Des Plaines, IL, Website

Des Plaines, Illinois. Des Plaines is a city located in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 58,720. Des Plaines is called "The City of Destiny". It is less than 20 miles from the heart of Chicago. There are several options for commuters to get safely to the city, and be able to avoid the majority of traffic. The city boasts two golf courses, a driving range, local entertainment, several restaurants, a water park and a senior center. No matter what your age may be Des Plaines has a variety of activities and events bound to keep the whole family occupied.

Des Plaines has a rich history. Des Plaines was once an ideal settlement for the Potawatomi, Ottawa, and Chippewa Indians due to its location near the Des Plaines River. In the mid 1800's several immigrants and farmers made their way to Des Plaines to till the fertile soil that the land offered. By the late 1800's so many German immigrants had settled in Des Plaines that German was the second language. The city was incorporated first in 1869 and officially became a city in 1873. Des Plaines was the ideal location to grow and prosper. Not only was the land amazingly fertile, a grist mill was built and the railroad is nearby allowing for more widespread trading. Today Des Plaines is home to several major corporations. It is known as a raw material and industrial resource center.

Geography
Des Plaines is located at 42°2'2" North, 87°53'59" West (42.033848, -87.899786)1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.6 km² (14.5 mi²). 37.3 km² (14.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.76% water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 58,720 people, 22,362 households, and 15,071 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,572.3/km² (4,071.2/mi²). There are 22,851 housing units at an average density of 611.8/km² (1,584.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 84.44% White, 1.01% African American, 0.26% Native American, 7.65% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.64% from other races, and 1.97% from two or more races. 14.01% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There are 22,362 households out of which 29.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% are married couples living together, 9.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% are non-families. 28.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.3% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.58 and the average family size is 3.21.

In the city the population is spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city is $53,638, and the median income for a family is $65,806. Males have a median income of $42,241 versus $30,885 for females. The per capita income for the city is $24,146. 4.6% of the population and 3.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 4.8% are under the age of 18 and 4.8% are 65 or older.

An item of note about Des Plaines is that it is the home of the first McDonald's restaurant, which is now closed and converted to a museum on north Lee Street.