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Skokie, Illinois

Skokie, Illinois
Niles Center, Illinois
Village
Village of Skokie
Location in Cook County and the state of Illinois.
Location in Cook County and the state of Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Location of Illinois in the United States
Coordinates: 42°2′0″N 87°44′34″W / 42.03333°N 87.74278°W / 42.03333; -87.74278Coordinates: 42°2′0″N 87°44′34″W / 42.03333°N 87.74278°W / 42.03333; -87.74278
Country  United States
State Illinois
County Cook
Township Niles
Incorporated 1888
Government
 • Type Council-manager
 • Mayor George Van Dusen
Area
 • Total 10.06 sq mi (26.1 km2)
 • Land 10.06 sq mi (26.1 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.0 km2)  0%
Population (2010)
 • Total 64,784
 • Density 6,400/sq mi (2,500/km2)
  Up 2.27% from 2000
Standard of living (2011)
 • Per capita income $29,398
 • Median home value $280,900
ZIP code(s) 60076, 60077, 60203
Area code(s) 847 & 224
Geocode 70122
Website skokie.org
Demographics (2010)
White Black Asian
60.3% 7.3% 25.5%
Islander Native Other Hispanic
(any race)
0.02% 0.2% 6.7% 8.8%

Skokie (/ˈskki/; formerly Niles Center) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Its name comes from a Potawatomi word for "marsh". A Chicago suburb, for many years Skokie promoted itself as "The World's Largest Village". Its population, according to the 2010 census, was 64,784. Skokie's streets, like that of many suburbs, are largely a continuation of the Chicago street grid, and the village is served by the Chicago Transit Authority, further cementing its connection to the city.

Skokie was originally a German-Luxembourger farming community, but was later settled by a sizeable Jewish population, especially after World War II. At its peak in the mid-1960s, 58% of the population was Jewish, the largest percentage of any Chicago suburb. In recent years, several synagogues and Jewish schools have closed. However, Skokie still has a very large Jewish population. It is home to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, which opened in northwest Skokie in 2009.

Skokie has received national attention twice for court cases decided by the United States Supreme Court. In the mid-1970s, it was at the center of a case concerning the First Amendment right to assemble and the National Socialist Party of America, a neo-Nazi group. Skokie ultimately lost that case. In 2001, although Skokie was not a direct party to the case, a decision by the village regarding land use led the court to reduce the power of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In October 2013, Skokie was rated #71 on America's top 100 places to live on the livability.com website.


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