Overview

Introduction to Joliet, Illinois

Joliet is an Illinois city which lies about 45 miles from Chicago on the southwest edge of the Chicago metropolitan area. Situated on the banks of the Des Plaines River, Joliet is the county seat of Will County. The city is serviced by several major thoroughfares, including U.S. Routes 6 and 52, and Illinois State Highways 53 and 171. Interstates I-55 and I-80 run nearby, intersecting just west of the city limits. Joliet is home to Joliet Junior College, the oldest public community college in the nation.

Founded in 1673 by French-Canadian explorer Louis Joliet, the site of the present-day city of Joliet was not laid out as a town until 1834. At that time it bore the name Juliet (for reasons not apparently clear) and was part of Cook County until 1836, at which time it became the county seat of the newly-established Will County. In 1845 the community's name was changed to "Joliet," and in 1852 Joliet was incorporated as a city. In 1858 the state of Illinois established a new penitentiary in Joliet, largely due to the area's abundance of stone for prison walls and cells. By 1869 the "City of Stone" had transformed itself to the "City of Steel" concurrent with the construction of the Joliet steel mill, which along with the city's large labor force soon attracted other industries. Joliet's economy weathered a period of decline in the 1970s and 1980s but rebounded in the 1990s. Tourism became a prominent industry, aided by the establishment of riverboat casinos, and the infusion of new tax dollars fueled a revitalization of the downtown City Center.

Joliet Points of Interest

The Joliet area is replete with a wide range of arts and cultural venues as well as many parks and recreational facilities. The Joliet Historical Museum chronicles the experiences of the people who settled the Joliet area and includes a Route 66 Welcome Center. The Rialto Square Theatre, also known as the "Jewel of Joliet," has been called one of the world's ten most beautiful theatres. There are two riverboat casinos in Joliet: the Empress Casino, located on the Des Plaines River; and the Harrah’s Casino located in the downtown Joliet City Center. The Chicagoland Speedway is a state-of-the-art 75,000 seat, 1.5 mile superspeedway which hosts several NASCAR and Indy Racing League events during the year, and the Route 66 Raceway features concerts, motorsports, and more. The city's scenic Bicentennial Park, located along the Des Plaines River, includes an indoor theater as well as an outdoor bandshell in a park setting.

Joliet is home to a professional minor league baseball team. The Joliet Jackhammers are an independent team competing in the Northern League. The Jackhammer home stadium is Silver Cross Field, a 4,200-seat facility featuring luxury suites, a souvenir shop, a picnic area and a playground located inside the stadium. Less than an hour away is the city of Chicago, home to several major league teams spanning a wide variety of sports. The following teams call Chicago home:

  • MLB (Major League Baseball): Cubs and White Sox
  • NHL (National Hockey League): Blackhawks
  • NBA (National Basketball Association): Bulls
  • NFL (National Football League): Bears
  • MLS (Major League Soccer): Fire
  • AFL (Arena Football League): Rush
  • WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association): Sky
  • ABA (American Basketball Association): Rockstars
  • MLL (Major League Lacrosse): Machine

Demographics

People

Total Population147,957
Male Share of the Population49%
Female Share of the Population51%
Senior Citizens9.9%
Employed Population 16+71,576
Age of the Population34

Families

% of people married46.4%
Average household size3

Education and Earnings

Population % with Bachelor Degree or Higher21.2%
Median Earnings25+$40,306
Median Earnings Without High School Qualification$25,833
Median Earnings With High School Degree$32,436

Wealth

Median Family Income$77,341
% Above Poverty Level88.8%
% Below Poverty Level11.2%

Commute & Sprawl

Average Commute Time31 minutes
% Working from Home3.1%
% Walking and Biking to Work1.1%
% Using Public Transportation2%

Housing

People Living Alone22.9%
Median Gross Rent$1,011
Median House Value$172,400

Ancestry

Other(often includes Hispanic and African American)46.2%
Irish12.7%
Italian8.6%
Polish8.2%
English3.2%
Swedish1.3%
French Except Basque1.3%
African1.2%
Czech1.1%
Dutch1%
Slovene0.9%
Croatian0.9%
Greek0.8%
Slovak0.8%
Lithuanian0.7%
Scottish0.7%
Russian0.6%
Norwegian0.6%
Hungarian0.4%
Ukrainian0.2%
Austrian0.2%
Turkish0.2%
Nigerian0.2%
Welsh0.2%
Danishn0.2%
Arab0.2%
Romanian0.2%
West Indian0.1%
Jamaican0.1%
Jordanian0.1%
Belgian0.1%
German0.1%
Finnish0.1%
Serbian0.1%
Canadian0.1%
Ghanaian0.1%
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Joliet Almanac

CategoryValue
CountyWill County
Standard Zip Codes60432, 60433, 60431, 60436, 60435, 60404, 60403
P.O. Box Zip Codes60434
Phone Area Codes7,79,815, 779
Time ZoneAmerica/Chicago
Approximate Latitude41.54
Approximate Longitude-88.03

Joliet Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

Notes:

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

StationJOLIET BRANDON RD DAM
Distance2 miles
Jan Temp14 to 30 F
Apr Temp37 to 60 F
Jul Temp63 to 85 F
Oct Temp41 to 64 F
Annual Precip36.9 inches
StationWHEATON 3 SE
Distance20.2 miles
Jan Temp14 to 32 F
Apr Temp38 to 63 F
Jul Temp63 to 87 F
Oct Temp42 to 67 F
Annual Precip37.9 inches
StationPARK FOREST
Distance20.7 miles
Jan Temp15 to 29 F
Apr Temp39 to 58 F
Jul Temp65 to 84 F
Oct Temp43 to 63 F
Annual Precip38.6 inches

Nearby Cities and Towns

LocationPopulationMedian Family Income
Crest Hill20,379$64,249
Elwood2,396$86,786
Lockport25,226$97,813
Shorewood17,026$114,072

Joliet Public Libraries

Joliet Public Library
150 NORTH OTTAWA STREET
Joliet, Illinois
(815) 740-2660

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Joliet Hospitals

Presence Hospitals Prv - Dba Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center
333 North Madison Street
(815) 725-7133

Joliet Public Schools

Aux Sable Middle Sch
2001 Wildspring Pkwy
ZIP: 60431
(815) 439-7092
Middle
Total Enrollment 973
Grand Prairie Elem School
3300 Caton Farm Rd
ZIP: 60431
(815) 436-7000
Primary
Total Enrollment 624
Jones Elementary School
800 Barberry Way
ZIP: 60431
(815) 467-3127
Primary
Total Enrollment 482
Thomas Jefferson Elem Sch
1900 Oxford Way
ZIP: 60431
(815) 254-4005
Primary
Total Enrollment 573
Troy Craughwell School
3333 Black Rd
ZIP: 60431
(815) 577-6760
Primary
Total Enrollment 498
Troy Heritage Trail School
3389 Longford Dr
ZIP: 60431
(815) 577-6760
Primary
Total Enrollment 551
A O Marshall Elem School
319 Harwood St
ZIP: 60432
(815) 727-4919
Primary
Total Enrollment 597
Forest Park Individual Ed School
1220 California Ave
ZIP: 60432
(815) 723-0414
Primary
Total Enrollment 307
Gompers Junior High School
1501 Copperfield Ave
ZIP: 60432
(815) 727-5276
Middle
Total Enrollment 908
Isaac Singleton Elem Sch
1451 Copperfield Ave
ZIP: 60432
(815) 723-0228
Primary
Total Enrollment 615
Joliet Central High School
201 E Jefferson St
ZIP: 60432
(815) 727-6740
High
Total Enrollment 3113
Joliet Twp High Sch - Alternate
110 Collins St
ZIP: 60432
(815) 727-6810
High
Total Enrollment 63
Lincoln School Alop
960 Royce Ave
ZIP: 60432
(815) 774-8900
Other
Total Enrollment 14
Lincoln School Rssp
960 Royce Ave
ZIP: 60432
(815) 774-8900
Other
Total Enrollment 52
Lincoln School Taoep
960 Royce Ave
ZIP: 60432
(815) 774-8900
High
Total Enrollment 12
Sator Sanchez Elem School
1101 Harrison Ave
ZIP: 60432
(815) 740-2810
Primary
Total Enrollment 979
Edna Keith Elem School
400 4th Ave
ZIP: 60433
(815) 723-3409
Primary
Total Enrollment 448
Eisenhower Academy
406 Burke Dr
ZIP: 60433
(815) 723-0233
Primary
Total Enrollment 262
Oak Valley Elem School
1705 Richards St
ZIP: 60433
(815) 727-2359
Primary
Total Enrollment 174
T E Culbertson Elem School
1521 E Washington St
ZIP: 60433
(815) 723-0035
Primary
Total Enrollment 379
Thompson Instructional Center
1020 Rowell Ave
ZIP: 60433
(815) 740-5458
Primary
Total Enrollment 53
Union Elementary School
1661 Cherry Hill Rd
ZIP: 60433
(815) 726-5218
Primary
Total Enrollment 99
Washington Jr High & Academy Prgm
402 Richards St
ZIP: 60433
(815) 727-5271
Middle
Total Enrollment 794
Woodland Elem School
701 3rd Ave
ZIP: 60433
(815) 723-2808
Primary
Total Enrollment 506
Carl Sandburg Elementary
1100 Lilac Ln
ZIP: 60435
(815) 725-0281
Primary
Total Enrollment 393
Crystal Lawns Elem School
2544 Crystal Dr
ZIP: 60435
(815) 436-9519
Primary
Total Enrollment 434
Farragut Elem School
701 Glenwood Ave
ZIP: 60435
(815) 723-0394
Primary
Total Enrollment 653
Hufford Junior High School
1125 N Larkin Ave
ZIP: 60435
(815) 725-3540
Middle
Total Enrollment 1106
Joliet West High School
401 N Larkin Ave
ZIP: 60435
(815) 727-6940
High
Total Enrollment 3124
Joseph E Fisher School
1205 N Larkin Ave
ZIP: 60435
(815) 741-7777
Primary
Total Enrollment 52
M J Cunningham Elem Sch
500 Moran St
ZIP: 60435
(815) 723-0169
Primary
Total Enrollment 614
Pershing Elem School
251 N Midland Ave
ZIP: 60435
(815) 725-0986
Primary
Total Enrollment 560
Taft Elementary School
1125 Oregon St
ZIP: 60435
(815) 725-2700
Primary
Total Enrollment 471
Thomas Jefferson Elem School
2651 Glenwood Ave
ZIP: 60435
(815) 725-0262
Primary
Total Enrollment 465
Dirksen Junior High School
203 S Midland Ave
ZIP: 60436
(815) 729-1566
Middle
Total Enrollment 635
Laraway Elem School
275 W Laraway Rd
ZIP: 60436
(815) 727-5196
Primary
Total Enrollment 273
Lynne Thigpen Elem School
207 S Midland Ave
ZIP: 60436
(815) 741-7629
Primary
Total Enrollment 671
Marycrest Early Childhood Center
303 Purdue Ct
ZIP: 60436
(815) 725-1100
Primary
Total Enrollment 334

Joliet Private Schools

Mary Sears Childrens Academy
2319 Manhattan Rd
ZIP: 60433
Elementary
Total Enrollment 12
Bobbie Noonans Child Care
2504 Fairway Dr
ZIP: 60435
Elementary
Total Enrollment 15
Cathedral Of St Raymond School
608 N Raynor Ave
ZIP: 60435
Elementary
Total Enrollment 464
Franciscan Learning Center
1734 Theodore St
ZIP: 60435
Elementary
Total Enrollment 22
Gah Dillard Harris Educational Center
1550 Plainfield Rd
ZIP: 60435
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 46
Joliet Catholic Academy
1200 N Larkin Ave
ZIP: 60435
Secondary
Total Enrollment 725
Kindercare Learning Center #1002
2605 Black Rd
ZIP: 60435
Elementary
Total Enrollment 15
Our Savior Lutheran Preschool
1910 Black Rd
ZIP: 60435
Elementary
Total Enrollment 10
St Mary Nativity School
702 N Broadway St
ZIP: 60435
Elementary
Total Enrollment 204
St Paul The Apostle School
130 Woodlawn Ave
ZIP: 60435
Elementary
Total Enrollment 358
St Peter Lutheran School
310 N Broadway St
ZIP: 60435
Elementary
Total Enrollment 24
St Jude School
2204 Mcdonough St
ZIP: 60436
Elementary
Total Enrollment 229
Ucp - Melvin J Larson Education Center
311 S Reed St
ZIP: 60436
Combined Elementary And Secondary
Total Enrollment 63
Sources :
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Historic Joliet

photo

Court house at Joliet. between 1880 and 1901

Select a photo to view (Source):

Court house at Joliet. between 1880 and 1901

Illinois State Penitentiary between 1890 and 1901

Illinois Steel Works between 1880 and 1901

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