Unincorporated Cook County: Township Profiles
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As part of our full report on unincorporated Cook County, the Civic Federation compiled profiles of the unincorporated areas in the six townships that contain a majority of the total unincorporated Cook County population: Bremen, Lemont, Leyden, Maine, Northfield and Orland. Understanding more about the unique characteristics of these areas will help County and municipal officials, as well as unincorporated residents, develop plans to incorporate.
Click on the links below for a summary profile of the unincorporated areas of each township.
Bremen Township
Lemont Township
Leyden Township
Maine Township
Northfield Township
Orland Township
Bremen Township covers an area of 37.84 square miles and its population in the 2010 census was 110,118. The township includes all or portions of the communities of Blue Island, Country Club Hills, Crestwood, Harvey, Hazel Crest, Homewood, Markham, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Orland Park, Posen, Robbins and Tinley Park.
The total population of Bremen Township in the 2010 census was 110,118, with an unincorporated population of 2,194. It contains 1,392 unincorporated parcels and 754 unincorporated housing units. Fire protection in the unincorporated areas of Bremen Township adjacent to the municipalities of Oak Forest and Tinley Park are serviced by the municipal fire departments. Law enforcement, building and zoning, and liquor control services are provided by Cook County.
The majority of unincorporated areas in Cook County are supplied with potable water and sanitary sewer service by public and private utility companies that receive their water from Lake Michigan or other water sources. However, certain unincorporated areas in Bremen Township are still serviced by private wells and septic systems. If municipalities were to annex the unincorporated areas adjacent to their municipal borders, significant capital improvements may be required to supply water and sanitary sewer service.
If unincorporated parcels in Bremen Township were incorporated into the neighboring municipalities of Blue Island, Midlothian, Oak Forest or Tinley Park, property tax rates would change. [1] The Civic Federation calculated the following sample comparisons between the property tax rates for the composite tax code in an incorporated municipality with the current property tax rates for parcels in select neighboring unincorporated tax codes.
Lemont Township covers an area of 21.08 square miles and its population in the 2010 census was 21,113. The township includes all or portions of the communities of Lemont, Palos Park, Willow Springs and Woodridge.
The total population of Lemont Township in the 2010 census was 21,113, with an unincorporated population of 5,170. It contains 2,248 unincorporated parcels and 1,662 unincorporated housing units. The unincorporated areas of Lemont Township are provided with fire protection from the Lemont Fire Protection District. The Lemont Fire Protection District also services the Village of Lemont and other surrounding municipalities. Law enforcement, building and zoning, and liquor control services for Lemont's unincorporated areas are provided by Cook County.
The majority of unincorporated areas in Cook County are supplied with potable water and sanitary sewer service by public and private utility companies that receive their water from Lake Michigan or other water sources. However, certain unincorporated areas in Lemont Township are still serviced by private wells and septic systems. If municipalities were to annex the unincorporated areas adjacent to their municipal borders, significant capital improvements may be required to supply water and sanitary sewer service.
If unincorporated parcels in Lemont were incorporated into the neighboring municipality of Lemont, property tax rates would change.[1] The Civic Federation calculated the following sample comparisons between the property tax rates for the composite tax code in an incorporated municipality with the current property tax rates for parcels in select neighboring unincorporated tax codes.
Leyden Township covers an area of 19.92 square miles and its population in the 2010 census was 92,890. The township includes all or portions of the communities of Bensenville, Elmwood Park, Franklin Park, Melrose Park, Norridge, Northlake, Park Ridge, River Grove, Rosemont and Schiller Park.
The total population of Leyden Township in the 2010 census was 92,890, with an unincorporated population of 14,756. It contains 2,872 unincorporated parcels and 2,971 unincorporated housing units. The unincorporated areas of Leyden Township are provided with fire protection through the Leyden Fire Protection District and Northlake Fire Protection District. Law enforcement, building and zoning, and liquor control services for Leyden's unincorporated areas are provided by Cook County.
If unincorporated parcels in Leyden were incorporated into the neighboring municipalities of Melrose Park or Northlake, property tax rates would change.[1] The Civic Federation calculated the following sample comparisons between the property tax rates for the composite tax code in an incorporated municipality with the current property tax rates for parcels in select neighboring unincorporated tax codes.
Maine Township covers an area of 26.16 square miles and its population in the 2010 census was 135,772. The township includes part of the communities of Des Plaines, Glenview, Morton Grove, Mount Prospect, Niles, Park Ridge and Rosemont.
The total population of Maine Township in the 2010 census was 135,617, with an unincorporated population of 30,043. It contains 8,270 unincorporated parcels and 10,582 unincorporated housing units. The unincorporated of Maine Township are provided with fire protection through the North Maine Fire Protection District. Law enforcement, building and zoning, and liquor control services for Maine's unincorporated areas are provided by Cook County. Unincorporated residents in Maine Township also pay for additional police protection through the Cook County Sheriff's Hire-back program.
If unincorporated parcels in Maine were incorporated into the neighboring municipalities of Des Plaines or Glenview, property tax rates would change.[1] The Civic Federation calculated the following sample comparisons between the property tax rates for the composite tax code in an incorporated municipality with the current property tax rates for parcels in select neighboring unincorporated tax codes.
Northfield Township covers an area of 34.63 square miles and its population in the 2010 census was 85,102. The township includes part of the municipalities of Deerfield, Glencoe, Glenview, Northbrook, Northfield, Prospect Heights and Wilmette.
The total population of Northfield Township in the 2010 census was 85,102, with an unincorporated population of 13,787. It contains 4,773 unincorporated parcels and 5,505 unincorporated housing units. Fire protection is provided to the unincorporated areas in Northfield Township through the Northbrook Fire Department, which is funded by the Northbrook Rural Fire Protection District. Law enforcement, building and zoning, and liquor control services for Northfield's unincorporated areas are provided by Cook County. Unincorporated residents in Northfield Township also pay for additional police protection through the Cook County Sheriff's Hire-back program.
The majority of unincorporated areas in Cook County are supplied with potable water and sanitary sewer service by public and private utility companies that receive their water from Lake Michigan or other water sources. However, certain unincorporated areas in Northfield Township are still serviced by private wells and septic systems. If municipalities were to annex the unincorporated areas adjacent to their municipal borders, significant capital improvements may be required to supply water and sanitary sewer service.
If unincorporated parcels in Northbrook were incorporated into the neighboring municipalities of Northbrook or Glenview, property tax rates would change.[1] The Civic Federation calculated the following sample comparisons between the property tax rates for the composite tax code in an incorporated municipality with the current property tax rates for parcels in select neighboring unincorporated tax codes.
Orland Township covers an area of 36.39 square miles and its population in the 2010 census was 97,558. The township includes the community of Orland Hills and part of Orland Park and Tinley Park.
The total population of Orland Township in the 2010 census was 97,558, with an unincorporated population of 5,226. It contains 2,334 unincorporated parcels and 1,670 unincorporated housing units. The unincorporated areas in Orland Township are provided with fire protection through the Orland Fire Protection District. Law enforcement, building and zoning, and liquor control services for Orland's unincorporated areas are provided by Cook County. Unincorporated residents in Orland Township also pay for additional police protection through the Cook County Sheriff's Hire-back program.
The majority of unincorporated areas in Cook County are supplied with potable water and sanitary sewer service by public and private utility companies that receive their water from Lake Michigan or other water sources. However, certain unincorporated areas in Orland Township are still serviced by private wells and septic systems. If municipalities were to annex the unincorporated areas adjacent to their municipal borders, significant capital improvements may be required to supply water and sanitary sewer service.
If unincorporated parcels in Orland were incorporated into the neighboring municipalities of Orland Park or Tinley Park, property tax rates would change.[1] The Civic Federation calculated the following sample comparisons between the property tax rates for the composite tax code in an incorporated municipality with the current property tax rates for parcels in select neighboring unincorporated tax codes.
[1] The tax bill projections in this study are for illustrative purposes only. They show an estimate of how much property tax bills for parcels in unincorporated tax codes might increase if those parcels had been annexed into nearby incorporated tax codes in tax year 2012. They do not represent actual tax bill changes for particular parcels, but instead show the order of magnitude of the change that unincorporated areas might experience. For a full discussion of assumptions used in this report and caveats pertaining to them, please see the Methodology section of the full report.