Superior access to regional transportation routes is one of the most attractive aspects of living in or doing business in New Lenox.

With the completion of the I-355 extension in 2007 from Bolingbrook to I-80, access to New Lenox improved dramatically. The convenience of the Route 30 and I-80 interchange and the Route 6 and I-355 interchange allows travel in all directions. We are literally 12 miles from Bolingbrook (I-55 to the north), 11 miles to I-57 to the east and 12 miles to I-55 to the west. Traffic counts show over 48,000 vehicles/day at I-80 and I-355.

The Village acquired property for a new regional wastewater treatment plant on Laraway Road, west of Gougar Road. The new treatment plant will increase the Village's overall treatment plant capacity from 3.5 million to 5.5 million gallons per day. In addition, a water main was replaced on 2.3 miles of Cedar Road between Illinois Highway and Francis Road and on the Route. Lastly, the Village is thrilled that federal and state funding allowed for improvements to be made to the I-80 interchange at Route 30. Additional stacking as well as dual left/dual right turn lanes allowed for the traffic of our growing population to access the Village more efficiently and safely.

New Lenox is served by two Metra commuter rail lines, affording easy commuting options to Chicago with over 25 trains per day. The Rock Island Line offers service to the LaSalle Street Station from Cedar and Route 30, while the Southwest Service Line has Union Station as its destination from the Laraway Station.

New Lenox Township handles the Dial-a-Ride program for local residents.

Car Commute Estimates

• Village Hall to Chicago Loop: 47 minutes
• Village Hall to Oak Brook: 25 minutes
• Village Hall to Indiana State Line: 20 minutes
• Village Hall to O'Hare: 45 minutes
• Village Hall to Midway: 30 minutes
• Village Hall to Centerpointe Inter-modal Facility: 30 minutes

Metra Commuter Rail

Rock Island Express Train to LaSalle Station: 63 minutes

Growing out of the historic center of the Village, New Lenox has emerged as a regional leader in high-caliber residential development.

The goal is to provide housing to all sectors of the market with an emphasis on quality. New Lenox has been a leader in Will County and the Chicago Metropolitan Area for new housing starts for several years. Established neighborhoods combined with new subdivisions provide for comfortable family living and individual lifestyles. Regional developers and custom home builders offer a wide array of housing options. From multi-family to maintenance-free living, or starter homes to spacious dream homes, New Lenox offers it all.

The combined efforts of the numerous health care options have helped make New Lenox a "health care destination."

New Lenox is the proud home of Silver Cross Hospital's, 348 bed facility. Completed in 2012, the hospital is conveniently located at Route 6 and I-355 Interchange.

With Silver Cross came partnerships with world-class organizations such as University of Chicago Medicine Cancer Center, Ann and Robert H. Lurie's Children's Hospital of Chicago Outpatient Facility, Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Rush University for Health, and U.S. HealthVest (Silver Oaks Behavioral Health Hospital). Expansion continues at the hospital which has approximately 6,000 daily employees, volunteers, doctors, patients, and vendors accessing the campus. Visit the Silver Cross Hospital website for more information.

New Lenox Village Commons

New Lenox is widely known for world-class concerts held in the outdoor town center known as the "Commons" and those are only a fraction of the entertainment and events offered to the community.

In recent years, the Summer Concert Series has drawn sold-out crowds of 5,000 to the Performing Arts Pavilion in the Commons, adjacent to the Village Hall. The concert series truly is a community event, with the food provided by local New Lenox restaurants.

In addition to the Summer Concert Series, many other programs are planned by the Village, including:

• Fridays After Five
• Ladies Night Out
• Movie Nights
• Cruise in the Commons
• National Night Out
• Chalk Walk
• Independence Day Celebration
• Live on the Lawn
• Play Day in the Commons

Christmas in the Commons

Every year, the Village hosts the impressive Christmas in the Commons. The 10-acre park is turned into a winter wonderland. The centerpiece of the display is our Santa Claus, which is the largest lighted Santa Claus in North America. Events and activities take place every weekend in December and include a holiday market, horse-drawn wagon rides, ice skating, and more!

New Lenox successfully offers a wide range of educational options to area students for public, private, and higher education institutions. Students from New Lenox attend the New Lenox District 122 or Union Elementary District 81 and Lincoln-Way High School District. The Village is also home to St. Jude's Elementary and Providence Catholic High Schools.

New Lenox School District, 122

The award-winning elementary schools in New Lenox District 122 are home to 5,040 students from the New Lenox area attending preschool-8th grade. Over the last nine years, an average of 85% of New Lenox District 122 students have consistently met or exceeded the Illinois Learning Standards.

Union School District, 81

Union Elementary District 81 serves the educational needs of students enrolled in kindergarten through 8th grade. In 2022, Union School District received the Exemplary Designation from the Illinois State Board of Education, which was attained by less than 10% of schools across the state. Also in 2022, Union School District is ranked in the top 5% of schools in the State of Illinois and has the 2nd highest test scores in Will County.

Lincoln-Way High School District, 210

Lincoln-Way High School District 210 serves families and citizens in a 105-square mile area at four comprehensive high schools. Two of the high schools are located in New Lenox, Lincoln-Way Central and Lincoln-Way West.

In April 2019, the U.S. News and World Report released their 2019 Best High Schools rankings, and for the first time, all three Lincoln-Way high schools made the list.

The U.S. News rankings include data on more than 23,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. More than 17,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.

On their 2019 rankings, Lincoln-Way East ranked 1,330 nationally (61 in Illinois), Lincoln-Way Central ranked 1,625 nationally (72 in Illinois), and Lincoln-Way West ranked 2,673 (104 in Illinois).

St. Jude's School

St. Jude's School opened in September 1950 and has a tradition of providing an education environment in which students are taught the Christian message and are given the opportunity to live what they learn, especially the Gospel values of love, respect, and service to others. Serving children in kindergarten through 8th grade, the school curriculum is approved by the Diocese of Joliet's Catholic Schools Office and meets state requirements.

Providence Catholic High School

Providence Catholic High School is a Catholic, co-educational, diocesan secondary school. A Providence Catholic High School education is intended to provide each student with a four-year college preparatory program. The school is staffed by both religious and lay people. Providence Catholic High School has been located in New Lenox since 1962 and currently serves approximately 1,100 students.

Higher Education Institutions

Residents of New Lenox enjoy quality higher education close to home. Joliet Junior College (JJC), established in 1901, is the nation's oldest community college. JJC offers classes at several convenient locations, including Lincoln-Way East High School. University of St. Francis in Joliet and Lewis University in Romeoville provide both bachelors' and masters' degree programs.

The residents of New Lenox are fortunate to have their park and recreational needs addressed in a number of different ways. Through the New Lenox Park District, the Forest Preserve District of Will County, and many volunteer youth sports organizations.

New Lenox Park District

The New Lenox Community Park District is proud to serve over 68,000 New Lenox and surrounding park district boundary residents. The District provides a wide range of recreational activities, a championship-quality golf - The Sanctuary - banquet facilities, numerous district-wide special events as well as managing 39 park sites on 357 acres.

The Sanctuary, an 18-hole golf course located at 235 Acres on Marley Road, is a quality, "links style" golf course which provides a challenge for all skill levels. The Sanctuary has a full-service golf shop, an excellent grass practice range, short game area, and putting green. The championship level course at an affordable price, as well as the success and size of the Junior Golf League, is attributed to the popularity of the course.

Will County Forest Preserve

Residents and visitors of New Lenox enjoy the benefits of the Old Plank Road Trail, which runs directly through the Village. The 21-mile, multi-use trail runs from Joliet to Park Forest and was a former railroad route.

Additionally, there are three forest preserves within New Lenox: Hickory Creek/Hickory Barrens Preserve (home to historic Schmuhl School), Potawatomi Woods Preserve, and Hadley Valley Preserve. Hadley Valley Preserve is also the location of the Spring Creek Greenway Trail that runs under I-355 north of Route 6. The forest preserve offers outreach programs, events and exhibitions, and provides education and interpretation programs to more than 20,000 individuals in 2017.

Youth Sports Organizations

Many young families are drawn to New Lenox to start their families and raise their children. Consequently, there is a full range of volunteer driven youth sports options to meet the needs of New Lenox residents. Whether it is football, baseball, softball, or soccer, these groups add greatly to the recreational opportunities in the community.

Safe Communities America Award

The National Safety Council and the WHO Collaborating Centre on Community Safety Promotion designated the Village of New Lenox as a "Safe Community" on April 27, 2010. The Village was reaccredited for this prestigious designation in 2016. New Lenox was the 9th community in the United States to receive this accolade, and there are only 20 designated safe communities in the country. The Safe Communities America designation is awarded to communities that demonstrate leadership in promoting safety, reducing injuries, and preparing their citizens for natural and man-made disasters.

The Public Safety Division Chief offers ancillary programs and services to New Lenox citizens that have proven to be of great value.

Police Department

The New Lenox Police Department proudly serves its residents and visitors each day. Each member of the Police Department is committed to providing a high level of law enforcement services to residents, businesses and visitors.

The Police Department is organized by the Police Chief and two Deputy Police Chiefs to provide efficient and effective law enforcement service by the 37 officers in their employ.

The Department offers the ability to register online for community and emergency alerts. Additionally, they offer many opportunities for involvement as a resident through the Citizen's Police Academy, CERT (Citizen's Emergency Response Team), and ESDA (Emergency Services and Disaster Agency).

New Lenox Fire Protection District

The New Lenox Fire Protection District (NLFPD) has four fire stations which cover 36 square miles for 45,000 residents, utilizing about 50 firefighter/paramedics.

In addition to providing fire and ambulance services, NLFPD offers various free and minimally priced programs and services to the public. These include:

Classes

• CPR/First Aid/Babysitting Academy/Fire Extinguisher Training
• Fire Cadet Program
• Full Complement of Senior Programs
• Child Car Seat Safety Inspections
• NLFPD Open House and Family Fun Day
• Fire and Life Safety Education to area schools
• Waste Oil, Fire Extinguishers and Propane Tank Disposal
• Military/Community Firefighter Program and Soldier Welcome Home
• Active Participant in Community Programs

Other Safety Awards

• FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) awarded New Lenox with the "National Citizen Corp Council Achievement Award" celebrating resilient communities in 2010.
• Designated a "Storm Ready Community" by the National Weather Service in 2010 and 2013.