# Dolton, Illinois

Dolton (/ˈdɔːltən/) is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,426 at the 2020 census. Dolton is located just west of the expressway Interstate 94 and immediately south of the city limits of Chicago.
Dolton is bordered by Chicago to the north, Riverdale and Harvey to the west, South Holland to the south and Calumet City to the east.

## History

A post office has been in operation in Dolton since 1854. The village was named for a family of early settlers. The villages of Dolton and nearby Riverdale were effectively one community until each incorporated separately in 1892.

## Geography

In 2021, Dolton was an area of 4.69 square miles (12.15 km$^2$), of which 4.57 square miles (11.84 km$^2$) (or 97.50%) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.31 km$^2$) (or 2.50%) is water.

### Surrounding areas

    Chicago
    Riverdale Chicago
    Riverdale / Harvey Calumet City
    Harvey Calumet City
    South Holland

## Demographics

Dolton 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 1980 | Pop 1990 | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White alone (NH) | 23,265 | 13,429 | 3,390 | 1,226 | 598 | 93.94% | 56.12% | 13.23% | 5.30% | 2.79% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 483 | 9,044 | 20,973 | 20,932 | 19,322 | 1.95% | 37.79% | 81.88% | 90.41% | 90.18% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 17 | 52 | 28 | 14 | 19 | 0.07% | 0.22% | 0.11% | 0.06% | 0.09% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 221 | 313 | 144 | 68 | 38 | 0.89% | 1.31% | 0.56% | 0.29% | 0.18% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0.00% | 0.10% | 0.02% | 0.01% | 0.00% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 48 | 6 | 34 | 24 | 107 | 0.19% | 0.03% | 0.13% | 0.10% | 0.50% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x | x | 250 | 264 | 404 | x | x | 0.98% | 1.14% | 1.89% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 731 | 1,061 | 791 | 622 | 937 | 2.95% | 4.43% | 3.09% | 2.69% | 4.37% |
| Total | 24,766 | 23,930 | 25,614 | 23,153 | 21,426 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
In the 2020 census there were 21,426 people, 7,985 households, and 5,361 families in the village. The population density was 4,570.39 inhabitants per square mile (1,764.64/km$^2$). There were 8,768 housing units at an average density of 1,870.31 per square mile (722.13/km$^2$).
The racial makeup of the village was 90.69% African American, 3.25% White, 0.17% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.62% from other races, and 3.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.37% of the population.
There were 7,985 households. 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them. 25.45% were married couples living together. 35.94% had a female householder with no husband present. 32.86% were non-families. 29.42% of all households were made up of individuals. 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.44. The average family size was 2.78.
The village's age distribution consisted of 24.8% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 27% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $50,237. The median income for a family was $57,634. Males had a median income of $33,939 versus $33,354 for females. The per capita income for the village was $22,135. About 15.4% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.8% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.

## Arts and culture

Dolton Public Library opened in 1954. First located inside the Village Hall, it contained 5,000 books and magazines. The library moved to a new facility in 1967, and featured a collection of 35,000 books.

## Parks and recreation

Dolton features over 120 acres (49 ha) of recreational properties, and 11 parks. A recreational center contains a gymnasium and fitness room.

## Government

Most of the village is part of the Dolton Park District, with a small portion served by the Calumet Memorial Park District. The entire village is part of the Dolton Public Library District and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

### Allegations of misspending and harassment

In November 2023, WGN News published a two-part series alleging widespread misspending and harassment of political opponents by the mayor, Tiffany Henyard.
On February 20, 2024, it was reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had launched a probe into alleged misconduct by Mayor Henyard.

### Mayors

Mayors of Dolton, Illinois :
| Mayor | Years | Notes |
| Fred J. Ehlert | 1913–1919 | |
| Charles H. Smythe | 1919–1923 | |
| William C. Krueger | 1923–1927 | |
| John Harms Jr. | 1927–1929 | |
| Charles Dickelman | 1929–1935 | |
| Ira Hastings | 1935–1957 | |
| Fred Kasten | 1957–1965 | |
| Albert J. Ohlsen | 1965 | Served the last six months of mayor Kasten's term |
| Thomas Harper | 1965–1969 | |
| Norman MacKay | 1969–1985 | |
| J. Michael Peck | 1985–1993 | |
| Donald Hart | 1993–1997 | |
| William Shaw | 1997–2008 | Died in office First African-American mayor. |
| Ronnie Lewis | 2008–2013 | Acting in 2008; elected to full term in 2009 |
| Riley H. Rogers | 2013–2021 | |
| Tiffany Henyard | 2021–Present | |

## Education

The entire village is part of South Suburban Community College District 510.

## Infrastructure
### Transportation

Pace provides bus service on multiple routes connecting Dolton to destinations across the Southland. Metra’s planned SouthEast Service will have a station in Dolton. This corridor has not seen commuter service since 1935.

## Notable people

* Ronnie Baker Brooks, musician.
* Susan Carlson, broadcast journalist and news anchor.
* Kevin Duckworth, professional basketball player.
* Nelsan Ellis, actor who played Lafayette Reynolds in True Blood.
* Reggie Hayward, professional football player.
* Andrew Holmes, activist and politician.
* Perry Johnson, businessman.
* Jane Lynch, entertainer.
* Derek Needham, professional basketball player.
* Robert Francis Prevost, Cardinal and prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
* Richard Roeper, film critic; grew up in Dolton.
* William Shaw, Illinois state legislator and mayor of Dolton.
* R. Bruce Waddell, politician.