# Worth Township, Cook County, Illinois

Worth Township is one of 29 townships in Cook County, Illinois. As of the 2020 census, its population was 152,934, with its most populous municipalities including Oak Lawn (pop. 58,362), Evergreen Park (19,943), Alsip (pop. 19,063), and Chicago Ridge (pop. 14,433). It was founded in 1849, when the county voted to subdivide itself into townships.
The township hall is located at 11601 S. Pulaski Road in Alsip. Other township municipalities include Hometown and Merrionette Park, as well as portions of Blue Island, Crestwood, Worth, Palos Heights, Robbins and Bridgeview. Worth Township's approximate borders are Harlem Avenue (Illinois Route 43) on the west, 87th Street on the north, Western Avenue on the east and 135th Street on the south. The township, however, does not include the parts of the city of Chicago (namely, zip code 60655, which is mostly the Mount Greenwood neighborhood) that lie within these boundaries. Near its southern boundary, the township is crossed by the Cal-Sag Channel.

## Geography

According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Worth Township has a total area of 32.15 square miles (83.27 km$^2$), of which 31.81 square miles (82.39 km$^2$) (or 98.95%) is land and 0.34 square miles (0.88 km$^2$) (or 1.05%) is water.

### Borders

Worth Township is bordered on the north by Stickney Township and the Chicago community of Ashburn, on the west by Palos Township, on the south by Bremen Township, and on the east by Calumet Township and the Chicago communities of Beverly, Mount Greenwood and Morgan Park.

### Cities, towns, villages

* Alsip
* Blue Island (approximately 40% of the city, northwest of 135th Street and Western Avenue)
* Bridgeview (approximately one-half square mile, east of Harlem Avenue)
* Chicago (Beverly Country Club, Mount Greenwood and Mount Hope Cemeteries)
* Chicago Ridge
* Crestwood (nearly half the village, north of 135th Street)
* Evergreen Park
* Hometown
* Merrionette Park
* Oak Lawn
* Palos Heights (half the city, east of Harlem)
* Robbins (one quarter of the village, north of 135th Street)
* Worth (two thirds of the village, east of Harlem)
The south edge of the city of Chicago is within this township geographically but is a separate entity, with exception of two cemeteries and a golf course.

### Unincorporated Towns

* Hazel Green at 41°40′55″N 87°44′37″W﻿ / ﻿41.681931°N 87.743675°W﻿ / 41.681931; -87.743675

### Adjacent townships

* Stickney Township (north)
* Calumet Township (east)
* Thornton Township (southeast)
* Bremen Township (south)
* Orland Township (southwest)
* Palos Township (west)
* Lyons Township (northwest)

### Cemeteries

The township contains these sixteen cemeteries: Beverly Memorial Park, Burr Oak Cemetery, Chapel Hills Gardens South, Ever Rest (historical), Evergreen, First Evangelical Lutheran, Hazel Green, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Lincoln Cemetery, Mount Greenwood, Mount Hope, Oak Hill, Restvale Cemetery, Saint Benedict Catholic, Saint Mary's and Sauerbier-Burkhardt.

### Major highways

* Interstate 294
* U.S. Route 12
* U.S. Route 20
* Illinois Route 43
* Illinois Route 50
* Illinois Route 83

### Airports and landing strips

* Alsip Fire Department Heliport
* Christ Hospital Heliport

### Landmarks

* Burr Oak Woods (Cook County Forest Preserves) (east half)
* Elizabeth A Conkey Forest (Cook County Forest Preserves)
* Joshua P. Young House

### Lakes

* Lake Arrowhead

## Demographics

As of the 2020 census there were 152,934 people, 57,145 households, and 36,413 families residing in the township. The population density was 4,756.59 inhabitants per square mile (1,836.53/km$^2$). There were 62,150 housing units at an average density of 1,933.01 units per square mile (746.34 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the township was 64.53% White, 12.50% African American, 0.71% Native American, 2.04% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 9.93% from other races, and 10.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.40% of the population.
There were 57,145 households, out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.42% were married couples living together, 12.45% had a female householder with no spouse present, and 36.28% were non-families. 32.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.32.
The township's age distribution consisted of 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 26% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $64,333, and the median income for a family was $80,145. Males had a median income of $50,240 versus $36,108 for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,359. About 8.5% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.3% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

## Governance

Worth Township is governed by 8 elected officials, chosen every four years. The current administration is:
Current township elected officials :
| Name | Elected position | Party affiliation & village | Other Party Affiliation |
| Patricia Joan Murphy | Supervisor | Democrat- Crestwood | Worth Township Community First |
| Eamon J. McMahon | Clerk | Independent- Oak Lawn | Worth Township Community First |
| Shaun C. Murphy | Assessor | Republican- Evergreen Park | Worth Township Community First |
| Vicki Moody | Highway Commissioner | Democrat- Chicago Ridge | Worth Township Community First |
| Jerry Hurckes | Trustee | Democrat- Oak Lawn | Worth Township Community First |
| Kelly Sexton-Kelly | Trustee | Independent- Evergreen Park | Worth Township Community First |
| Mychal J. Toscas | Trustee | Independent - Crestwood | Worth Township Community First |
| Richard Lewandowski | Trustee | Democrat- Palos Heights | Worth Township Community First |

## Education

Worth Township is served by three public high school districts: Community High School District 218 (Dwight D. Eisenhower High School, Harold L. Richards High School and Alan B. Shepard High School), Oak Lawn Community High School District 229 and Evergreen Park Community High School District 231.
* Chicago Public Schools (some students)
Trinity Christian College is located in Worth Township, in Palos Heights.

## Political districts

* Illinois's 1st congressional district
* Illinois's 3rd congressional district
* State House District 27
* State House District 28
* State House District 31
* State House District 35
* State House District 36
* State Senate District 14
* State Senate District 16
* State Senate District 18

## Record pension

In 2002, Lawrence Hupe, the Worth Township school treasurer, retired with one of the largest government pensions in Illinois after receiving annual bonuses exceeding 25% of his salary in the last five years of his 25-year service. At $153,835, Hupe's pension exceeded the state governor's salary. His employer, the Worth Township Board of School Trustees, reported to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund that Hupe took home an extra $302,000 above his salary between 1998 and 2002. Hupe claimed that the additional payments were in lieu of unused annual leave. Hupe's successor was paid a salary of $87,500, just 57% of Hupe's pension.