# Riverdale, Illinois

Riverdale is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 10,663 at the 2020 census. The village shares its name with the bordering Riverdale neighborhood in Chicago.

## History

The Village of Riverdale was incorporated in 1893. In 1904 the Englishman and former Chicago glucose manufacturer Charles Pope (1843-1922) purchased property in Riverdale at what is today the west side of Indiana Avenue with the intention of establishing a beet sugar factory. The property was previously occupied by The Riverdale Distillery, which had been established by the Union Copper Distilling Company of Chicago in 1871 to manufacture fermentum yeast. Located on the south bank of the Little Calumet river with access to the Illinois Central tracks, the beet sugar factory opened in 1905 with a capacity of 350 tons of beet sugar per day, a production rate that was eventually increased to 500 tons per day. The factory was sold by Pope's heirs in 1922 to the Midwest Sugar Refining Company, who added sugar to the product line that was produced from cane supplied from Cuba and Puerto Rico. and who the following year began a program that was intended "to expand this enterprise far beyond its present capacity so as to make the company one of the leading producers and refiners of sugar in the Middle West." In 1947 this enterprise was replaced by The Chromium Mining and Smelting Corporation.

## Geography

Riverdale is located at 41°38′26″N 87°37′50″W﻿ / ﻿41.64056°N 87.63056°W﻿ / 41.64056; -87.63056 (41.640684, -87.630645). According to the 2010 census, Riverdale has a total area of 3.745 square miles (9.70 km$^2$), of which 3.57 square miles (9.25 km$^2$) (or 95.33%) is land and 0.175 square miles (0.45 km$^2$) (or 4.67%) is water.

### Surrounding areas

    Chicago
    Calumet Park Chicago
    Blue Island Dolton
    Dixmoor Dolton
    Harvey / Dolton

## Transportation

Riverdale is home to two stations on the Metra Electric District's main line; Ivanhoe station at 144th Street and Riverdale station at 137th Street.
Pace provides bus service on multiple routes in the village connecting Riverdale to destinations across the Southland.

## Demographics

As of the 2020 census there were 10,663 people, 4,472 households, and 2,726 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,843.47 inhabitants per square mile (1,097.87/km$^2$). There were 5,087 housing units at an average density of 1,356.53 per square mile (523.76/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the village was 3.17% White, 92.20% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 1.73% from other races, and 2.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.19% of the population.
There were 4,472 households, out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 20.91% were married couples living together, 34.44% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.04% were non-families. 33.09% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.74% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.73 and the average family size was 2.79.
The village's age distribution consisted of 31.4% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.8 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $38,355, and the median income for a family was $42,632. Males had a median income of $36,231 versus $30,861 for females. The per capita income for the village was $18,987. About 27.2% of families and 28.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.9% of those under age 18 and 17.0% of those age 65 or over.
Riverdale village, Illinois – Racial and ethnic composition 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. :
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White alone (NH) | 1,539 | 511 | 301 | 10.22% | 3.77% | 2.82% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 12,942 | 12,610 | 9,791 | 85.96% | 93.07% | 91.82% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 24 | 24 | 11 | 0.16% | 0.18% | 0.10% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 29 | 13 | 13 | 0.19% | 0.10% | 0.12% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.07% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 18 | 11 | 40 | 0.12% | 0.08% | 0.38% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 137 | 143 | 160 | 0.91% | 1.06% | 1.50% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 366 | 237 | 340 | 2.43% | 1.75% | 3.19% |
| Total | 15,055 | 13,549 | 10,663 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |

## Government

Riverdale is divided between two congressional districts. Most of the city is in Illinois's 2nd congressional district; the area west of Ashland Avenue and the area southwest of 141st and Halsted Streets are in the 1st district. The local government of Riverdale consists of six elected trustees, one elected village clerk, and one elected mayor. On April 9, 2013, incumbent mayor Deyon Dean was defeated by trustee Lawrence Jackson, who was sworn in as mayor of Riverdale on May 2, 2013.

## Notable people

* Marcheline Bertrand, actress; mother of actress Angelina Jolie; grew up in Riverdale
* Antwaan Randle El, wide receiver for the Washington Redskins and Pittsburgh Steelers; Super Bowl champion (XL); born in Riverdale
* Charles Christian Hammer, classical guitarist
* Marjorie Pebworth, Illinois politician; lived in Riverdale
* Betty Robinson, Olympic gold medalist in the 100 and 400 meter relays (1928 & 1936); born in Riverdale
* Steamboat Struss, pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates; born in Riverdale
* Joseph C. Szabo, 12th Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration; previously served as a Village Trustee and Village President of Riverdale