Incorporated in 1850, it is located immediately south of the city of Chicago. It is the second most populous township in Illinois as of the 2020 census, after Rockford Township (pop. 170,478) in Winnebago County.[1]
According to the United States Census Bureau, Thornton Township covers an area of 47.42 square miles (122.81 km2); of this, 46.93 square miles (121.54 km2) is land and 0.49 square miles (1.27 km2) (1.03 percent) is water.[1]
Boundaries
Thornton Township is bordered by Western Avenue on the west, 138th Street on the north, the Indiana state line on the east, and 183rd/186th Street on the south.
The township contains these 11 cemeteries: Berger, First Reformed of Lansing, Glen Oak, Hazelwood, Holy Cross Catholic, Homewood Memorial Gardens, Mount Forest, Oak Lawn, Oak Ridge, Oakland and Washington Memory Gardens.
As of the 2020 census[2] there were 157,865 people, 60,889 households, and 38,705 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,331.75 inhabitants per square mile (1,286.40/km2). There were 66,938 housing units at an average density of 1,412.73 per square mile (545.46/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 14.11% White, 69.94% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 8.67% from other races, and 6.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.19% of the population.
There were 60,889 households, out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.69% were married couples living together, 27.76% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 36.43% were non-families. 33.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.47.
The township's age distribution consisted of 25.1% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 26.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $50,245, and the median income for a family was $58,329. Males had a median income of $36,909 versus $31,320 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,853. About 16.3% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.5% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
