Wilmington, IL

Wilmington, Illinois

Introduction to Wilmington, Illinois

Wilmington, Illinois, in Will county, is 15 miles S of Joliet, Illinois and 46 miles SW of Chicago, Illinois. About 5,134 people live in Wilmington.

Wilmington History

Wilmington was established by Thomas Cox in 1836. It was then known as the town of Winchester. In 1834, Cox purchased a stretch of land near Alden's island. He constructed a corn cracker, carding machine, sawmill and gristmill. Its name was changed to Wilmington in 1838. It was officially incorporated as a village in 1854, and in 1863 William Henneberry accidentally discovered coal in the area. This eventually led to its incorporation as a city. The first mayor of Wilmington was John H. Daniels.

Wilmington and nearby Attractions

• Lockport Pioneer Settlement
• Illinois and Michigan Canal Museum
• Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area
• Tinley Park Historical Society and Museum
• Des Plaines State Fish and Wildlife Area
• Route 66 Highway

Things To Do In Wilmington

Wilmington also offers easy access to historic sites and museums like the Tinley Park Historical Society and Museum, the Illinois and Michigan Canal Museum, the Glady Fox Museum, the Lockport Pioneer Settlement, the Gaylord Building and the Exploration Station. Other popular local attractions include the Shedd Aquarium, the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, the Cosley Zoo, the Adler Planetarium and the Brookfield Zoo. The community also hosts the Catfish Days Festival, which features a downtown flea market, a carnival, parades and catfish dinners.

Wilmington Transportation

Air transportation is available from Chicago Midway International Airport.

Wilmington Higher Education

Joliet Junior College, Olivet Nazarene University and North Central College are some of the local colleges and universities.

Comparative Profile of Wilmington, IL

Comparing Wilmington 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
Well-Paid Single Men
Well-Paid Single Women
Male Share of the Population
Children Under 5 Years Old
Female Share of the Population
Age of the Population
Senior Citizens
Racial Diversity

Families

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

Wealth

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

Commute & Sprawl

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

Housing

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

Wilmington Almanac

Wilmington Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

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

Wilmington Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Nearby Cities and Towns

Wilmington High Schools (2004)

WILMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
715 S JOLIET ST
815-476-2846
Title I eligible, not participating.
Serves 475 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 14.8

Wilmington Colleges

(List of All Illinois Colleges)

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