The Village of Lisle, in south DuPage County, Illinois is located about 30 miles west of Chicago and is presently an integral part of the vibrant Illinois Technology and Research Corridor as well as headquarters of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission region III. What with the availability of numerous technological and professional occupations available to a well-educated populace, good elementary and secondary schools and colleges as well as home to the world-renowned Morton Arboretum, it’s no surprise that Money magazine ranked Lisle number 20 in their 2007 list of “100 Best Places to Live.”
As of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 figures, Lisle’s population was 22,390, consisting of 9,304 households of which 5,444 were families. Lisle’s racial makeup was 77.7 percent white, 5.6 percent black, 0.1 percent Native American and Alaskan Native, 11.9 percent Asian, 0.03 percent Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.5 percent listed as ‘other’ races with 2.1 percent giving two or more races.
Those 9.304 households were comprised of families with children under 18 (26.9 percent), married couples with no children present (46.9 percent), female head of household with children (8.2 percent) and non-families (41.5 percent). Average household size was 2.32 persons, with family size averaging 3.05.The Village is relatively ‘young’, with the median age being 37.2 years, although the age spread is actually fairly wide: 7.0 percent were ages 15 to 19, 46.6 percent aged 20 to 39, 35.4 percent from 40 to 64, and 10.9 percent who were 65 and older.
The 2010 census figures estimated that medium household income for Lisle residents was $77,440, with median family income at about $109,576. Mean household income was higher: $101,560 with mean family income $132,948. Per capita income rose to $43,433 by 2013. Few residents were below the poverty line: 3.9 percent of families and 7.5 percent of the population overall.
As companies seek relief from high Chicago-area taxes and more room to expand and easy accessibility for employees and vendors, Lisle’s corporate footprint also expands to meet the demand. The Village of Lisle’s Annual Comprehensive Report of 2013 of the top ten employers included the following manufacturing. Hospitality, medical and educational organizations:
Lisle Community Unit School District 202 serves a portion of the village, with a larger part of Lisle within the bounds of Naperville Community Unit School District 203; therefore, a larger number of Lisle high school students actually attend Naperville North High School. Benet Academy is a private Catholic high school in Lisle.
There are two public middle schools serving Lisle residents, one of which, Kennedy Junior High, is in Naperville. Lisle Junior High School is within District 202. St. Joan of Arc is a private parochial school for students from Pre-K through 8th grade.
For those looking for a solid liberal arts and sciences college close to home, there’s the venerable Benedictine University, previously known as Illinois Benedictine College, on a 108-acre campus on Maple Avenue, just west of Route 53.
Students can choose to pursue a degree through National Louis University’s Lisle extension campus on Warrenville Road.
Much of the Lisle real estate housing stock is newer, thanks to the growth of detached and multifamily subdivisions surrounding the Village, although there are some older homes closer to the core of town. The majority of houses within the Village limits were built between the 1920s and 1980s. The 2013 median price for single family houses in Lisle was $298,451, including houses and condos. The median price for detached homes was $382,959, for townhomes it was $226,724. In multiple-unit buildings, prices ranged from $99, 239 to $140,793.
The DuPage area was first settled in 1830 by Bailey Hobson, who also established a mill near present-day Naperville. After the end of the Black Hawk War, in 1832 two brothers, Luther and James Hatch bought land near what is now Ogden Avenue and began a small farming community.
In the 1830's, Lisle Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries on record in Illinois, was established from land donated by the enterprising James Hatch, followed by a post office and the first school in 1834.
Known for decades as part of Lisle Township, taking its name from Lisle, New York, the formal incorporation of Lisle as a Village didn’t take place until June 26, 1956.
In 2016, Lisle will be celebrating its 60th birthday as an incorporated village. Plans are underway for celebrations later in the summer.
