SOUTH HOLLAND, IL

South Holland is a village and south suburb of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States, within Thornton Township. The population was 21,465 at the 2020 census.

History

The area currently occupied by South Holland, Illinois, was first settled in 1846 by immigrants from South Holland, Netherlands. When the community formally incorporated as a village in 1894, its population was about 1,000. Originally a general farming community, it later specialized in vegetable growing, especially onion sets. By the 1940s South Holland was known as the "Onion Set Capital of the World". The town was built on low ground near the Calumet River and was originally called de Laage Prairie (Low Prairie) to differentiate it from another Dutch settlement further north on higher ground and called de Hooge Prairie (now the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago).

In October 2007, Forbes.com declared South Holland to be the "Most Livable Metro-Area suburb" of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Distinctive traits

South Holland was once an anomaly in Chicago Southland because of its laws, but recent years have negated most of them. South Holland is a "dry" municipality; that is, no alcohol is sold anywhere within the village limits. Zoning restrictions do not allow the development of apartment buildings or condominiums, however, there is a large share of rental homes, esp in

the last 10 years. South Holland still has a remnant of its church-based legacy, but is now much more so part of the modern era.

Geography

South Holland is located at (41.60, -87.60). It is bordered by Harvey and Phoenix to the west, Dolton to the north, Thornton to the south, and Calumet City and Lansing to the east.

According to the 2010 census, South Holland has a total area of , of which (or 99.78%) is land and (or 0.22%) is water.

South Holland's addresses and numbered streets are 3 blocks ahead of Chicago's grid. For example, 159th Street is actually called 162nd Street.

Surrounding areas

: Dolton

: Harvey 20px 20px 20px Calumet City

: Phoenix / Harvey 20px 20px Calumet City

: East Hazel Crest 20px 20px 20px Lansing

: Thornton

Demographics

2020 census

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2010 Census

As of the 2010 census South Holland had a population of 22,030 people. The ethnic and racial makeup of the population was 18.3% non-Hispanic white, 73.8% non-Hispanic African-American, 0.2% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% non-Hispanics reporting some other race, 1.5% reporting two or more races and 5.8% Hispanic or Latino.

As of the census of 2000, there were 22,147 people, 7,663 households, and 6,007 families residing in the village. The population density was 3,042.1 people per square mile (1,174.6/km). There were 7,825 housing units at an average density of 1,074.8 per square mile (415.0/km). The racial makeup of the village was 50.81% African American, 45.04% White, 0.17% Native American, 0.86% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.93% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.77% of the population.

There were 7,663 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.8% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $60,246, and the median income for a family was $67,451. Males had a median income of $46,582 versus $35,557 for females. The per capita income for the village was $24,977. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

South Holland is in Illinois' 2nd congressional district.

Notable people

Education

South Holland is served by several school districts:

Thornton Township High School District 205 serves all of South Holland.

Thornwood High School is located in South Holland. Thornridge High School and Thornton Township High School are also within District 205.

The private K-8 schools, Calvin Christian School and Calvary Academy, are located in South Holland. Seton Academy was a Catholic co-educational high school located in the village. It was formerly an all-girls school until 2003 when boys were admitted. Seton Academy closed on June 30, 2016. Christ our Savior School and Holy Ghost School also were once both in South Holland, but both have been closed by the Chicago Archdiocese.

South Holland is home to the main campus of South Suburban College.

In literature

The 1925 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel So Big by Edna Ferber is set in South Holland. The Widow Paarlberg inspired one of the main characters and her family farm is preserved in a municipal park.

The 2021 novel "Termination Shock" by Neal Stephenson includes a lead character, child of a conservative Dutch father and Indonesian mother, who spends his childhood in South Holland during the 1950s and 1960s. Though the town isn't named its description in the novel fits only South Holland, Illinois during that time period.