View source for Skokie, Illinois

{{Other uses|Skokie (disambiguation){{!}}Skokie}}
{{Short description|Village in Illinois, US}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name               = Skokie, Illinois
| settlement_type    = [[List of towns and villages in Illinois|Village]]
| image_skyline      = Skokie, Illinois (9179544141).jpg
| image_alt          = Downtown Skokie seen on a partly cloudy day with some construction
| image_caption      = Downtown Skokie in 2013
| image_flag         = Flag of Skokie, Illinois.png
| flag_alt           = 
| image_seal         = 
| seal_alt           = 
| image_shield       = 
| shield_alt         = 
| image_blank_emblem = Skokie Illinois seal.png
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo
| motto              = 
| image_map          = File:Cook County Illinois Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Skokie Highlighted.svg
| mapsize            = 260px
| map_caption        = Location of Skokie in Cook County, Illinois
| pushpin_map        = United States Chicago Greater #Illinois#USA
| pushpin_relief     = yes
| pushpin_label      = Skokie
| coordinates        = {{coord|42|02|01|N|87|43|58|W|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint      = 
| coordinates_footnotes = 
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{Flagu|United States}}
| subdivision_type1  = State
| subdivision_name1  = {{Flag|Illinois}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[County (United States)|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Cook County, Illinois|Cook]]
| subdivision_type3  = [[Civil township|Township]]
| subdivision_name3  = [[Niles Township, Cook County, Illinois|Niles]]
| established_title  = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date   = {{start date and age|1888}}
| founder            = 
| seat_type          = 
| seat               = 
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = [[Council–manager government|Council–manager]]
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = [[Mayor]]
| leader_name        = Ann Tennes
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_17.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=March 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_urban_footnotes = <!-- <ref> </re> -->
| area_rural_footnotes = <!-- <ref> </re> -->
| area_metro_footnotes = <!-- <ref> </re> -->
| area_magnitude     = <!-- use only to set a special wikilink -->
| area_note          = 
| area_water_percent = 0
| area_rank          = 
| area_blank1_title  = 
| area_blank2_title  = <!-- square miles -->
| area_total_sq_mi   = 10.06
| area_land_sq_mi    = 10.06
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_ft       = 
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 67824
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_density_sq_mi = 6739.27
| population_demonym = 
| population_note    = Up 2.27% from 2000
| timezone1          = 
| utc_offset1        = 
| timezone1_DST      = 
| utc_offset1_DST    = 
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code|<span style="white-space:nowrap;">ZIP code(s)</span>]]
| postal_code        = 60076, 60077, 60203
| area_code_type     = [[North American Numbering Plan|<span style="white-space:nowrap;">Area code(s)</span>]]
| area_codes         = [[Area codes 847 and 224|847 & 224]]
| iso_code           = 
| geocode            = 70122
| website            = {{URL|skokie.org}}
| footnotes          = <!-- demographics (section 1) -->
| demographics_type1 = Standard of living ([[American Community Survey|2011]])
| demographics1_footnotes = 
| demographics1_title1 = [[Per capita income]]
| demographics1_info1 = $32,169
| demographics1_title2 = [[Real estate appraisal|Median home value]]
| demographics1_info2 = $297,900
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 17-70122
| area_total_km2     = 26.07
| area_land_km2      = 26.07
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| population_density_km2 = 2602.03
| pop_est_as_of      = 2024
| pop_est_footnotes  = <ref>{{cite web |title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2024 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |website=United States Census Bureau |publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce |date=March 2025 |access-date=September 2, 2025}}</ref> 
| population_est     = 65850 {{loss}}
}}

'''Skokie''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|k|oʊ|k|i}}; formerly '''Niles Center''') is a [[Village (United States)|village]] in [[Cook County, Illinois]], United States. According to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 67,824.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Skokie village, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US1770122|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=April 15, 2022}}</ref> Skokie lies approximately {{convert|15|mi}} north of [[Chicago]]'s downtown Loop. The name Skokie comes from a [[Potawatomi language|Potawatomi]] word for 'marsh'.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/newcomershandboo0000unse|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/newcomershandboo0000unse/page/73 73]|title=Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to and Living in Chicago|isbn=0912301538|publisher=First Books|year=2004}}</ref>  For many years, Skokie promoted itself as "The World's Largest Village".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.skokie.org/SkokieHistory.cfm |title=Village of Skokie, Skokie History, Skokie, IL |access-date=June 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140821083048/http://www.skokie.org/SkokieHistory.cfm |archive-date=August 21, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Skokie's streets, like that of many suburbs, are largely a continuation of the [[Roads and expressways in Chicago|Chicago street grid]], and the village is served by the [[Chicago Transit Authority]], further cementing its connection to the city.

Skokie was originally a [[Germans|German]]-[[Luxembourger]] farming community, but was later settled by a sizeable [[Jews|Jewish]] population, especially after [[World War II]]. At its peak in the mid-1960s, nearly 60% of the population was [[Jews|Jewish]], the largest proportion of any Chicago suburb.<ref name=Smilk>Smilk, Carin M. (24 September 2019).  [https://www.jns.org/the-power-of-young-people-skokie-teens-take-proactive-steps-to-introduce-judaism-to-peers/ The power of young people’: Skokie teens take proactive steps to introduce Judaism to peers] ''Jewish National Syndicate''. Retrieved on 20 July 2025</ref> Skokie still has many Jewish residents (now about 30% of the population) and over a dozen synagogues.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Jewish United Fund – Locate a Synagogue |url=https://www.juf.org/congregants/Congregations-Locate.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2021}}</ref> It is home to the [[Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center]], which opened in northwest Skokie in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dorfman|first=Daniel I.|title=A survey found many Americans lack knowledge about the Holocaust. Local experts say social media misinformation hinders education efforts|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lincolnwood/ct-lwr-holocaust-survey-tl-1001-20200929-264sol6wgndovbzir2wi55z5rm-story.html|access-date=June 17, 2021|website=chicagotribune.com|date=September 30, 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A Virtual Tour of the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie|url=https://news.wttw.com/2020/06/09/virtual-tour-illinois-holocaust-museum-skokie|access-date=June 17, 2021|website=WTTW News}}</ref>

Skokie has twice received national attention for court cases decided by the [[United States Supreme Court]]. In the mid-1970s, it was at the center of ''[[National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie]]'', in which a Nazi group, backed by the [[American Civil Liberties Union]], invoked the [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] in an attempt to schedule a Nazi rally in Skokie.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Skokie: The legacy of the would-be Nazi march in a town of Holocaust survivors|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/skokie-legacy-nazi-march-town-holocaust-survivors/story?id=56026742|access-date=June 17, 2021|website=ABC News}}</ref> At the time, Skokie had a significant population of [[Holocaust survivors]]. Skokie ultimately lost that case, though the rally was never held.<ref name="SkokievNzs">{{cite web |last1=Grossman |first1=Ron |title='Swastika war': When the neo-Nazis fought in court to march in Skokie |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-neo-nazi-skokie-march-flashback-perspec-0312-20170310-story.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=March 10, 2017 }}</ref>

==History==
{{More citations needed section|date=April 2012}}

===Beginnings===
[[File:summer 2006 0882.jpg|thumb|A 1925 "Chicago"-style bungalow in Skokie]]
[[File:Skokie Village Hall.JPG|thumb|Skokie Village Hall]]
In 1888, the community was incorporated as Niles Centre.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Niles Center Incorporation Papers, March 8, 1888|url=https://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/skokiepo02/id/1670/|access-date=June 17, 2021|website=www.idaillinois.org}}</ref> About 1910, the spelling was [[American and British English spelling differences|Americanized]] to "Niles Center". However, the name caused postal confusion with the neighboring village of [[Niles, Illinois|Niles]]. A village-renaming campaign began in the 1930s. In a referendum on November 15, 1940, residents chose the Native American name "Skokie" over the name "Devonshire".

During the real estate boom of the 1920s, large parcels were subdivided; many two- and three-flat apartment buildings were built, with the "Chicago"-style [[Bungalow#Chicago bungalow|bungalow]] a dominant architectural specimen. Large-scale development ended as a result of the [[Wall Street Crash of 1929|Great Crash of 1929]] and consequent [[Great Depression]]. It was not until the 1940s and the 1950s, when parents of the [[baby boom]] generation moved their families out of Chicago, that Skokie's housing development began again. Consequently, the village developed commercially, an example being the Old Orchard Shopping Center, currently named [[Westfield Old Orchard]].

During the night of November 27–28, 1934, after a gunfight in nearby [[Barrington, Illinois|Barrington]] that left two [[FBI]] agents dead, two accomplices of notorious 25-year-old bank-robber [[Baby Face Nelson]] (Lester Gillis) dumped his bullet-riddled body in a ditch along Niles Center Road adjoining the St. Peter Catholic Cemetery,<ref>[http://www.mapquest.com/maps?name=St+Peter's+Catholic+Church&city=Skokie&state=IL&address=8116+Niles+Center+Rd&zipcode=60077&country=US&latitude=42.028788&longitude=-87.753977&geocode=ADDRESS&id=7518987 St. Peter Catholic Cemetery, 8115 Niles Center Rd., Skokie 60077]</ref> a block north of Oakton Street in the town.<ref>"Trace Outlaw Nelson on Death Ride". ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''. November 29, 1934. p. 1</ref>

The first African-American family to move to Skokie arrived in 1961, and [[Open Housing Act|open-housing]] activists helped to integrate the suburb subsequently.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Integration Eases into Highland Pk.|last = Yackley|first = Sel|date = April 30, 1967|journal = Chicago Tribune}}</ref>

===Name===
Historic maps named the Skokie marsh as ''Chewab Skokie'', a probable derivation from ''Kitchi-wap choku'', a [[Potawatomi]] term meaning 'great marsh'.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Shabica |first1=Charles |title=Swamp Secrets: The Natural and Unnatural Evolution of the Skokie Lagoons |url=https://www.winnetkahistory.org/gazette/swampsecretsskokielagoons/#:~:text=It%20is%20said%20that%20Potawatomi,primarily%20for%20hunting%20and%20fishing. |website=Winnetka Historical Society |date=October 12, 2012 |publisher=Winnetka Historical Society Gazette |access-date=January 21, 2021}}</ref> Other Indigenous names include ''skoutay'' or ''scoti'', an Algonquian words for 'fire'.<ref>Virgil Vogel, "Indian Place Names in Illinois", Illinois State Historical Society, 1963</ref> "Skokie Marsh" was used by local botanists, notably [[Henry Chandler Cowles]], as early as 1901.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924001765175|title=The Plant Societies of Chicago and Vicinity|publisher=Geographic Society of Chicago|year=1901|author=Henry Chandler Cowles|page=[https://archive.org/details/cu31924001765175/page/n77 68]}}</ref> The village name was changed from "Niles Center" to "Skokie" by referendum in 1940.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kalamazoo-gazette-skokie-is-the-new/183992211/ "Niles Center? No, It's Skokie Now; Kalamazoo Cited as Example by Illinois City"], ''[[The Kalamazoo Gazette]]'', August 11, 1940. Accessed October 30, 2025, via [[Newspapers.com]]. "After wrangling for two years about it, this Chicago suburb has finally agreed to change its name. A committee of village trustees and civic leaders decided the community, should Skokie (pronounced be Sko-Kee, accent on the first syllable). Citizens clamoring for a new name said Niles Center made the suburb sound like a hick town. Opponents cited Kalamazoo and Oshkosh as excellent examples of communities which found Indian names a civic asset. Skokie is an Indian name."</ref> The name change may also have been influenced by James Foster Porter, a Chicago resident, who had explored the "Skoki Valley" in [[Banff National Park]] in Canada in 1911 and admired the name; Porter supported the name "Skokie" in the referendum.<ref>{{cite book| last=Barnes| first=Christine| title=Great Lodges of the Canadian Rockies| year=1999| publisher=W. W. West| location=Bend, Oregon| isbn=0-9653924-2-2| pages=130}}</ref>

===Jewish community===
Skokie attracted Jewish residents as newcomers did not face the same level of hostility as they did in some other Chicago suburbs, where it wasn't supported to sell property to Jewish institutions.<ref name=reich/> In the post-World War II real-estate developers and builders that were often Jewish themselves, advertised Skokie in the older, urban Jewish neighborhoods in the South, West and North Sides of Chicago.<ref name=reich/> New arrivals were also drawn to the urban planning vision of the Skokie Villager Master Plan of 1946, with its focus on fostering single-family homes rather than apartment living.<ref name=reich/> By 1975, Jewish residents made up 57% of the suburb's population.<ref name=reich/>  

An estimated 8,000 Jewish [[Holocaust survivors]] settled in Skokie in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, making up 10% of the Jewish community in 1978.<ref name=reich>Reich, Howard (May-June 2010). [https://momentmag.com/the-life-and-times-of-skokie/?srsltid=AfmBOopPT-ePOTrWDO1PumpHsqZ1U5PvQgxh1zzGsGTJRcc0R_Q8boPi The Life and Times of Skokie] ''Moment Magazine''. Retrieved on 22 July 2025</ref><ref>Safire, William (27 March 1978). [https://www.nytimes.com/1978/03/27/archives/marching-through-skokie-essay.html Marching Through Skokie] ''The New York Times''. Retrieved on 20 July 2025</ref><ref>Lichtenstein, Amanda Leigh (16 May 2018). [https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/05/16/610244617/skokie-ill-has-great-bagels-and-an-even-better-story-behind-them Skokie, Ill., Has Great Bagels — And An Even Better Story Behind Them] ''NPR''. Retrieved on 22 July 2025</ref> [[Yiddish]] was widely spoken and the area developed a Jewish character with synagogues, Hebrew Schools, Jewish delis, [[kosher]] butchers, Israeli bakeries and [[Judaica]] stores.<ref name=reich/> Survivors mostly socialized among each other.<ref name=reich/> 

In 1964, Joseph Neumann, a Skokie resident and survivor of [[Auschwitz]], provided testimony at the trial of one of the concentration camp's guards.<ref>(30 November 1964). [https://www.jta.org/archive/american-jew-testifies-at-trial-of-auschwitz-camp-guards-in-germany American Jew Testifies at Trial of Auschwitz Camp Guards in Germany] ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved on 20 July 2025</ref>

In early 1960, [[Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob Synagogue|Skokie Valley Traditional synagogue]] was one of four synagogues in the Chicago area that was attacked.<ref>(20 April 1960). [https://www.jta.org/archive/chicago-synagogue-set-on-fire-fourth-synagogue-under-attack Chicago Synagogue Set on Fire; Fourth Synagogue Under Attack] ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved on 20 July 2025</ref> The synagogue, now known as Skokie Valley Agudath Jacob Synagogue, has become the largest Orthodox Jewish congregation in Chicago.<ref>Flanders, Joshua (15 June 2021).[https://forward.com/news/471447/a-chicago-orthodox-rabbi-reaches-out-to-his-rohingya-and-black-neighbors/ A Chicago Orthodox rabbi reaches out to his Rohingya and Black neighbors] Retrieved on 22 July 2025</ref>  

In 1962, the [[Jewish Reconstructionist Federation]] held its annual conference in the suburb.<ref>(18 May 1962). [https://www.jta.org/archive/reconstructionist-convention-maps-plans-for-jewish-community-standards Reconstructionist Convention Maps Plans for Jewish Community Standards] ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved on 20 July 2025</ref>

In 1970, Dr. Korczak Terrace was dedicated in Skokie, honoring a [[Polish Jewish]] martyr, [[Janusz Korczak]].<ref>(22 June 1970). [https://www.jta.org/archive/street-in-skokie-named-for-dr-janusz-korczak-a-jewish-polish-martyr-killed-by-nazis Street in Skokie Named for Dr. Janusz Korczak, a Jewish Polish Martyr Killed by Nazis] ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved on 20 July 2025</ref> In June 1987, the suburb's Holocaust memorial was vandalised.<ref>(3 June 1987). [https://www.jta.org/archive/skokie-ill-holocaust-memorial-vandalized-early-monday-morning Skokie, Ill., Holocaust Memorial Vandalized Early Monday Morning] ''Jewish Telegraphic Agency''. Retrieved on 20 July 2025</ref>

===Supreme Court rulings===
Twice in its history, Skokie has been the focal point of cases before the United States Supreme Court. ''[[National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie]]'', [[Case citation|432 U.S. 43]] (1977), involved a [[First Amendment to the United States Constitution|First Amendment]] issue. ''[[Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. Army Corps of Engineers|Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]]'', 531 U.S. 159 (2001) touched upon the [[Commerce Clause]].

====''National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie''====
{{main|National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie}}
In 1977 and 1978, Illinois neo-Nazis of the [[National Socialist Party of America]] (NSPA) attempted to hold a march in Skokie, far from their headquarters on Chicago's south side. Originally, the neo-Nazis had planned a political rally in [[Marquette Park (Chicago)|Marquette Park]] in [[Chicago]]. The park is located in what was then a predominantly all-white neighborhood, similar to the [[Marquette Park (Chicago)#Civil rights protests|situation in 1966]], when a crowd of 4,000 Marquette Park residents gathered to watch [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] lead a march, some waving Confederate flags or throwing bottles, bricks and rocks at the protesters; King was knocked to his knees when struck by a rock.<ref name=Wilkerson>{{cite book |first=Isabel |last=Wilkerson |title=The Warmth of Other Suns|url=https://archive.org/details/greatmigration00wilk |url-access=registration |publisher=[[Random House]] |location=[[New York City]] |year=2010 |page=[https://archive.org/details/greatmigration00wilk/page/388 388] |isbn=9780679444329}}</ref> However, the Chicago authorities thwarted the NSPA's plans.<ref name="SkokievNzs" />

Seeking another free-speech political venue, the NSPA group chose to march on Skokie. Given the many [[Holocaust]] survivors living in Skokie, the village's government thought the Nazi march would be disruptive, and refused the NSPA permission to hold the event. The NSPA appealed that decision, and the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] interceded on their behalf, in ''[[National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie]]''. An Illinois appeals court raised the injunction issued by a Cook County Circuit Court judge, ruling that the presence of the [[swastika]], the Nazi emblem, would constitute deliberate provocation of the people of Skokie. However, the Court also ruled that Skokie's attorneys had failed to prove that either the Nazi uniform or their printed materials, which it was alleged that the Nazis intended to distribute, would incite violence.<ref>{{cite news | last = Dubey | first = Diane | title = No swastikas allowed: Lift march injunction | work = The Skokie Life | date = July 14, 1977 | url = http://www.digitalpast.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/skokiepo001&CISOPTR=165 }}</ref>

Moreover, because Chicago subsequently lifted its Marquette Park political demonstration ban, the NSPA ultimately held its rally in Chicago. The attempted Illinois Nazi march on Skokie was dramatized in the television film ''[[Skokie (film)|Skokie]]'' in 1981.  It was satirized in the film ''[[The Blues Brothers (film)|The Blues Brothers]]'' in 1980.

====Migratory bird rule====
{{See also|Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. Army Corps of Engineers}}
In 2001, the decision by Skokie and 22 other communities belonging to the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County to use an isolated [[wetland]] as a solid waste disposal site resulted in a lawsuit. Ultimately, the case went all the way to the United States Supreme Court, and resulted in an overturn of the federal [[migratory bird rule]].

==Geography==
According to the 2010 census, Skokie has a total area of {{convert|10.06|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="census-g001">{{cite web
  |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1770122
  |title=G001 - Geographic Identifiers - 2010 Census Summary File 1
  |access-date=December 25, 2015
  |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]
  |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213053404/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US1770122
  |archive-date=February 13, 2020
  |url-status=dead
  }}</ref>  The village is bordered by [[Evanston, Illinois|Evanston]] to the east, [[Chicago]] to the southeast and southwest, [[Lincolnwood, Illinois|Lincolnwood]] to the south, [[Niles, Illinois|Niles]] to the southwest, [[Morton Grove, Illinois|Morton Grove]] to the west, [[Glenview, Cook County, Illinois|Glenview]] to the northwest, and [[Wilmette, Illinois|Wilmette]] to the north.

The village's street circulation is a street-grid pattern, with a major east–west thoroughfare every half mile: Old Orchard Road, Golf Road, Church Street, Dempster Street, Main Street, Oakton Street, Howard Street, and Touhy Avenue.  The major north–south thoroughfares are Skokie Boulevard, [[Crawford Avenue]], and McCormick Boulevard; the major diagonal streets are [[Lincoln Avenue (Chicago)|Lincoln Avenue]], Niles Center Road, East Prairie Road and Gross Point Road.

Skokie's north–south streets continue the street names and (house number) grid values of Chicago's north–south streets&nbsp;– with the notable exceptions of [[Cicero Avenue]], which is renamed [[Skokie Highway|Skokie Boulevard]] within Skokie, and Chicago's Pulaski Road retains its original Chicago City name, Crawford Avenue. The east–west streets continue Evanston's street names, but with Chicago grid values, such that Evanston's Dempster Street is 8800 north in Skokie addresses.

=== Climate ===

Skokie is in the Hot-summer humid continental climate, or [[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] Dfa zone.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Köppen–Geiger Climate Classification Map |url=https://www.koppen-map.com/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=www.koppen-map.com}}</ref> The zone includes four distinct seasons. Winter is cold with snow. Spring warms up with precipitation and storms, some of which can be severe and include tornadoes. Summer has high precipitation and storms. Fall cools down.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Humid continental climate {{!}} Temperature, Precipitation & Seasons {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/science/humid-continental-climate |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>{{Weather box
| location = Skokie, IL, based on Evanston (3 miles away)(rain)/O'Hare(temps) (1990-2020)
| source = NWS/NOAA <ref>https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=lot</ref><ref>https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/us-climate-normals/#dataset=normals-monthly&timeframe=30&station=US1ILCK0107</ref>
| single line = Y
| width = auto
| Apr high F = 59.0
| Apr low F = 40.3
| Apr mean F = 49.7
| Apr precipitation inch = 3.92
| Apr snow inch = 1.3
| Aug high F = 82.5
| Aug low F = 65.1
| Aug mean F = 73.8
| Aug precipitation inch = 4.47
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Dec high F = 36.6
| Dec low F = 24.4
| Dec mean F = 30.5
| Dec precipitation inch = 2.42
| Dec snow inch = 7.6
| Feb high F = 35.7
| Feb low F = 21.8
| Feb mean F = 28.8
| Feb precipitation inch = 2.15
| Feb snow inch = 10.7
| Jan high F = 31.6
| Jan low F = 18.8
| Jan mean F = 25.2
| Jan precipitation inch = 2.31
| Jan snow inch = 11.3
| Jul high F = 84.5
| Jul low F = 66.4
| Jul mean F = 75.4
| Jul precipitation inch = 3.54
| Jun high F = 80.4
| Jun low F = 60.8
| Jun mean F = 70.6
| Jun precipitation inch = 4.51
| Jun snow inch = 0
| Mar high F = 47.0
| Mar low F = 31.0
| Mar mean F = 39.0
| Mar precipitation inch = 2.30
| Mar snow inch = 5.5
| May high F = 70.5
| May low F = 50.6
| May mean F = 60.6
| May precipitation inch = 4.71
| May snow inch = 0
| Nov high F = 48.4
| Nov low F = 34.1
| Nov mean F = 41.3
| Nov precipitation inch = 2.67
| Nov snow inch = 1.8
| Oct high F = 62.8
| Oct low F = 45.4
| Oct mean F = 54.0
| Oct precipitation inch = 3.77
| Oct snow inch = 0.2
| Sep high F = 75.5
| Sep low F = 57.1
| Sep mean F = 66.3
| Sep precipitation inch = 3.55
| Sep snow inch = 0
| Jul snow inch = 0
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900=   529
|1910=   568
|1920=   763
|1930=  5007
|1940=  7172
|1950= 14832
|1960= 59364
|1970= 68322
|1980= 60278
|1990= 59432
|2000= 63348
|2010= 64784
|2020= 67824
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br /> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}
As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US1770122 |access-date=June 28, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> there were 67,824 people, 22,503 households, and 16,206 families residing in the village. The population density was {{Convert|6,739.27|PD/sqmi|PD/km2}}. There were 25,256 housing units at an average density of {{Convert|2,509.54|/sqmi|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the village was 51.36% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 7.94% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.48% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 27.78% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.05% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 4.61% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 7.78% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 10.59% of the population.

There were 22,503 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.68% were married couples living together, 11.23% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.98% were non-families. 25.48% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.28% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.37 and the average family size was 2.78.

The village's age distribution consisted of 23.3% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $74,725, and the median income for a family was $93,491. Males had a median income of $46,915 versus $37,025 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the village was $37,827. About 7.5% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 12.9% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Skokie village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''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 may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Skokie village, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=1600000US1770122&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Skokie village, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=1600000US1770122&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Skokie village, Illinois|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=1600000US1770122&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|41,549
|35,955
|style='background: #ffffe6; |33,697
|65.59%
|55.50%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |49.68%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|2,798
|4,566
|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,256
|4.42%
|7.05%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7.75%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|65
|70
|style='background: #ffffe6; |56
|0.10%
|0.11%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.08%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|13,425
|16,437
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18,726
|21.19%
|25.37%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |27.61%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|15
|13
|style='background: #ffffe6; |23
|0.02%
|0.02%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Other race]] alone (NH)
|119
|185
|style='background: #ffffe6; |424
|0.19%
|0.29%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.63%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|1,757
|1,830
|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,457
|2.77%
|2.82%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.62%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|3,620
|5,728
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,185
|5.71%
|8.84%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10.59%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''63,348'''
|'''64,784'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''67,824'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

Skokie is approximately 28% Jewish<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hautzinger |first=Daniel |date=February 27, 2020 |title=Skokie {{!}} Neighborhoods {{!}} Chicago by 'L' |url=https://interactive.wttw.com/chicago-by-l/neighborhoods/skokie |access-date=January 11, 2023 |website=WTTW Chicago |language=en}}</ref> and has over a dozen synagogues.<ref name=":0" />

Skokie also contains a sizeable [[Assyrian people|Assyrian]] population. Some [[Assyrian American]] organizations, such as the [[Assyrian Universal Alliance#Assyrian Universal Alliance Foundation|Assyrian Universal Alliance Foundation]], report that Assyrians make up the largest ethnic group in Skokie, with the population estimate being upwards of 20,000. The population of the local high school district, [[Niles Township High School District 219]], is reported to be about 30% Assyrian, making them the largest ethnic group at the school district as well.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.auaf.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Assyrians-in-Chicago.pdf | title = At a Glance: The Assyrian Community in Chicago}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://theassyrianjournal.com/candlelight-march-highlights-assyrian-martyrs-day-in-skokie/ | title = Candlelight march highlights Assyrian Martyr's Day in Skokie | last = Snell | first = Joe| date = August 2019 | website = The Assyrian Journal | quote = The Assyrian Universal Alliance Foundation (AUAF) estimates roughly 100,000 Assyrians in the Chicagoland area and upwards of 20,000 in Skokie. That number, Mayor Van Dusen said, has continued to rise over the last decade.|access-date = August 25, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.aina.org/news/20140921193738.htm | title = 5K Walk Calls Attention to Assyrian Suffering in Iraq | date = September 21, 2019 | website = Assyrian International News Agency |quote = The walk was held in Skokie, a suburb of Chicago which is home to 20,000 Assyrians.| access-date = August 25, 2020}}</ref>

==Economy==
The village's AAA [[bond rating]] attests to strong economic health via prudent fiscal management. In 2003, Skokie became the first municipality in the United States to achieve nationally accredited police, fire, and public works departments, and a Class-1 fire department, per the [[Insurance Services Office]] (ISO) ratings. Likewise, in 2003 ''[[Money (magazine)|Money]]'' magazine named Skokie one of the 80 fastest-growing suburbs in the U.S.

Besides strong manufacturing and retail commerce bases, Skokie's economy will add [[health sciences]] jobs; in 2003, [[Forest City Enterprises]] announced their re-development of the vacant [[Pfizer]] research laboratories, in downtown Skokie, as the Illinois Science + Technology Park, a {{convert|23|acre|m2|adj=on}} campus of research installations—{{convert|2|e6sqft|m2}} of chemistry, genomics, toxicology laboratories, clean rooms, NMR suites, conference rooms, etc.). In 2006, NorthShore University HealthSystem announced installing their consolidated data center operations at the park, adding 500 jobs to the economy. Map maker [[Rand McNally]] is also headquartered in Skokie. More recently, the village has focused heavily on the revitalization of both the downtown and [[central business district]]s, incorporating [[Transit-oriented development|Transit Oriented Development]] principles in the process.

===Top employers===
According to the Village's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/skokie/published_documents/Finance%20Department/CAFR/2018%2004%2030%20Village%20of%20Skokie%20IL%20Audit.pdf |title=Village of Skokie CAFR |access-date=March 2, 2019 |archive-date=March 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306044847/https://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/skokie/published_documents/Finance%20Department/CAFR/2018%2004%2030%20Village%20of%20Skokie%20IL%20Audit.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> the top employers in the village are:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of Employees
|-
| 1
|[[NorthShore University HealthSystem]]
|2,410
|-
|2
|[[Federal-Mogul]]
|1,279
|-
|3
|[[Niles Township High School District 219]]
|950
|-
|4
|[[Macy's]]
|910
|-
|5
|Georgia Nut Company
|815
|-
|6
|[[Nordstrom]]
|618
|-
|7
|Village of Skokie
|498
|-
|8
|[[Illinois Circuit Court of Cook County]]
|465
|-
|9
|Skokie Park District
|432
|-
|10
|Generation Brands
|417
|}

===Notable corporations===
*[[Peapod]], online grocer
*FelPro, now [[Tenneco]]
*[[Mayfair Games]]
*[[Rand McNally]]
*[[USRobotics]]
*[[Bell & Howell]]
*[[G.D. Searle]], now [[Pfizer]]

==Arts and culture==
[[Westfield Old Orchard]], an [[luxury goods|upscale shopping]] center, is one of the country's first and is the third largest mall by total square footage in Illinois.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.westfield.com/oldorchard/entertainment/dining|title=Dining at Westfield Old Orchard|website=www.westfield.com|language=en|access-date=April 21, 2019}}</ref>
[[File:Skokie-Orchard-Fountain.jpg|thumb|Fountain at Westfield Old Orchard]]

The Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park is situated along the [[North Shore Channel]] between Dempster Street and Touhy Avenue on the east side of McCormick Boulevard. The first sculptures were built in the park in 1988 and it now has over 70 sculptures. Three areas are toured May through October of each year, on the last Sunday of the month with a presentation by a [[Museum docent|docent]].<ref>[http://www.sculpturepark.org Skokie Northshore Sculpture Park]</ref> Just north of the sculpture garden is a statue to [[Mahatma Gandhi]] with five of his famous quotations engraved around the base. This was dedicated on October 2, 2004.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.skokienet.org/gandhimemorial/memorial.htm | title=SkokieNet - Social Mobile Apps | access-date=October 29, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061010231316/http://www.skokienet.org/gandhimemorial/memorial.htm | archive-date=October 10, 2006 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

In addition to municipally-managed public spaces, the village is also home to the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, encompassing Centre East, Northlight Theatre and the [http://www.svso.org Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra]. The facility celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.northshorecenter.org/about-us/history/ |title = History}}</ref>
[[File:Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center 3.jpg|thumb|The [[Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center]] in Skokie]]
The [[Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center]] opened in Skokie on April 19, 2009.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/19/illinois-holocaust-museum_n_188750.html| title=Illinois Holocaust Museum Opens in Skokie: Bill Clinton, Elie Wiesel Address Crowd of Thousands| date=April 19, 2009| work=The Huffington Post| access-date=April 20, 2009}}</ref>

Skokie's founding and early days were the subject of the 2023 documentary, ''Holy Ground''.

===Library===
On October 7, 2008, the [[Skokie Public Library]] received the 2008 [[National Medal for Museum and Library Service]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/100708.shtm |title=News Releases |access-date=October 22, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204192821/http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/100708.shtm |archive-date=December 4, 2008 }}</ref> notably for its cultural programming and multilingual services.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.pioneerlocal.com/skokie/news/1209375,sk-libhonor-100908-s1.article |title = Chicago Suburbs News - Chicago Tribune| date=January 3, 2024 }}</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
[[File:North Shore Center for Performing Arts.jpg|thumb|North Shore Center for Performing Arts in Skokie]]
The Skokie Park District maintains public spaces and historical sites within its more than {{convert|240|acre|km2}} of parkland and in its ten facilities.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.skokieparks.org/about-spd/park-district-information/ | title=What is the Park District? &#124; Skokie Park District }}</ref>

The [[Skokie Valley Trail]] is a multi-use trail connecting the northwest side of Chicago to the communities of [[Lincolnwood, Illinois|Lincolnwood]] and Skokie.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chi.streetsblog.org/2016/12/30/lincolnwood-builds-new-segments-of-the-valley-line-trail-and-the-weber-spur/|title=Lincolnwood Builds New Segments of the Valley Line Trail and the Weber Spur|last=Zoline|first=Jeff|date=December 30, 2016|website=Streetsblog Chicago|access-date=November 3, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lincolnwoodil.org/enjoy-lincolnwood/parks-and-recreation/our-parks/valley-line-trail-recreation-path/|title=Valley Line Trail – Recreation Path|last=|first=|date=|website=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=November 3, 2019}}</ref> In 2023, the Village announced plans to extend the Valley Line Trail from its current terminus at [[Dempster–Skokie station|Dempster-Skokie Station]] to its northernmost boundary at Old Orchard Road. The result will be a continuous trail from the [[City of chicago|City of Chicago]] to the northern suburbs beyond Skokie. The project is estimated to be completed by 2025.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.skokie.org/250/Bicycle-Plan#:~:text=By%20the%20end%20of%20year,Golf%20Road%20and%20Oakton%20Street | title=Bicycle Plan &#124; Skokie, IL }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://patch.com/illinois/skokie/new-bike-lanes-path-extensions-planned-north-shore-suburbs | title=New Bike Lanes, Path Extensions Planned for North Shore Suburbs | date=June 7, 2023 }}</ref>

The [[North Shore Channel Trail]] also passes through town.

==Education==
===Public schools===
Primary school districts include:
* [[Skokie School District 68]]
* [[Skokie/Morton Grove School District 69]]
* [[Fairview South School District 72]]
* [[East Prairie School District 73]]
* [[Skokie School District 73.5]]

[[Niles Township High School District 219]] operates public high schools.

A portion of the city is served by the [[Evanston/Skokie School District 65]] and [[Evanston Township High School]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eths.k12.il.us//cms/lib/IL01903927/Centricity/Domain/220/ETHS%20School%20Profile%202018-19.pdf|title=EVANSTON TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL 2018-19 School Profile|publisher=Evanston Township High School|access-date=July 17, 2019}}</ref>

====High schools====
[[File:Niles North High School (2023).jpg|thumb|[[Niles North High School]] in Skokie]]
* [[Niles North High School|Niles North]] of District 219
* [[Niles West High School|Niles West]] of District 219
* Niles Township District 219, known for its fine arts program, was awarded the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts Top program for fine arts education in the United States on April 27, 2007.
* Niles East High School closed in 1980 after community efforts to save the school failed.

====Junior high schools====
* Oliver McCracken Middle School (formerly Oakview Junior High) of District 73.5
* East Prairie School (Pre-K through 8th) of District 73
* Fairview South School of District 72
* Lincoln Junior High of District 69
* Old Orchard Junior High of District 68
* Chute Middle School in Evanston serves a small portion  of Skokie residents of Evanston/Skokie District 65

====Elementary schools====
See the same map as middle schools.
* Jane Stenson School, (K through 5th) of District 68
* Devonshire School, (K through 5th) of District 68
* Highland School, (K through 5th) of District 68
* Madison School, (pre-K through 2nd) of District 69
* Edison School, (3rd through 5th) of District 69
* Fairview North formerly of District 72
* Fairview South School, (K through 8th) of District 72
* Elizabeth Meyer School, (pre-K and K) of District 73.5
* John Middleton School, (1st through 5th) of District 73.5
* East Prairie School, (Pre-K through 8th) of District 73
* Walker Elementary School, (K through 5th) of Skokie/Evanston District 65
* Dr. Bessie Rhodes Magnet School, (K through 8th) of Skokie/Evanston District 65, formerly Timber Ridge Magnet School (may be attended by Skokie students in District 65)

===Religious day schools===
Jewish:
* Arie Crown Hebrew Day School (pre-K through 8th), boys and girls
* Cheder Lubavitch Hebrew Day School (pre-K through 8th), separate boys and girls programs
* Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School (pre-K through 8th), boys and girls
* [[Ida Crown Jewish Academy]] (9th through 12th), boys and girls
* [[Fasman Yeshiva High School]] (9th through 12th), boys only
* Solomon Schechter Day School Ginsburg Early Childhood Center.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sadin|first=Steve|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/northbrook/ct-nbs-solomon-schecter-new-head-tl-0125-story.html|title=Solomon Schechter welcomes new head of school|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=January 16, 2018|accessdate=January 24, 2022}}</ref> From 1978 to 2012 the day school had a campus in Skokie. After 2012 day students were moved to [[Northbrook, Illinois|Northbrook]], and the building is now MCC Academy's elementary school. The closure of the Skokie facility occurred as fewer Jewish people lived in Skokie.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Schmich|first=Mary|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/mary-schmich/ct-schmich-skokie-school-met-0924-20140924-column.html|title=Important lesson at ex-Jewish school, now Muslim|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=September 24, 2014|accessdate=January 24, 2022}}</ref>

Muslim:
* [[MCC Academy]] (Pre-K through elementary are in Skokie, with secondary students in [[Morton Grove, Illinois|Morton Grove]])<ref name=About>{{cite web|url=https://www.mccacademy.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=341779&type=d|title=Mission & Vision|publisher=[[MCC Academy]]|accessdate=January 24, 2022}}</ref>

Roman Catholic:
* St. Joan of Arc School (K-8), of the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago]]

===Post-secondary education===
* [[Oakton College]] (Ray Hartstein Campus) This is the site of the old Niles East High School. The original structure, built in the 1930s, was demolished in the 1990s.
* [[Hebrew Theological College]], a private university. It was chartered in 1922 as one of the first Modern Orthodox Jewish institutions of higher education in America.
* [[National-Louis University]] has a campus near the Skokie Courthouse.
* [[Orchard Academy]] a postsecondary school for transition students graduating at age 22.

==Infrastructure==
===Public transportation===
The [[Chicago "L"]]s [[Yellow Line (CTA)|Yellow Line]] terminates at the [[Dempster&ndash;Skokie (CTA station)|Dempster Street]] station in Skokie. Construction has been completed on a new Yellow Line train station at [[Oakton&ndash;Skokie (CTA station)|Oakton Street]], to serve downtown Skokie. It opened on April 30, 2012.<ref>{{cite news|title=Oakton-Skokie Yellow Line Station Opens|newspaper=Chicago Transit Authority|url=http://www.transitchicago.com/travel_information/alert_detail.aspx?AlertId=13398|date=April 30, 2012|access-date=April 30, 2012}}</ref> Additionally, the CTA is commissioning an alternatives analysis study on the extension of the Yellow Line terminal to Old Orchard Road for [[Federal Transit Administration]] New Start grants.<ref>{{cite web
| title      = Yellow Line Extension Alternatives Analysis Study
| url        = https://www.transitchicago.com/yelloweis/
| access-date = July 5, 2009 }}</ref>
The New Starts program allows federal funds to be used for [[Capital expenditure|capital project]]s provided that all extensions for a given problem (i.e., enabling easy transportation for reverse commuters to [[Westfield Old Orchard]]) are considered. The extension recommended by the CTA, is the elevation of the Yellow Line to a new terminal south of Old Orchard Road. This extension was canceled.<ref>{{cite web
| title      = Yellow Screen 2 Presentation April 30, 2009 (text)
| url        = https://www.transitchicago.com/yelloweis/
| access-date = July 5, 2009 }}</ref>

Although the Yellow Line is the fastest transportation to and from the city, the village also is served by [[Chicago Transit Authority|CTA]] and [[Pace (transit)|Pace]] bus routes. The [[Pace Pulse]] Dempster Line opened through the village in 2023, which provides a high-frequency limited stop bus service between [[O'Hare International Airport|O'Hare Airport]] and the city of Evanston with sheltered stops adjacent to the Yellow Line. However, [[Greyhound Bus]] service to the Dempster Street train station has been discontinued. For automobile transport, [[Interstate 94]], the [[Edens Expressway]], traverses western Skokie, with interchanges at Touhy Avenue, Dempster Street, and Old Orchard Road.

===Major highways===
Major highways in Skokie include:
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break|width=20%}}
'''Interstate Highways'''
*[[File:I-94.svg|25px]] [[Interstate 94 in Illinois|Interstate 94]]
{{col-break|width=15%}}
'''US Highways'''
*[[File:US 41.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 41 in Illinois|US 41]]
{{col-break|width=65%}}
'''Illinois Highways'''
*[[File:Illinois 50.svg|25px]] [[Illinois Route 50|Route 50]]
*[[File:Illinois 58.svg|25px]] [[Illinois Route 58|Route 58]]
{{col-end}}

==Notable people==
{{Category see also|People from Skokie, Illinois}}
*[[Rob Ambrose]], former head coach of Towson Tigers football team of [[Towson University]]
*[[Bushra Amiwala]], First Gen Z Elected Official in the United States
*[[Louie Belpedio]], NHL player for the [[Minnesota Wild]]
*[[Mike Byster]], mathematician, mental calculator and math educator
*[[Jovita Carranza]] (born 1949), 26th [[Administrator of the Small Business Administration]] (2020–present). She is a past resident of Skokie.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sweet|first=Lynn|title=Senate confirms Jovita Carranza, from Skokie, to be new SBA chief|date=January 7, 2020|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|access-date=June 29, 2020|url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/columnists/2020/1/7/21055816/senate-confirms-jovita-carranza-skokie-new-sba-chief}}</ref>
*[[Bobby Ciraldo]], filmmaker and web-based artist
*[[Bart Conner]], Olympic gymnast, 1984 gold medalist
*[[David Cromer]],  theatre director and stage actor
*[[David Draiman]], lead singer of [[Disturbed (band)|Disturbed]]
*[[Robert Feder]], media blogger, former columnist for ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''
*[[Brenda A. Ferber]], author of children's literature
*[[Ken Goldstein]], singer and author
*[[Woody Goss]], musician
*[[Joel Pollak]], politician and journalist
*[[Nancy Lee Grahn]], actress
*[[Phil Handler]] (1908–1968), NFL football player and coach
*[[Erin Heatherton]], fashion model and actress
*[[Amanda Jones (Miss USA)|Amanda Jones]], 1973 [[Miss USA 1973|Miss USA]]
*[[Shelly Kagan]], philosopher
*[[David Kaplan (radio)|David Kaplan]], columnist, radio and television personality
*[[Jonathan Kite]], actor and comedian
*[[George Kotsiopoulos]], magazine editor, fashion consultant, TV personality
*[[Ken Kramer]], former Congressman
*[[Lou Lang]], politician
*[[Rashard Mendenhall]],<ref name="Skokie Review: A Look back at Rashard Mendenhall">{{cite news | url=http://skokie.suntimes.com/people/a_look_back_rashard_mendenhall_at_niles_west-SKO-08192013:article | work=Chicago Sun-Times | title=A look back: Rashard Mendenhall at Niles West &#124; Skokie Review | access-date=October 8, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016222745/http://skokie.suntimes.com/people/a_look_back_rashard_mendenhall_at_niles_west-SKO-08192013:article | archive-date=October 16, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref> former running back in the [[National Football League]]
*[[Abdel Nader]] (born 1993), professional basketball player for the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] of the National Basketball Association<ref>[https://www.kcci.com/article/sweet-16-a-homecoming-for-cyclone-starter-1/6918826 "Sweet 16 a homecoming for Cyclone starter"], [[KCCI]], March 24, 2016. Accessed October 30, 2025. "Starting for a Sweet 16 team, Nader's road to success has been an uncharted one. It started in Skokie, Illinois, a short drive from Friday night's game at the United Center."</ref>
*[[Brent Novoselsky]], NFL tight end
*[[Noam Pikelny]], banjo player, known for association with string quintet Punch Brothers
*[[Esther Povitsky]], standup comedian, actress and podcast host
*[[Matt Reichel]], politician
*[[Eric Rosen (chess player)|Eric Rosen]] (born 1993), chess player and [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]] streamer<ref>Isaacs, Mike. [https://www.chicagotribune.com/2015/09/29/chess-champ-from-skokie-earns-rare-international-title/ "Chess champ from Skokie earns rare international title"], ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', September 29, 2015. Accessed October 30, 2025. "Chess champion and Skokie resident Eric Rosen, who recently was awarded a rare international title from the U.S. Chess Federation, analyzed his future in chess."</ref>
* [[Clarke Rosenberg]] (born 1993), American-Israeli basketball player in the [[Israel Basketball Premier League]]
*[[Jessy Schram]], actress
*[[John Gideon Searle]], businessman
*[[Randy Suess]], co-founder of [[CBBS]], the first [[Bulletin Board System]] (BBS) ever brought online
*[[Calvin Sutker]], politician and lawyer
*[[Azhar Usman]], Indian-American Muslim standup comedian, actor, writer, and producer.
*[[Wesley Willis]], visual artist and musician

==In popular culture==
An image of Oakton Street in Skokie portrayed the fictional town of Mayfield in television show ''[[Leave it to Beaver]]''.<ref>https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/eye-on-chicago-for-dec-13/</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*''When the Nazis Came to Skokie: Freedom for Speech We Hate'', Philippa Strum, University Press of Kansas (Mar 31, 1999), {{ISBN|0-7006-0941-5}}
*''[https://web.archive.org/web/20080504025957/http://skokienet.org/skokienet.now/centenn/ Skokie, 1888–1988: A centennial history]'', Richard Whittingham, Village of Skokie (1988),  ASIN B00071EORW
* Steven J. Heyman (ed.), Controversies in Constitutional Law: Hate Speech and the Constitution (New York and London: Garland Publishing Inc., 1996, Vol. II)
*''The industrialization of the Skokie area'', James Byron Kenyon, University Of Chicago Press (1954), ASIN B0007DMRX8

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Skokie, Illinois}}
{{Portal|Chicago|Illinois}}
* {{official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140821083048/http://www.skokie.org/SkokieHistory.cfm Brief history of Skokie]

{{Geographic Location
| Center    = Skokie, Illinois
| North     = [[Wilmette, Illinois|Wilmette]]
| Northeast = [[Evanston, Illinois|Evanston]]
| East      = [[Evanston, Illinois|Evanston]]
| Southeast = [[West Ridge, Chicago]]
| South     = [[Lincolnwood, Illinois|Lincolnwood]]
| Southwest = [[Forest Glen, Chicago]]/[[Niles, Illinois|Niles]]
| West      = [[Morton Grove, Illinois|Morton Grove]]
| Northwest = [[Glenview, Cook County, Illinois|Glenview]]/[[Golf, Illinois|Golf]]
}}
{{Skokie, Illinois}}
{{Cook County, Illinois}}
{{Chicagoland}}
{{Illinois}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Skokie, Illinois| ]]
[[Category:Jewish communities in the United States]]
[[Category:Jews and Judaism in Chicago]]
[[Category:Chicago metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Villages in Cook County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1888]]
[[Category:1888 establishments in Illinois]]
[[Category:Majority-minority cities and towns in Cook County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Villages in Illinois]]