About Peoria

Peoria, Illinois is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, and the largest city on the Illinois River. It is one of the oldest settlements in Illinois. Peoria is famous as the most accurate representation of an average American city in its demographics and culture. The territory that Peoria sits on was first settled in 1680 by French traders with a fort named Fort Crevecoeur. After Fort Crevecoeur burned to the ground sometime before 1813, Fort Clark was established, which turned into the city of Peoria in 1825. The city's climate is normally humid, with cold winters and hot summers. Precipitation is average at 36 inches a year.

The demographics and racial makeup of Peoria is that of the white, married couple: racially, Caucasians are the most prominent, with 69.29 percent of the population. Married couples made up 41.6 percent of the population. The median income for a household in the city is $36,397, and the per capita income is $20,512. Eighteen percent of the population lives under the poverty line. The city is skewed towards the young: 64.9 percent of the population is under the age of 44. The main income for the city tends towards industry: the main companies that have set up shop in Peoria include Caterpillar, Inc. and Komastu America, both heavy equipment machinery manufacturers. Other well known businesses are Bergners, Archer Daniels Midland, AmerenCILCO, RLI Corp., CEFCU, and the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research. Also accounting for at least 25 percent of the economy are the three major and three minor hospitals. The most notable one is the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. If you wish to find any other businesses or industry in Peoria, it might be best to look in the Peoria, Illinois yellow pages or the Peoria, Illinois business directory.

Culturally, Peoria has a lot to offer. Among these offerings is the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, the 10th oldest in the nation. In addition, Peoria also has a professional hockey team, the Peoria Rivermen, and a minor league baseball team, the Peoria Chiefs. The government that allows this to prosper is a home rule municipality with a mayor and ten council members. The public school system has four districts, with dozens of schools. Bradley University, Midstate College, and Eureka College are all located in Peoria as well. Notable people born or raised in Peoria include Susan G. Komen and Ray LaHood, current secretary of Transportation.

Written by Lyndsey Morgan