthwest (e.g., Worth village)Handles residual services in densifying areas.
Unincorporated areas, comprising 125.8 square miles or 13.1% of Cook County's land, are concentrated in the southern and western townships such as Palos, Rich, Thornton, and , where development remains lower-density with agricultural, forested, and industrial uses predominating. These zones, lacking municipal incorporation, rely on county administration for , building permits, environmental , and infrastructure like roads and , leading to cost efficiencies but occasional service disparities compared to incorporated neighbors. Population in these areas represents a small fraction of the county's 5.2 million residents, estimated at under 100,000 as of recent assessments, with growth pressures from suburban expansion prompting annexation discussions. Historic sites in Cook County span prehistoric, colonial, and industrial eras, with over 100 listings on the outside major cities, emphasizing architectural, transportation, and settlement heritage. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site in Lyons Township marks the ancient overland trail—approximately 1 mile long—linking the (Great Lakes basin) to the (Mississippi basin), traversed by Native American tribes for millennia and documented by French explorers and on September 8, 1673, facilitating early trade and migration routes. Other notable sites include 19th-century quarries and mill districts in Lemont Township, reflecting early Irish immigrant labor in limestone extraction from the 1830s, and preserved farmsteads in Palos and Orland Townships illustrating agrarian expansion post-1830s land surveys. State surveys document additional resources like the Racetrack in Arlington Heights (demolished structures noted in 2023) and early 20th-century commercial buildings in Des Plaines, underscoring the county's role in regional history while facing preservation challenges from urbanization.

Relations with adjacent counties

Cook County borders Lake County to the north, McHenry County to the northwest, DuPage County to the west, and Will County to the south, collectively forming the core of the alongside other . These adjacent counties exhibit strong economic interdependence, with approximately 442,000 residents from , including those bordering Cook, commuting daily to jobs within Cook County, primarily in , via highways like I-90/I-94 and lines. This flow underscores Cook's role as the region's employment hub, where workers contribute to sectors such as , , and , while Cook residents access suburban amenities and lower-cost housing in adjacent areas. In response to competitive business recruitment, Cook County joined the City of and six surrounding counties—including adjacent DuPage, Lake, McHenry, and Will—in launching the Select Illinois Regional Partnership in January 2023, the first coordinated effort to market the seven-county area collectively to attract investments rather than pitting municipalities against one another. This initiative, facilitated by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), emphasizes unified infrastructure improvements and workforce development to bolster regional competitiveness. have also emerged, particularly in northern Cook and Lake counties, where municipalities have collaborated on joint procurement and administrative functions since 2010 to reduce costs and enhance efficiency. Regional planning through CMAP addresses cross-county challenges like transportation congestion and environmental management, with joint hazard mitigation plans covering Cook and portions of adjacent counties to coordinate disaster response. Political differences persist, as adjacent counties like DuPage have historically served as a counterbalance to Cook's Democratic dominance, influencing state-level policy debates on taxation and land use, though recent suburban shifts have narrowed partisan gaps. Tensions occasionally arise in judicial matters, such as forum non conveniens transfers of cases from Cook to DuPage courts to avoid perceived biases in venue selection. Despite these frictions, interdependence drives ongoing cooperation, evident in shared commuter infrastructure investments exceeding billions in regional transit projects.

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