City Town Info

Wood River, IL


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Wood River, Illinois

Introduction to Wood River, Illinois

Wood River, Illinois, in Madison county, is 13 miles E of Florissant, Missouri and 18 miles NE of St. Louis, Missouri. The people of the city are in the Saint Louis metropolitan area. Wood River has a population of 11,296.

Wood River History

In the early 1900s, the Wood River region was mostly uninhabited. In 1907, the Standard Oil Company moved into the area and established a refinery one year later. An an enthusiastic local entrepreneur, A. E. Benbow, founded Benbow City, a town of saloons, casinos, and brothels in 1907. Benbow City gradually became the home of the workers moving in to work at the refinery. The City of Wood River was founded around Benbow City to provide homes to the miners and workers. It was finally incorporated in 1908, and later went on to annex Benbow City and a number of local farming communities.

Wood River and nearby Attractions

  • C & H Amusements
  • Wood River Plaza Shopping Center
  • Gvillo Pond
  • Saint John United Church of Christ
  • Belk Park Golf Course
  • Wood River Public Library

Things To Do In Wood River

C & H Amusements is a popular amusement and theme park. Gvillo Pond is a beautiful, crystal blue lake with facilities for fishing. Belk Park Golf Course allows tourists to indulge in a relaxing game of golf.

Wood River Transportation

Air transportation facilities are provided by St Louis Regional Airport.

Wood River Higher Education

Lewis and Clark Community College and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville provide higher educational facilities to the people of Wood River.

Comparative Profile of Wood River, IL

Comparing Wood River to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Illinois (State):

Ratings range from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).


The People

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Senior Citizens87
Female Share of the Population77
Children Under 5 Years Old66
Well-Paid Single Women56
Age of the Population55
Well-Paid Single Men55
Male Share of the Population44
Racial Diversity25

Families

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Average Household Size43
Portion of People Married32

Wealth

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
People in Middle Class or Better54
Median Family Income43
People Above Poverty32
College Educated Adults24

Commute & Sprawl

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
Public Transportation Use77
Working at Home66
Short Commute Times57
Walking and Biking to Work56

Housing

CharacteristicCompared
to Peers		Compared
to State
People Living Alone89
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals79
Affordability of Rents75
Affordability of Property Taxes66
Seasonal and Vacation Housing35
Housing Recently Built24
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