Glendale Heights, Illinois

Glendale Heights is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 31,765 at the 2000 census.

History
Glendale Heights was a small farming community known as Cloverdale up until the 1950s, with a population of just 104 in 1959. Midland Enterprises ran by Charles and Harold Reskin started building houses in Glendale Heights in 1958. The Reskins bought two farms on Glen Ellyn Road north of North Avenue. Houses were first built on Glen Ellyn Road and Larry Lane near Fullerton Avenue. On June 16, 1959, a petition was filed and on July 13, the village became incorporated. The first election was held later on that summer on August 2.

The town was originally named Glendale as it was between Glen Ellyn and Bloomingdale, but after a conflict arose with the small town of Glendale in Southern Illinois, the city decided in March 1960 to add the term Heights, in reference to its different topographies, in some places rising 1000's of feet above sea level, thus becoming Glendale "Heights".

Geography
Glendale Heights is located at 41.92028°N, -88.07889°W (41.920228, -88.078918).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14.0 km²), all of it land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,765 people, 10,791 households, and 7,596 families residing in the village. The population density was 5,877.8 people per square mile (2,271.2/km²). There were 11,105 housing units at an average density of 2,054.9 per square mile (794.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 63.79% White, 4.84% African American, 0.30% Native American, 19.97% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 8.11% from other races, and 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.39% of the population. Glendale Heights has large Filipino and Asian Indian communities.

There were 10,791 households out of which 38.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 22.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.54.

In the village the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 36.8% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 104.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.1 males. Since then, the Hispanic community within Glendale heights has rapidly grown.

The median income for a household in the village was $56,285, and the median income for a family was $64,115. Males had a median income of $40,830 versus $30,132 for females. The per capita income for the village was $21,911. About 4.7% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.6% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Schools
Glendale Heights has two school districts, 15 and 16. Both of these districts are K-8 and feed into Glenbard Township district 87. Though there are two school districts, there is only one library district. Students in district 15 and 16 use the Glenside Public Library District as their public library. Queen Bee District 16

District 16 has two schools, Glen Hill and Pheasant Ridge that are K-3. Americana is for 4th and 5th grades. The middle school's name is Glenside and used to be referred to as a junior high. District 16's name sake school, Queen Bee, is no longer used as an elementary school. The building is still standing on Bloomingdale Road and used for other purposes. District 16 students are split between Glenbard North and Glenbard West for high school.

Marquardt District 15

District 15 has four elementary schools, G. Stanley Hall School, Winnebago School, Blackhawk School, and Charles G. Reskin School. The middle school, Marquardt, is the district's namesake school. Marquardt has a separate building for the sixth grade students, and another for 7th and 8th grade students. District 15 serves the eastern part of Glendale Heights, parts of Addison, southern section of Bloomingdale, unincorporated Lombard, and the northern part of Glen Ellyn Countryside. Winnebago school has a Bloomingdale address, but sits very close to the Glendale Heights border. District 15 feeds primarily into Glenbard East High School.

Notable residents
Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins grew up in Glendale Heights. His songs treat the alienation and isolation of suburban life.

Famous activist/organizer Rocky "Rocco" Pyskoty is from Glendale Heights. He has advocated against urban sprawl and the right-wing ideologies often spawned in suburban contexts.