University Park, IL

University Park, Illinois

Introduction to University Park, Illinois

University Park, Illinois, in Cook county, is 9 miles SE of Oak Lawn, Illinois and 18 miles S of Chicago, Illinois. The village’s population is 6,662.

University Park History

Woodhill Enterprises purchased a large tract of land south of Park Forest in the late 1950s. The area was then known as Wood Hill. In 1966, Nathan Manilow, a developer of Park Forest, started purchasing land around Wood Hill. The name Wood Hill was replaced with Park City South, which was officially incorporated in 1967. Although the construction of the new planned community began with great speed, the area witnessed a sluggish growth in late 1970s due to economic and population problems. Finally, the new community was developed and was named University Park in 1984.

University Park and nearby Attractions

• Lemont Area Historical Society & Museum
• Chicago Portage National Historic Site
• Grant Park
• Robert S. Abbott House
• Adler Planetarium

Things To Do In University Park

The Tinley Park Historical Society and Museum, the Frankfort Historical Museum, the Midwest Carvers Museum and the Matteson Historical Museum are some of the local museums and historical sites. The Chicago Portage National Historic Site, close to University Park, stands on dry land between the Des Plaines and Chicago rivers and was used as portage by traders and explorers. Grant Park, situated on 319 acres of land, includes the Field Museum of Natural History, the Art Institute and the Shedd Aquarium. The Adler Planetarium, the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, the Balmoral Race Track and the Brookfield Zoo are some of the other popular attractions in the area.

University Park Transportation

Air transportation is available from Chicago Midway International Airport.

University Park Higher Education

Governors State University is located in the village of University Park. Prairie State College, South Suburban College and Chicago State University are all close by as well.

High Points

University Park strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Illinois):

Category	Trophy
Public Transportation Use (vs. Peers)	Top 5%
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. State)	Top 13%

Comparative Profile of University Park, IL

Comparing University Park to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Illinois (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Children Under 5 Years Old
Female Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Women
Racial Diversity
Well-Paid Single Men
Male Share of the Population
Senior Citizens
Age of the Population

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Average Household Size
Portion of People Married

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Median Family Income
College Educated Adults
People Above Poverty
People in Middle Class or Better

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Public Transportation Use
Working at Home
Walking and Biking to Work
Short Commute Times

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Housing Recently Built
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
People Living Alone
Affordability of Rents
Affordability of Property Taxes
Seasonal and Vacation Housing

University Park Almanac

University Park Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

University Park Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Nearby Cities and Towns

University Park Public Libraries

More Information for Librarians

University Park Colleges

Click school name for a detailed profile.

Governors State University

(List of All Illinois Colleges)

NEW: Community Comments below!