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Revision as of 05:11, 17 October 2005
- For the Illinois village previously known as Rantoul see Alma, Illinois
Rantoul is a village located in Champaign County, Illinois. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 12,918. The mayor is Neal Williams, whose term will expire in 2009.
The community was named after Robert Rantoul, director of the Illinois Central Railroad
In 1917, Rantoul was chosen to be the site of the Chanute Field due to its proximity to the Illinois Central railroad and the War Department’s ground school housed at the University of Illinois. In the 1930s, Chanute grew, dominating the local economy as thousands of Airmen were stationed there to train new recruits who cycled in and out. After World War II, with the formation of the Air Force, Chanute Field was renamed Chanute Air Force Base.
After years of serving as a training facility, the Base was recommended for closure in 1988 and officially closed in 1993. In many ways, the transition of Chanute Air Force Base from military to civilian use has been highly successful. Many of the The Air Force Base's buildings and facilities have found new life, with purposes that range from motels, retirement communities, restaurants, a fitness center, an Aerospace Museum, and several light manufacturing facilities. The excellent Golf Course, once only available to Airmen and their guests, is now one of the most popular in East Central Illinois. The housing on base, once homes for Airmen with families, are now 100% occupied by civilians. Even so, many buildings remain unoccupied, and they are maintained and kept available for reuse.
Geography
Rantoul is located at 40°18'17" North, 88°9'7" West (40.304600, -88.152070)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 19.0 km² (7.3 mi²). 18.8 km² (7.2 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.50% water.
Partial List of Mayors
- Joseph T. Brown (1997-2001)
- Charles Irvin (1996-1997)
- Katy Podagrosi (1984-1996)
- Jack McJilton (1969-1984)
- C.O. Hobson (1965-1969)
- Ellis Zook (1961-1965)
- Byron Gates (1957-1961)
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 12,918 people, 5,330 households, and 3,368 families residing in the village. The population density is 685.7/km² (1,776.5/mi²). There are 6,161 housing units at an average density of 328.6/km² (851.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the village is 76.69% White, 16.88% African American, 0.47% Native American, 1.75% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races, and 3.27% from two or more races. 2.69% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 5,330 households out of which 33.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.9% are married couples living together, 15.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% are non-families. 30.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.41 and the average family size is 3.02.
In the village the population is spread out with 28.6% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 18.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 32 years. For every 100 females there are 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 86.7 males.
The median income for a household in the village is $36,904, and the median income for a family is $43,543. Males have a median income of $32,440 versus $22,382 for females. The per capita income for the village is $17,948. 10.7% of the population and 8.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 14.7% of those under the age of 18 and 4.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Activities
- Illinois Skydiving Center, a major center of that sport, located 10 miles North of the town.
- Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum, detailing the history of Flight, Military Aviation, and Chanute Air Force Base, located on the old Base.
External links
Village of Rantoul Official Site
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