| Palatine, Illinois | |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Motto: | A Real Home Town |
| Mapsize: | 260px |
| Pushpin Map: | United States Chicago Greater#Illinois#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Palatine |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Coordinates: | 42.1169°N -88.0406°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Illinois |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Cook |
| Subdivision Type3: | Township |
| Subdivision Name3: | Palatine |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Title1: | Mayor |
| Leader Name1: | Jim Schwantz |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 36.98 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 14.28 |
| Area Land Km2: | 36.56 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 14.11 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.42 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.16 |
| Elevation Footnotes: | [2] |
| Elevation Ft: | 741 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 67908 |
| Population Density Km2: | 1857.69 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 4811.39 |
| Population Demonym: | Palatinian |
| Timezone1: | CST |
| Utc Offset1: | -6 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | -5 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Code(s) |
| Postal Code: | 60067, 60074, 60078, 60094, 60095, 60173, 60195 |
| Area Codes: | 847, 224 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 17-57225 |
| Blank1 Name Sec2: | Home value |
| Blank1 Info Sec2: | $254,600 (2013)[3] |
| Blank2 Name Sec2: | Wikimedia Commons |
| Blank2 Info Sec2: | Palatine, Illinois |
| Image Blank Emblem: | File:Palatine logo.png |
| Blank Emblem Type: | Logo |
| Blank Emblem Size: | 260px |
Palatine is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a northwestern residential suburb of Chicago. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 67,908.[4] As of the 2010 Census, it was the seventh-largest community in Cook County[5] and the 18th-largest in Illinois.[6]
The first European-American to settle in Palatine is generally thought to be George Ela, who built a log cabin in the area now called Deer Grove. Ela was one of the first of a wave of pioneers to migrate to northern Illinois following the Black Hawk War. A road that passes through the western edge of Palatine is called Ela Road in his honor. Palatine is thought to be named after a town in New York.[7]
The Village of Palatine was founded in 1866. It was built around a station on the new Chicago and North Western Railway. Joel Wood surveyed and laid out the village, earning him the title of Palatine's founder. One of Palatine's original downtown streets is named after Wood.
In 1920, the Indian Fellowship League held its first American Indian Day celebration at Camp Reinberg, in Palatine. According to the Daily Herald, the festivities were attended by 60,000 people, which packed the highways leading to the camp with motorists.[8]
A shortline railroad, the Palatine, Lake Zurich and Wauconda Railroad, was built in 1911, and began full passenger service to Wauconda, Illinois, in 1912. The line was closed in 1924 after a series of financial misfortunes and the improvement of roads in the area. The PLZ&W provided transportation to Dr. Wilson's Deer Grove Park, just north of Dundee Road in Palatine.[9]
Palatine's first suburb-style subdivision was called Palanois Park, built shortly after World War II. The town has experienced rapid growth since the 1970s, part of Chicago's growing suburban sprawl. Palatine was home to the Cook County Fair from 1914 to 1931. The fairgrounds are now a subdivision, Fairgrounds Park, whose name pays tribute to Palatine's former fairgrounds.
During the early 1990s, Palatine along with neighboring Rolling Meadows and far northern suburb Zion were sued by atheist activist Rob Sherman over its village seal and seal-defaced flag, which had a Christian cross, among other things, inside an outline of an eagle.[10] A 1992 advisory referendum to keep the seal passed, but another referendum to use public funds to defend the seal failed, leading the village to drop the seal.[11] While Rolling Meadows and Zion developed new seals with the crosses removed, Palatine has since been without an official seal or flag, and is Illinois' largest city or village to be so. The French tricolor reflecting the village's sister city relationship with Fontenay-le-Comte, France, has flown at times on the flagpole meant for the village flag outside the village hall.
In 1993, a multiple homicide, the Brown's Chicken massacre, received national attention.
Palatine has been in the process of revitalizing its downtown area since December 1999.[12] This process has spawned a new passenger train station, a nearby parking garage, and several new condominiums, rowhouses, and commercial buildings.
In 2008, Palatine made news by threatening to secede from Cook County over the latter's sales tax hike; as a result of the tax hike, Palatine's sales tax is 9.0%. In 2009, residents of Palatine Township (which includes the village of Palatine) overwhelmingly voted to pass an advisory referendum stating that they would like to secede from Cook County.
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Palatine has a total area of 14.28sqmi, of which 14.11sqmi (or 98.87%) is land and 0.16sqmi (or 1.13%) is water.[13] Palatine's shape resembles that of the head of an axe.[14]
Palatine is in a wooded marshland where several streams rise around the village. Most of these streams meet up with Salt Creek which rises at Wilke Marsh on the village's east side. The most notable exception is the northeast side, where its streams lie in the Buffalo Creek watershed. A small part of the east and southeast sides lies in the McDonald Creek watershed.
As of the 2020 census[15] there were 67,908 people, 26,804 households, and 17,120 families residing in the village. The population density was 4756.79PD/sqmi. There were 29,058 housing units at an average density of 2035.44/sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 63.88% White, 12.95% Asian, 3.11% African American, 0.85% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 9.79% from other races, and 9.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.59% of the population.
There were 26,804 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.00% were married couples living together, 11.57% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.13% were non-families. 28.32% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.17% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.15 and the average family size was 2.52.
The village's age distribution consisted of 24.0% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $83,495, and the median income for a family was $108,166. Males had a median income of $55,157 versus $39,378 for females. The per capita income for the village was $43,978. About 7.2% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
| White alone (NH) | 49,029 | 46,246 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 41,673 | 74.88% | 67.46% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 61.37% | |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1,343 | 1,798 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 2,024 | 2.05% | 2.62% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 2.98% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 68 | 61 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 58 | 0.10% | 0.09% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.09% | |
| Asian alone (NH) | 4,928 | 7,043 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 8,754 | 7.53% | 10.27% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 12.89% | |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 22 | 19 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 14 | 0.03% | 0.03% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.02% | |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 55 | 109 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 217 | 0.08% | 0.16% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 0.32% | |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 787 | 934 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 1,863 | 1.20% | 1.36% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 2.74% | |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 9,247 | 12,347 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 13,305 | 14.12% | 18.01% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 19.59% | |
| Total | 65,479 | 68,557 | style='background: #ffffe6; | 67,908 | 100.00% | 100.00% | style='background: #ffffe6; | 100.00% |
The village is home to a large Sikh gurdwara on its northwest side that is visited by Sikhs from across the country.
Weber-Stephen Products, manufacturer of the Weber grill, is headquartered in Palatine.
According to Palatine's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[19] the top employers in the city are:
| Employer |
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Community Consolidated School District 15 | 2,444 | |
| 2 | Township High School District 211 | 2,055 | |
| 3 | United States Postal Service | 1,900 | |
| 4 | Community College District 512 | 840 | |
| 5 | Little City Foundation | 735 | |
| 6 | Weber-Stephen Products | 400 | |
| 7 | Village of Palatine | 346 | |
| 8 | Intec Group, Inc. | 175 | |
| 8 | Arlington Plating | 175 | |
| 10 | United Parcel Service | 155 |
The Palatine Park District serves 85,000 residents within the Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Arlington Heights, Inverness, Hoffman Estates and Barrington communities. It is governed by five elected park commissioners who oversee a professional staff.
The Palatine Park District operates swimming pools at Family Aquatic Center, Birchwood, and Eagle, as well as recreational centers at its Community Center, Birchwood, and Falcon Park – which opened in January 2010. The district purchased Palatine Stables in 1989, and the facility is home to approximately 70 horses.[23] [24]
Palatine operates under the Council–manager form of local government. Six councilmen are elected from their respective districts, while the entire village elects the Village Clerk and the Mayor. The council then hires a Village Manager to oversee the town's day-to-day operation. The current mayor is Jim Schwantz.
Palatine is part of Community Consolidated School District 15 for public elementary schools and Township High School District 211 for public high schools. Schools located in Palatine include:[25] [26]
The Palatine station provides Metra commuter rail service along the Union Pacific Northwest Line. Trains travel southeast to Ogilvie Transportation Center in Chicago, and northwest to Harvard station or McHenry station.
Pace provides bus service on Routes 604 and 697 connecting Palatine to the Northwest Transportation Center in Schaumburg, and other destinations.[31]