Happy TravellerWelcome to Addison, a charming village located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 36,942 at the 2010 census, Addison is a small but vibrant community with a rich history, diverse culture, and plenty of attractions to explore.
History:
Originally named Dunkleys Grove after the settler Hezekiah Dunklee, Addison was renamed after a town in England or Addison, New York. In 1832, Winfield Scott built Army Trail Road on top of a Potawatomi trail in Addison, in order to allow 50 broad-tired wagons to fight Black Hawk and his warriors. In 1864, the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod moved its teacher training to the village from Fort Wayne, Indiana, and established the Addison Teachers Seminary; it remained in Addison until 1913, when it was relocated to River Forest, Illinois, as Concordia Teachers College (now Concordia University Chicago). The village was incorporated in 1884, at which time it had a population of 400. Adventureland amusement park was located in Addison (Lake and Medinah) during the 1960s and 1970s. The Addison Industrial District was the proposed location for the reconstruction of Comiskey Park in the late 1980s before this was voted down.
Geography:
The Village of Addison lies on Salt Creek, a tributary of the Des Plaines River. According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Addison has a total area of 10.00 square miles (25.90 km2), of which 9.83 square miles (25.46 km2) (or 98.29%) is land and 0.17 square miles (0.44 km2) (or 1.71%) is water.
Demographics:
As of the 2020 census, there were 35,702 people, 12,799 households, and 9,165 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,570.20 inhabitants per square mile (1,378.46/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 47.69% White, 3.45% African American, 1.71% Native American, 8.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 22.96% from other races, and 16.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 45.61% of the population. There were 12,799 households, out of which 57.46% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.47% were married couples living together, 12.74% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.39% were non-families. 23.23% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.84% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40 and the average family size was 2.86. The village’s age distribution consisted of 22.7% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males. The median income for a household in the village was $68,534, and the median income for a family was $79,011. Males had a median income of $42,038 versus $30,828 for females. The per capita income for the village was $30,202. About 10.3% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.
Economy:
Addison has a diverse economy with a mix of small businesses, retail stores, and industrial parks. According to Addisons 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:
Arts and Culture:
Addison is home to the Addison Public Library and the Addison Center for the Arts. The village also hosts a number of cultural events throughout the year, including the Addison Oktoberfest, the Taste of Addison, and the Summer Concert Series.
Government:
Rich Veenstra is the Mayor of Addison. Other elected officials include Village Trustees Sam Nasti, Tom Hundley, Bill Lynch, Cathy Kluczny, Dawn OBrien, Jay DelRosario, and Village Clerk Lucille Zucchero. The town of Triggiano, Italy is the sister city of Addison. Addison is located in Illinois’s 8th congressional district which is currently represented by Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Schaumburg). In the Illinois Senate, it is represented by Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett). In the Illinois House of Representatives, it is represented by Jennifer Sanalitro (R-Hanover Park), Diane Blair-Sherlock (D-Villa Park), and Norma Hernandez (D-Melrose Park).
Education:
Addison is home to Addison Trail High School and to Indian Trail Junior High School. The Elementary schools are: Ardmore, Wesley Elementary, Lake Park Elementary, Fullerton Elementary, Army Trail Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, and Stone Elementary. St. Philip the Apostle, a private Catholic school and parish, is located in Addison and serves students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade. DeVry University and Chamberlain College of Nursing also call Addison home. Addison also has an Early Learning Center for 3-5-year-old students in Pre-K.
Notable People:
Addison has been home to many notable people, including Adam Amin, sportscaster with ESPN and NBC Sports Chicago, Mark Anelli, former tight end for the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams, Tim Breslin, professional hockey player who played left wing for the Chicago Wolves, Jim Ellison, founder of the legendary Power Pop band, Material Issue, along with Ted Ansani and Mike Zelenko, Jamie Freveletti, author of the Covert-One series novels The Janus Reprisal and The Geneva Strategy, Bobby Hull, Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who lived in Addison from 1963 to 1971 while playing left wing for the Chicago Black Hawks, Brett Hull, hall of fame professional hockey player and son of Bobby Hull who grew up in Addison from 1964 to 1971, George Ireland, men’s basketball coach who led the Loyola Ramblers to win the 1963 NCAA championship, Kyle Kinane, stand-up comedian and actor (Those Who Can’t, Love, @midnight), Hubert J. Loftus, lawyer and politician, Tony Pasquesi, defensive lineman for the Chicago Cardinals from 1955 to 1957, a resident of Addison at the time of his death, Rob Renzetti, animator and creator of My Life as a Teenage Robot, Mike Retondo, bassist for the Plain White Ts, Mark Rodenhauser, an American football player who played center for seven NFL teams from 1987 to 1999, played football at Addison Trail High School, Alexa Scimeca Knierim, pair skater, 5-time U.S. national champion, two-time Olympian and winner of the 2022 World Figure Skating Championships with partner Brandon Frazier, 2015 U.S. Figure Skating Championships with her then-fiancé Chris Knierim, Rocco Sisto, actor best known for playing young Junior Soprano on The Sopranos, and Gabriel (Gaga) Slonina, goalkeeper for Chicago Fire FC in the MLS who became the youngest starting goalkeeper in MLS history at the age of 17 years and 81 days, Leon Spinks, World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association heavyweight world champion who resided in Addison after his retirement from boxing, Lina Trivedi, involved with creation of (Beanie Babies), resident of Addison for most of her school-age and young-adult life and a graduate of Addison Trail High School, and Lenae Williams, basketball player who played guard-forward for the Detroit Shock during the 2002 WNBA season, Kathleen Willis, member of the Illinois House of Representatives whose district includes the eastern half of the city, of which she is a resident.
We hope you enjoyed learning about Addison and all it has to offer. Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or an outdoor enthusiast, there’s something for everyone in this charming village. Come visit us and see for yourself why Addison is a hidden gem in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.
