Blue Island is a city in Cook County, Illinois, located approximately 16 miles south of Chicago's Loop. The city was named because it is situated on the southern end of a glacial moraine that was an island at the end of the last ice age. Early settlers gave the ridge the name Blue Island because it looked like an island set in a prairie sea. The blue color came from the blue flowers that grew on the edge.
Blue Island is a vibrant southern suburb to Chicago. The city is a hub for Metra trains with six stations. Four of them run along the Rock Island district line. The city of Blue Island is 34 miles from O’Hare Airport and 30 minutes from Midway Airport. Residents in the 1850s discovered the area had rich deposits of clay. Blue Island became a center for brick making that lasted over 100 years. It was incorporated in 1894.
According to the 2010 census, the city had 23,706 residents, 8,013 households, and 5,452 families. The population density was 5,824.6 people per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 41.3% white, 30.8% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 23.6% other race, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 47% of the population.
The census reported that there were 8,013 households, of which 43% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.7% were married couples living together, 22.3% had a female head of household and 32% were non-families. The average household size was 2.95, and the average family size was 3.62. For the period 2009-2011, the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $41,408, and the median income for a family was $48,760. Zip codes in Blue Island are 60472 and 60827. The median price of a house or condo in Blue Island is $127,000, compared to $170,600 in Chicago.
Highway 57 runs along the east side of Blue Island, while U.S. tollway 294 runs along the west side. The two highways intersect south of Blue Island. Neighboring towns are Alsip, Crestwood, Merrionette Park, Calumet Park and Midlothian. The nearest city with a population over 50,000 is Oak Lawn.
Among those 25 years old and older in Blue Island, 76 percent have a high school diploma, 13 percent have a bachelor’s degree or higher, 4.5 percent have a graduate or professional degree, 8 percent are unemployed. The mean commute to work for residents of Blue Island is 28.5 minutes.
Blue Island boasts one of the oldest libraries in the area. A lending library has been in existence in some form in Blue Island since 1845. Today the Blue Island Public Library provides multi–language reading materials, computers with Internet access, public meeting rooms and other educational programs.
Dwight D. Eisenhower High School serves Blue Island students. In addition, Marist High School is a private high school within the city limits. Blue Island is home to MetroSouth Medical Center in the heart of Blue Island’s uptown commercial business district. The hospital was originally founded in 1905. By the 1920s, Albany Park was almost completely developed.
Kreisman Law Offices is located in the heart of Chicago’s Loop. We handle Illinois legal services for the entire Chicago metropolitan area, including Blue Island. Chicago's Robert D. Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has over 40 years of trial experience and specializes in a wide range of legal services, including Illinois personal injury law, mediations and arbitrations, Illinois product defect/product liability law, Illinois medical malpractice claims and lawsuits, probate, real estate law, commercial litigation and Illinois nursing home abuse cases. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online. Our office handles Spanish speakers with our bilingual staff.
Our Chicago Loop office is in a convenient location for Chicago area residents. Kreisman Law Offices is located at the corner of Dearborn and Monroe Streets. There are many convenient modes of public transportation to Kreisman Law Offices Loop location, including the Metra and CTA and there is ample parking available, both on the street and in the many public garages.