South Cook County Region Townships
The south portion of Cook County includes the following nine Townships: Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Lemont, Orland, Palos, Rich, Thornton and Worth. The report does not include the research information on the Township of Calumet because it does not contain any unincorporated residents.
Click on the links below for a summary profile of the townships containing unincorporated areas in Cook County's south region. Or click here to go back to the township profiles landing page.
Overview
Bloom Township
Bremen Township
Lemont Township
Orland Township
Palos Township
Rich Township
Thornton Township
Worth Township
OVERVIEW
South Cook County Region Building and Zoning Services
The municipal-type services provided through building and zoning programs by Cook County and the municipalities include the enforcement of rules and regulations related to the permitting, licensing, zoning and inspections of property. The per capita cost to provide building and zoning services in the South Cook County municipalities surveyed averaged $34 in FY2014, approximately the same as the $35 amount that Cook County spent in its unincorporated areas. The costs ranged from a high of $85 in Olympia Fields to a low of $6 in Crestwood. Seven of the 18 municipalities surveyed spent more than Cook County for building and zoning services on a per capita basis.
South Cook County Region Police Services
The per capita cost to provide police services in the South Cook County municipalities surveyed averaged $348 in FY2014, which was higher than the $299 Cook County spent in its unincorporated areas. The per capita costs ranged from a high of $683 in Olympia Fields to a low of $175 in Crestwood. Thirteen of the 18 municipalities surveyed spent more than Cook County for police services on a per capita basis.
South Cook County Region Demographic Profile
In 2010, the southern Townships of Cook County contained approximately 28,327 residents in unincorporated areas. Palos Township had the highest number of unincorporated area residents or 21.0% of the total, closely followed by Orland Township with 18.4% and Lemont with 18.3%.
The below exhibit shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of the South Cook County Township unincorporated area population.
South Cook County Region Property Taxes Paid by Class
The below exhibit graphically shows the distribution by class of property taxes paid in tax year 2013 in South Cook County Townships. (Classes 5A, 5B and the two incentive classes, 6B and 8)
BLOOM TOWNSHIP
Bloom Township contains all or a portion of the following municipalities: Chicago Heights, Crete, Flossmoor, Ford Heights, Glenwood, Homewood, Lansing, Lynwood, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Sauk Village, South Chicago Heights and Steger. According to the 2010 Census, Bloom Township has a total population of 90,922 residents. Approximately 2,324, or 2.6%, of the 90,922 residents live in an unincorporated area within Bloom Township.
The unincorporated areas of Bloom Township include single-family residential areas, a mobile home park, agricultural land, forest preserve land, recreational land and small pockets of unincorporated areas with very few homes or development.
The unincorporated residential areas in the northwest portion of Bloom Township include the single-family neighborhoods of Olympia Gardens, Holbrook and a single-family residential area located just north of Holbrook road and east of the Idlewild Country Club. The Olympia Gardens neighborhood is located on the western municipal border of Chicago Heights adjacent to Olympia Fields and the Holbrook area is on the northern border of Chicago Heights adjacent to Homewood and Glenwood. The Olympia Gardens neighborhood consists of approximately 140 homes serviced by private well and septic systems. The majority of the Holbrook neighborhood is serviced by private wells and a public sewer system, through the Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District. All of the unincorporated areas lack sidewalks, streetlights, curbs or gutters. Stormwater is managed by roadside drainage ditches and culverts. All of the unincorporated areas in the western portion of the Township are not within the boundaries of a library district or park district. The Olympia Gardens and Holbrook area have their own fire protection districts for taxing purposes, but contract with the neighboring municipalities of Chicago Heights and Glenwood to provide fire and emergency medical services.
Located in the south central portion of the Township just north of Sauk Trail and west of Cottage Grove Avenue is the Miller Woods area, which contains a single-family residential area as well as industrial businesses and a utility right-of-way. This area is part of the Miller Woods Fire Protection District, but fire protection and emergency medical services are provided by the Steger municipal fire department.
Located in the western portion of unincorporated Bloom Township is the Lynway Estates Mobile Home Park adjacent to the municipalities of Lynwood and Sauk Village. The mobile home park is not part of a fire protection district, but each mobile home contracts annually with the Village of Lynwood municipal fire department for fire protection and emergency medical services.The Lynway Estates area is part of the Glenwood-Lynwood Public Library District, but not within the boundaries of a park district. The interior roads of the mobile home community are privately owned and maintained.
BREMEN TOWNSHIP
Bremen Township contains all or a portion of the following municipalities within its borders: Blue Island, Country Club Hills, Crestwood, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Markham, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Orland Park, Posen, Robbins and Tinley Park. According to the 2010 Census, Bremen Township has a total population of 110,118 residents. Approximately 2,194, or 2.0%, of the 110,118 residents live in an unincorporated area within Bremen Township.
The unincorporated areas in Bremen Township are primarily single-family residential neighborhoods scattered throughout the Township. Also located in unincorporated Bremen Township is the Cook County Oak Forest Hospital campus.
Located in the northwest portion of Bremen Township adjacent to the municipalities of Blue Island, Posen and Midlothian is the single-family neighborhood of Sunset Manor. The majority of the area is serviced by private well and septic systems. There are no sidewalks, streetlights, curbs or gutters. Stormwater is managed by roadside drainage ditches.
Located in the southwest portion of Bremen Township adjacent to the municipalities of Country Club Hills and Hazel Crest is the unincorporated neighborhood of Homewood Acres. Homewood Acres consists of approximately 60 single-family homes that vary in age, size and architectural style. The neighborhood is serviced by private well and septic systems. There are no sidewalks, streetlights, curbs or gutters. Stormwater is managed by the roadside drainage ditches and culverts. Fire protection is provided by the Homewood Acres Volunteer Fire Department and assistance from neighboring fire departments.
LEMONT TOWNSHIP
Lemont Township contains all or a portion of the following municipalities within its borders: Lemont, Palos Park, Willow Springs and Woodridge. According to the 2010 Census, Lemont Township has a total population of 21,113 residents. Approximately 5,170, or 24.5%, of the 21,116 residents live in an unincorporated area within Lemont Township.
The unincorporated areas in Lemont Township are scattered throughout the Township and consists primarily of single-family residential subdivisions, forest preserve land, agricultural land and golf courses. The unincorporated subdivisions in Lemont Township include: Creekwood, Equestrian Estates, Equestrian Woods, Fox Pointe, Fox Hills Estates, Foxmoor Estates, Hillcrest, Moorfield Estates and Sylvan Woods, among a number other unincorporated residential neighborhoods. The golf courses and country clubs, which make up a large portion of the unincorporated land include the Cog Hill Country Club, Mid Iron Golf Club and Gleneagles Country Club. The unincorporated open spaces include Cook County Forest Preserve land and undeveloped agricultural land.
The majority of the unincorporated residential subdivisions are serviced by private wells and septic systems. However, there are a few unincorporated subdivisions that are provided with Lake Michigan water and a public sewer system. The majority of the unincorporated subdivisions also lack sidewalks, streetlights, curbs and gutters that are typically found in the adjacent incorporated municipalities. The Village of Lemont and a vast majority of the entire Township is provided with fire protection by the Lemont Fire Protection District, with a smaller part of the unincorporated area being serviced by the Northwest Homer Fire Protection District. Both fire districts are funded primarily by a general property tax on property owners with the districts. Both the incorporated and unincorporated areas of the Township are part of the Lemont Public Library District and Lemont Park District.
ORLAND TOWNSHIP
Orland Township contains all or a portion of the following municipalities within its borders: Orland Hills, Orland Park and Tinley Park. According to the 2010 Census, Orland Township has a total population of 97,558 residents. Approximately 5,226, or 5.4%, of the 97,558 residents live in an unincorporated area within Orland Township.
The unincorporated areas of Orland Township are primarily single-family residential neighborhoods. There is also unincorporated forest preserve land and a number of smaller unincorporated pockets of land that are either undeveloped, have residential housing or light industrial. The larger unincorporated single-family residential neighborhoods are generally located in the western portion of the Township along Will-Cook Road. The unincorporated residential areas include: Alpine Heights, Deluga Woods, Heather Estates, Indian Rock Trail, Orland Trails, Pinewood, Pinewood East, Pinewood North, Pinewood South and a number of other smaller unincorporated residential neighborhoods. Located on the eastern portion of the Township adjacent to the Silver Lake Country Club is the unincorporated subdivision of Silver Lake Dells.
The majority of these areas have sidewalks, streetlights, curbs and gutters, with the exception of Deluga Woods and Silver Lake Dells. All of the unincorporated areas are provided with Lake Michigan water from private utility companies, such as Orland Park’s Citizens Utility Service and Illinois American Water Company, with the exception of the Silver Lake Dells and Deluga Woods subdivisions, which are serviced by private well and septic systems. The entire Township, both incorporated and unincorporated, is covered by the Orland Fire Protection District, with the exception being the Village of Tinley Park, which has its own municipal fire department. The Orland Fire Protection District is funded primarily through a general property tax on property owners within the District. All of the unincorporated residential areas in Orland Township are not within the boundaries of a park district or library district. Police protection in unincorporated Orland Township is supplemented through the Cook County Sheriff’s Hire-back program.
PALOS TOWNSHIP
Palos Township contains all or a portion of the following municipalities within its borders: Bridgeview, Hickory Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Park, Willow Spring and Worth. According to the 2010 Census, Palos Township has a total population of 54,615 residents. Approximately 5,961, or 10.9%, of the 54,615 residents live in an unincorporated area within Palos Township.
In Palos Township there are a number of unincorporated areas scattered throughout the southeast and southwest portions of the Township adjacent to the municipalities of Palos Park, Palos Heights and Orland Park.
The unincorporated residential areas in southwest portion of the Township include the following subdivisions: Country Manor Estates, McGinnis Highlands, Mill Creek, Sandburg Glen, Suffield Woods and Woodland Shores, among other unincorporated residential areas. The Suffield Woods, Woodland Shores, Mill Creek subdivisions and other areas north of 131st and west of 96th Avenue are primarily single-family subdivisions and a group retirement home campus. This area has sidewalks, streetlights, curbs and gutters.
The unincorporated areas of Country Manor Estates and McGinnis Highlands located south of 131st and west of 96th Avenue do not have sidewalks, streetlights, curbs and gutters, with the exception being the Brittany Glen subdivision, which has sidewalks, streetlights, curbs, gutters and a below grade storm sewer system. All of the unincorporated areas in the southern portion of the Township are provided with fire and emergency medical services by the Palos Fire Protection District, which is funded primarily by a general property tax on property owners within the District. The unincorporated areas in Palos Township are not part of a library district or park district.
The unincorporated residential area on the southeast portion of the Township adjacent to Palos Park, Palos Heights and Orland Park is referred to as South Palos because the area is provided with water and sanitary sewer service by the South Palos Township Sanitary District, which purchases water from the City of Palos Heights. There are approximately 562 homes in this unincorporated area.The homes in this area vary in age, size and architectural style and do not have sidewalks, streetlights, curbs or gutters. Stormwater is managed by roadside drainage ditches and culverts. The South Palos area is not part of a library district or park district.
RICH TOWNSHIP
Rich Township contains all or a portion of the following municipalities within its borders: Country Club Hills, Flossmoor, Frankfort, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Matteson, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Richton Park, Tinley Park and University Park. According to the 2010 Census, Rich Township has a total population of 76,727 residents. Approximately 2,705, or 3.5%, of the residents live in an unincorporated area within Rich Township.
The unincorporated areas in Rich Township are scattered throughout the Township and consist of residential areas, forest preserve land, agricultural land and recreational land space.Located in the northeast portion of the Township is the unincorporated single-family residential area of Sunnycrest, located adjacent to the northeast border of the Village of Matteson and southwest border of the Village of Flossmoor and consisting of approximately 300 homes. Also located in an unincorporated area in the northeast portion of the Township is the Olympia Fields Country Club. The unincorporated areas in the northern portion of the Township are primarily forest preserve land with a one block single-family residential area located on Le Claire Avenue adjacent to Interstate 57 and 183rd Street. The unincorporated areas in the southwest portion of the Township are primarily agricultural land and the Timber Ridge Mobile Home Park. The Timber Ridge Mobile Home Park contains approximately 770 housing units. In the southeast portion of the Township adjacent to the Village of Richton Park there is a small unincorporated residential area that contains approximately 55 single-family homes.
All of the unincorporated areas within Rich Township are serviced by private well and septic systems, with the exception of the Timber Ridge Mobile Home Park, which receives its water from the Village of Frankfort. The Village of Matteson provides fire protection services to the Timber Ridge Mobile Home Park and the Olympia Fields Country Club on a contractual basis. The residents of the Timber Ridge Mobile Home Park are part of the Frankfort Public Library District, but not within the boundaries of a park district.
THORNTON TOWNSHIP
Thornton Township contains all or a portion of the following municipalities within its borders: Blue Island, Burnham, Calumet City, Dixmoor, Dolton, East Hazel Crest, Glenwood, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Lansing, Markham, Phoenix, Posen, Riverdale, South Holland and Thornton. According to the 2010 Census, Thornton Township has a total population of 169,326 residents. Approximately 861, or 0.5%, of the 169,326 residents live in an unincorporated area within Thornton Township.
There are two unincorporated residential areas in Thornton Township, which are located on the eastern portion of the Township. The unincorporated area adjacent to the municipalities of Calumet City, Dolton and South Holland is primarily a single-family residential area, but also contains an elementary school and a church. The area abuts the Cook County Sandridge Nature Preserve Center. The homes are serviced by private well and septic systems. The area does not have sidewalks, streetlights, curbs or gutters. Stormwater is managed by roadside drainage ditches and culverts.
The other unincorporated areas in Thornton Township include a number of unincorporated islands on the western border of the Village Lansing and east of Interstate 394. This area includes individual single-family homes, agricultural land and forest preserve land.
WORTH TOWNSHIP
Worth Township contains all or a portion of the following municipalities within its borders: Alsip, Blue Island, Bridgeview, Chicago Ridge, Crestwood, Evergreen Park, Hometown, Merrionette Park, Oak Lawn, Palos Heights, Robbins and Worth. According to the 2010 Census, Worth Township has a total population of 152,633 residents. Approximately 3,886, or 2.5%, of the 152,633 residents live in an unincorporated area within Worth Township.
There are four residential unincorporated areas scattered throughout the Township. There are also seven cemeteries and a portion of one golf course that are located in unincorporated Worth Township. The residential areas are primarily located in the southeast and southwest portions of the Township adjacent to the municipalities of Alsip, Blue Island, Crestwood and Palos Heights. The cemeteries located in unincorporated Worth Township include: Beverly, Holy Sepulchre, Lincoln, Mount Greenwood, Mount Hope, Oak Hill and St. Mary’s. The golf course that is partially unincorporated and located in the northeast portion of the Township is the Beverly Country Club.
The unincorporated area located in the southwest portion of the Township adjacent to the municipalities of Alsip, Crestwood and Palos Heights consists of four single-family home subdivisions: Austin View, Blue Crest, Palos Gardens and Navajo Gardens. Also located within this unincorporated area is a local preschool, elementary school and high school. All of these subdivisions, with the exception of the Navajo Gardens subdivision, are serviced with Lake Michigan water, and have curbs, gutters and a storm sewer system, but lack sidewalks and streetlights. The residents that do receive Lake Michigan water are serviced by one of the three surrounding municipalities. The Navajo Gardens subdivision is serviced by private well and septic systems and does not have sidewalks, streetlights, curbs and gutters. Stormwater in Navajo Gardens is managed by both roadside drainage ditches and a public sewer system. All of the subdivisions are provided with fire protection services through the Palos Heights Fire Protection District, which is funded primarily through a general property tax on property owners within the District. The Blue Crest subdivision is split with a portion of the residents being within the Crestwood Public Library District and other portion being within the boundaries of the Alsip-Merrionette Park Library District. The other subdivisions are not part of a library district or park district. Also located in the southwest portion of the Township just north of the above mentioned area pocketed between the municipalities of Worth and Alsip on Ridgeland Avenue is the Arrow Mobile Home Park. The mobile home park is part of the Alsip Park District, but not part of a library district or a fire protection district.
Located in the southeast portion of the Township surrounded by the municipalities of Alsip, Chicago and Merrionette Park is the unincorporated subdivision of Garden Homes. The Garden Homes subdivision has a population of approximately 1,472 residents. Portions of the Garden Homes subdivision have a disconnected network of sidewalks. There are minimal streetlights and no curbs or gutters in the Garden Homes neighborhood. The Garden Homes Sanitary District purchases Lake Michigan water and sanitary sewer service from both Alsip and Chicago and services 398 homes. Stormwater is managed by roadside drainage ditches and culverts and a below-grade sewer system. Garden Homes is provided fire protection through the Garden Homes Fire Protection District, which is funded primarily through a general property tax on property owners within the District.
The other unincorporated area located in the southeast portion of the Township adjacent to the municipalities of Alsip and Blue Island is Kedzie Commons. The Kedzie Commons area is a wooded area that abuts the Calumet Sag Channel and vacant industrial land. The area does not have sidewalks, streetlights, curbs or gutters and is only partially paved. Kedzie Commons is part of the Blue Island Park District, but not part of a public library district or fire protection district. However, fire and emergency medical services are provided by the City of Blue Island on a fee-for-service basis.