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DHistory
History · Streamwood

Streamwood dates to 1957

More historic than 6% of U.S. towns · #747 of 768 in Illinois. What drives it

Most of Streamwood was built recently: 2% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1981. Below: maps from 1923 on and the census since 1960.

1957founded
0on the National Register
2%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Streamwood began

When was Streamwood founded?

1957

Streamwood dates its founding to 1957 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1960.

First census: 4,821 in 19602020 census: 39,57769 years

How historic is Streamwood?

D

More historic than 6% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikipedia.
History grade

What drives Streamwood’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Streamwood is more historic than 6% of U.S. towns, #747 of 768 in Illinois. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

D
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Streamwood’s overall grade.
Founding era1957, from Wikipedia: founded 1945 or later, an older era than 2% of U.S. townsD−Homes built before 19402.3% of homes (±1.0) · typical IL town 10.6% · U.S. 8.4%C−National RegisterNo listings counted · typical IL town 0.5 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 6%
NewerOlder
Illinois towns of 2,500+ (768)Ahead of 3%

Few Illinois towns list much on the Register (a typical Illinois town has 0.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Streamwood’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (28% of Illinois towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to D. The pre-1940 share (±1.0 points) is firm at this size. Two sources give 1957.

Founding year: Wikipedia (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Streamwood’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Streamwood are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 19236 editions of the USGS map, 1923 to 1993. Watch Streamwood change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Streamwood’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Streamwood’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Streamwood on the map, 1923 to 1993

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Streamwood. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Streamwood on the 1923 USGS mapStreamwood on the 1935 USGS mapStreamwood on the 1961 USGS mapStreamwood on the 1972 USGS mapStreamwood on the 1980 USGS mapStreamwood on the 1993 USGS map1923Barrington sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Streamwood.

The story so far

Streamwood, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Streamwood yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Streamwood is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 39,577. It is a northwest suburb of Chicago, and is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Streamwood is one of the three communities that make up the so-called "Tri Village" area, along with Bartlett and Hanover Park. Streamwood was first incorporated as a village on February 9, 1957.

Streamwood was established in 1957. Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 39,858 in 2010, 39,577 in 2020.

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Streamwood, 1923 to 1992

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 20th century
  2. 1923On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 1957
    FoundingStreamwood is established
  4. 1981Born hereMatt Ulrich is born here
  5. 1992Born hereMarcus Lewis is born here
By decade

Streamwood, decade by decade

Today1 recent
Shopping cart at night2018Shopping cart at night
People over time

Streamwood, census by census

05,00010,00015,00020,00025,00030,00035,00040,0001960198020002020Peak: 39,858

Between 4,821 and 39,858 people in every census since 1960.

7 censuses, 1960–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Streamwood’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Streamwood

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
M
Marcus LewisAmerican basketball player · b. 1992
M
Matt UlrichAmerican football player · b. 1981
Places that used to be

Places now gone

Gone or out of use
School Number 44school

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

BartlettIts storyC−Hoffman Estates1 historic placeDHanover ParkIts storyD−SchaumburgIts storyC−

Questions about Streamwood’s history

What year was Streamwood founded?

In 1957, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. the census of 1960 counted 4,821 people here.

How does Streamwood rank for history?

Streamwood is more historic than 6% of U.S. towns, #747 of 768 in Illinois. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in Streamwood?

2% of Streamwood’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.0 points), against a typical 11% for an Illinois town; the median home was built in 1981.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (1), Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.