Steger, Illinois


Steger is a village in Cook County and Will County, Illinois, United States. It is south of Chicago and had a population of 9,584 at the 2020 census.
WWW villageofsteger.org

History

The settlement was founded in 1891 by Chicago real estate interests and initially named Columbia Heights in honor of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition which the City of Chicago had been preparing to host since 1889.
John Valentine Steger built a piano factory there on a parcel of land south of Chicago Heights that was sited immediately west of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Railroad tracks and bordered by the tracks, Vincennes Avenue and 33rd and 34th Streets. By 1904, the factory covered and had a capacity of sixteen thousand pianos per year.
Steger was incorporated in 1896 with 324 residents, at which time John Steger agreed to pay $400 toward incorporation costs with the understanding that the town would change its name to Steger, and he subsequently served two terms as the village's board president. He avoided the issues that had plagued George Pullman in his "model town" by encouraging private home ownership and commerce. By 1920, Steger was called the "piano capital of the world", producing more than a hundred pianos a day. After demand diminished for pianos, the plant closed in 1928.
In 1973, Louis Sherman was elected Village President of the Village of Steger. Sherman was the longest serving Mayor in the history of Steger serving 40 years from 1973 to 2013 having completed his 10th term. Sherman died August 9, 2020, at the age of 92. He was succeeded by Kenneth Peterson, Jr. who was elected in 2013.
Peterson served as the 21st Village President/Mayor from 2013 until his death on September 16, 2024. . Following Peterson's death the Village had not acting Village President/Mayor until after the April 1, 2025 election when William Joyce, a long-time Village Trustee won. On April 7, 2025, Joyce was selected as "Interim" Village President/Mayor. Joyce was sworn in as the Village of Steger's 22nd Village President/Mayor on May 1, 2025.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Steger has a total area of, all land.

Demographics

Race / Ethnicity Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone 8,0536,1034,53683.17%63.77%47.33%
Black or African American alone 6061,8182,4816.26%19.00%25.89%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 288120.29%0.08%0.13%
Asian alone 4696740.48%1.00%0.77%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone 6020.06%0.00%0.02%
Other race alone 167560.17%0.07%0.58%
Mixed race or Multiracial 1461813881.51%1.89%4.05%
Hispanic or Latino7811,3572,0358.07%14.18%21.23%
Total9,6829,5709,584100.00%100.00%100.00%

As of the 2020 census there were 9,584 people, 4,014 households, and 2,351 families residing in the village. The population density was. There were 4,293 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the village was 51.93% White, 26.46% African American, 0.53% Native American, 0.81% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 9.46% from other races, and 10.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.23% of the population.
There were 4,014 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.21% were married couples living together, 13.23% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.43% were non-families. 34.98% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.75% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 2.31.
The village's age distribution consisted of 22.1% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 24% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 117.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $49,492, and the median income for a family was $67,639. Males had a median income of $48,100 versus $29,272 for females. The per capita income for the village was $26,564. About 8.4% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Steger has two main parks: Harold Hecht Park and Veteran's Park.

Government

The Village of Steger is governed by an elected six-member Board of Trustees and Mayor. The Mayor/Village President is a "part-time" position and he appoints the Village Administrator, currently Joseph Wiszowaty, Treasurer, All Department Heads, Directors and Officers as well as other members of Committees and Commissions with the "advice and consent" of the Village Board of Trustees pursuant to Illinois law.
The mayor is William Joyce. Village Trustees are part-time positions and serve as liaisons for Departments.
The Village's 2024 Annual Audit Report
Steger has one congressional districts. The area in Cook and Will Counties is in Illinois's 2nd congressional district.

Transportation

Pace provides bus service on Route 358 connecting Steger to downtown Chicago Heights and other destinations.
Steger is a planned stop on Metra's SouthEast Service, which has been unserved by commuter rail since 1935.

Notable people