Mapping the Chicago area

[muon2]

I have a couple of comments on the recent history.

District 4

Population: 458,358

Breakdown: 68% White, 2% Black, 14% Hispanic, 12% Asian

2008 Result: 58% Obama

Sprawl, sprawl, sprawl. This district is intense with growth over the course of the last 20 years. It includes Schaumburg, Palatine, Arlington Heights, and Mount Prospect. It is a solidly middle class area. Lots of monotonous subdivisions. It's got sizeable Asian and Hispanic populations, suggesting that its white population is decently Republican, which is consistent with many new and sprawly middle class suburbs. Lots of individuals that have worked their way to the middle class and are big on the "pull yourself up" outlook.

District 5

Population: 151,792

Breakdown: 65% White, 2% Black, 18% Hispanic, 13% Asian

2008 Result: 63% Obama

This area is also new and growing but seemingly less sprawly. Strong Asian and Jewish populations exist in this area, although I was admittedly surprised when compiling the map that the Asian population is not near what I thought it was in this area. The district includes Buffalo Grove, Vernon Hills, and Lincolnshire. It is essentially a more well-off version of District 4. It is also more Democratic than District 4 (Rockefeller's hear spins again). It's schools are incredible - it is home to Stevenson High School and Vernon Hills High School, two award winners.

I'm not sure how you are categorizing either of these districts as new or recently sprawling. They are both a result of suburban development in the the 1970's and 80's. They have seen the first generation of families grow up and the next generation move in. These areas have been stable or declining in population.

To get an idea of how stable these areas are compare the 2000 to 2010 Census figures.

County	Township	2000 pop	2010 pop	%change
Cook	Elk Grove	94,969	92,905	-2.2%
Cook	Palatine	112,740	112,994	+0.0%
Cook	Schaumburg	134,114	131,288	-2.1%
Cook	Wheeling	155,834	153,630	-1.4%
Lake	Vernon	65,355	67,095	+2.7%

The big political shifts took place in the early 90's as those first families moved out and were replaced. The amount and type of demographic replacement accounts for how much the Dem swing has been over the last 20 years. Politically these areas were big for Rauner in 2014.

My other quick comment - where's the love for Des Plaines and Park Ridge in Maine township? They are as much northwest suburbs as Elk Grove township.

[muon2]

I have the advantage of seeing towns like Schaumburg and Rolling Meadows rise from the cornfields as I grew up in the 1960's and 70's. The construction of the Northwest Tollway (now the Jane Addams I-90) in the late 50's and early 60's opened the door to development. The boom really took off after Woodfield Mall was built in 1971. My cousins followed that path to go from established Des Plaines to remote Lake in the Hills in McHenry county, and we drove through a lot of open space to visit them. By 1990 it was largely built out.

The area may look new compared to the early 20th century homes nearer the lake, but compared to today's large lot exurbs or teardown neighborhoods the area is actually quite old (or maybe I'm younger than I think ).