Along Dempster Street in north‑suburban Skokie, a cluster of low‑profile strip malls illustrates the village’s evolving population.
Mado Mbasso, who runs Mado’s African Market, says the grocery store “caters to a growing West African diaspora” and notes neighbors that are “Chinese… Jewish… Europeans.”
Vincent Yang opened Monkey King Jianbing nearby, explaining in Mandarin that Skokie’s “lots of people from different countries” create a market for the Chinese street‑food specialty.
Just a parking lot away, Ken’s Diner & Grill, a kosher eatery operated by the same family for five decades, is described by its new owner Adam Freed as a “melting pot.”
According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey five‑year estimates, Skokie’s roughly 66,000 residents are now 48 % white, 25 % Asian, 11 % Latino and 10 % Black—a stark change from a generation when the community was over 90 % white.
WBEZ’s analysis of nearly 300 Chicago‑area suburbs shows that more than thirty suburbs have shifted from majority‑white to majority non‑white between 2005 and 2024, with 18 flipping between 2015 and 2024.
Willow Lung, an associate professor of urban studies and planning, says the changes began after redlining and restrictive housing policies were dismantled, and have been accelerated by suburban job growth and rising city living costs.
The median household incomes of Chicago‑area suburbs now range from about $30,000 to over $250,000, and roughly 19 % of residents in Cook County and the surrounding five collar counties were born outside the United States.
In the south suburbs, Flossmoor has develop into 60 % Black, 30 % white and 5 % Latino. its median household income of $133,663 makes it the highest‑income majority‑Black suburb in the region.
Gerald Pauling, president of the Homewood‑Flossmoor Board of Education, recalls his high school days when the student body was “99 % white,” noting that today families are drawn to the town’s schools, diversity and “successful people of color.”
Lansing, another recently flipped suburb, elected its first Black Village Board trustee in 2021 and held its inaugural Juneteenth celebration last summer, drawing about 400 participants.
Joliet, now 44 % white, 34 % Latino and 16 % Black, has seen its Latino population swell as “the availability of the job market” in warehousing and logistics draws new residents.
José Eduardo Vera, executive director of the Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project, says many local government services are not offered in languages spoken by newcomers, creating gaps in access to municipal assistance and healthcare.
In November, the Skokie Village Board banned federal immigration agents from using village‑owned property for enforcement actions without a criminal warrant, prompting residents to organize rapid‑response teams and volunteer for school drop‑offs and pick‑ups.
Skokie’s history of community solidarity dates back to 1977, when officials attempted to stop a neo‑Nazi march through a suburb that then housed about 7,000 Holocaust survivors—a battle that reached the U.S. Supreme Court before the group marched in downtown Chicago.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current racial and ethnic composition of Skokie?
Skokie’s population of about 66,000 is now 48 % white, 25 % Asian, 11 % Latino and 10 % Black.
How many Chicago‑area suburbs have shifted from majority‑white to majority‑non‑white?
More than thirty suburbs have made that shift since 2005, with 18 flipping between 2015 and 2024.
What recent action has Skokie taken regarding federal immigration enforcement?
In November, the Skokie Village Board prohibited federal immigration agents from using village‑owned property for enforcement without a valid criminal warrant.
How will these demographic trends shape the future of suburban governance and community life?
