Braidwood, Illinois

Braidwood
Location of Braidwood in Will County, Illinois.
Location of Braidwood in Will County, Illinois.
Location of Illinois in the United States
Location of Illinois in the United States
Coordinates: 41°16′19″N 88°13′6″W / 41.27194°N 88.21833°W / 41.27194; -88.21833
CountryUnited States
StateIllinois
CountyWill
Area
 • Total5.47 sq mi (14.17 km2)
 • Land5.30 sq mi (13.72 km2)
 • Water0.18 sq mi (0.46 km2)
Elevation568 ft (173 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total6,194
 • Density1,169.56/sq mi (451.61/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
60408[3]
Area code815/779
FIPS code17-07770
GNIS feature ID2394237[2]
Wikimedia CommonsBraidwood, Illinois
Websitebraidwood.us

Braidwood is a city in Will County, Illinois, United States, approximately 53 miles (85 km) southwest of Chicago and 18 miles (29 km) south of Joliet. The population was 6,191 at the 2010 census.

The Braidwood Nuclear Generating Station, a nuclear power plant owned by Exelon Corporation, is also located in the area (although the plant's address is actually in the nearby town of Braceville). The station is one of the major employers in the area and provides a significant portion of the electricity used in the Chicago area. The plant has been the subject of controversy concerning a series of leaks since 2007[4][5]

Reed-Custer Community Unit School District 255 educates students from in and around Braidwood, Custer Park, Essex, and Godley. The district has 3 schools: Reed-Custer Elementary School (Grades PreK-5), Reed-Custer Middle School (Grades 6-8), and Reed-Custer High School (Grades 9-12). The district level administrators are: Mark Mitchell (Superintendent), Christine Nelson (Assistant Superintendent), and Jim King (Director of Operations). Reed-Custer High School is located at 249 Comet Drive in Braidwood, IL 60408, and is part of the Reed-Custer School District known as 255U.

  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 15, 2022.
  2. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Braidwood, Illinois
  3. ^ "Braidwood IL ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2023. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  4. ^ HustisEmail, Jo Ann. "NRC: Tritium response is to emotion, not risk". www.morrisherald-news.com. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  5. ^ Association, Brett Chase and Madison Hopkins • Better Government. "Investigation: Radioactive leaks at Illinois nuclear plants". stltoday.com. Retrieved January 28, 2019.