Worth Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 152,934,[2] with its most populous municipalities including Oak Lawn (pop. 58,362),[3]Evergreen Park (19,943),[4]Alsip (pop. 19,063),[5] and Chicago Ridge (pop. 14,433).[6] It was founded in 1849, when the county voted to subdivide itself into townships.
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Worth Township has a total area of 32.15 square miles (83.27 km2), of which 31.81 square miles (82.39 km2) (or 98.95%) is land and 0.34 square miles (0.88 km2) (or 1.05%) is water.[7]
The south edge of the city of Chicago is within this township geographically but is a separate entity, with exception of two cemeteries and a golf course.
The township contains these sixteen cemeteries: Beverly Memorial Park, Burr Oak Cemetery, Chapel Hills Gardens South, Ever Rest (historical), Evergreen, First Evangelical Lutheran, Hazel Green, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Lincoln Cemetery, Mount Greenwood, Mount Hope, Oak Hill, Restvale Cemetery, Saint Benedict Catholic, Saint Mary's and Sauerbier-Burkhardt.
As of the 2020 census[2] there were 152,934 people, 57,145 households, and 36,413 families residing in the township. The population density was 4,756.59 inhabitants per square mile (1,836.53/km2). There were 62,150 housing units at an average density of 1,933.01 units per square mile (746.34 units/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 64.53% White, 12.50% African American, 0.71% Native American, 2.04% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 9.93% from other races, and 10.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.40% of the population.
There were 57,145 households, out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.42% were married couples living together, 12.45% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 36.28% were non-families. 32.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.32.
The township's age distribution consisted of 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 26% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $64,333, and the median income for a family was $80,145. Males had a median income of $50,240 versus $36,108 for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,359. About 8.5% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
In 2002, Lawrence Hupe, the Worth Township school treasurer, retired with one of the largest government pensions in Illinois after receiving annual bonuses exceeding 25% of his salary in the last five years of his 25-year service. At $153,835, Hupe's pension exceeded the state governor's salary. His employer, the Worth Township Board of School Trustees, reported to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund that Hupe took home an extra $302,000 above his salary between 1998 and 2002. Hupe claimed that the additional payments were in lieu of unused annual leave. Hupe's successor was paid a salary of $87,500, just 57% of Hupe's pension.[15]
