Highland Park, Illinois

Highland Park is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 31,365 at the 2000 census. Highland Park is one of several towns on the North Shore of Chicago characterized by its affluence, and its substantial Jewish community.

Highland Park has several attractions including a downtown shopping district and Ravinia Festival Park. The summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ravinia Festival operates most summer evenings, featuring concerts of many different genres on its 5 acre (20,000 m²) lawn and 3,500 seat pavilion, or in a smaller enclosed auditorium for more intimate performances.

Highland Park has several houses and buildings on the state and national register of historic places, including the Willits House by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Highland Park is also the international headquarters of the Solo Cup Company.

Highland Park has been filmed in, or been a setting of, several movies including Ordinary People, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Risky Business, Weird Science, Lucas, Kicking and Screaming, Sixteen Candles, Home Alone, and Shattered Glass. It also was the setting for the 2000/2001 Fox and PBS documentary show American High.

The Mayor of Highland Park is Michael D. Belsky.

Geography

Highland Park is located at (42.182525, -87.807052).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 32.0 km² (12.4 mi²). 32.0 km² (12.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.08% is water. Its geographic features include a 100 foot (30 meters) high bluff running along 6 miles of Lake Michigan shorline and deep, wooded ravines extending up to one mile (1.6 kilometers) inland. Elevations range from 580 feet (177 meters) to 725 feet (218 meters).

Transportation

The main highway in Highland Park is US-41 which connects Chicago and Milwaukee. Commuter rail is available at 5 Metra stations on the Union Pacific North Line, Braeside, Ravinia Park, Ravinia, Highland Park and Fort Sheridan, providing service to Chicago, Evanston, Waukegan and Kenosha, Wisconsin. Pace also offers several bus routes. Boat launch facilities are available and Chicago O'Hare International Airport is 20 miles south.

Sister city

Highland Park has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):

Ferrara (Emilia-Romagna, Italy)
Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco, Mexico)

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 31,365 people, 11,521 households, and 8,917 families residing in the city. The population density was 979.8/km² (2,537.5/mi²). There were 11,934 housing units at an average density of 372.8/km² (965.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.20% White, 1.78% African American, 0.08% Native American, 2.28% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.46% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.90% of the population.

There were 11,521 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $100,967, and the median income for a family was $117,235. Males had a median income of $83,121 versus $41,175 for females. The per capita income for the city was $55,331. About 2.3% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Highland Park is where Elisha Gray invented and first demonstrated the telephone in 1874 (his house, still standing, is a large white 2-story 2 doors east of the City Hall on Hazel Avenue).

Highland Park is also popular with many Chicago Bulls and Bears players due to its proximity to the team's practice facilities in nearby Deerfield and Lake Forest, respectively. One of the town's most famous residents is Michael Jordan whose 10,000 square foot home is on several acres behind large gates bearing the number 23. His famous neighbors include basketball player Toni Kukoč and Bull's GM Jerry Krause.

Numerous acclaimed individuals, from various professions, have claimed Highland Park as their home at one point in their lives, most notably:

Actors

Astronaut