Westchester is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is a western suburb of Chicago. The population was 16,892 at the 2020 census. The current Village President is Nick Steker, serving in the special role of acting president after the death of the previous president Frank Perry from cancer. History The area now known as Westchester was occupied by German farmers beginning in the mid-19th century. Samuel Insull purchased the land in 1924 with plans to develop it for residential use and create an English-style town. As a result, the town's name and the majority of its street names are of English origin. The Great Depression slowed development during the 1930s, although the population continued to grow. The town's suburban development was stimulated by its being the western terminal of Chicago's rapid transit line. The extension of the line was removed in 1951. But in 1956 the federal government began postwar construction of the Interstate Highway System, resulting in the construction of nearby expressways I-290 and I-294. These have provided residents with convenient travel in the region. Residential and retail development has consumed nearly all open land within the village, save for the protected of Wolf Road Prairie. It is the largest black-soil prairie remnant east of the Mississippi River. Geography Westchester is located at (41.853890, -87.883712). According to the 2010 census, Westchester has a total area of , all land. It shares its western border with Du Page County. Transportation Residents of Westchester have a small variety of transportation options available to them. Cermak Road and Roosevelt Road are two major stroads that cut through the village. Residents also have bus service through Pace Bus Service, with routes 301, 317, and 330 serving the community. Route 317 follows the former extension to the CTA Blue Line before it was removed. There have been calls to restore Blue Line service to the community and plans have existed, however, CTA currently has no plans to extend the Blue Line from Forest Park. Westchester has a Walk Score of 43, meaning most errands require driving a car. The village also has several zoning provisions that foster car dependency, such as minimum parking requirements. Demographics As of the 2020 census there were 16,892 people, 6,811 households, and 4,385 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 7,230 housing units at an average density of . The racial